Fulfilled Prayer

Dear Faith Family,   

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;" (Luke 2:29)

Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum, in pace. Those are the opening words of Simeon's prayer in Latin. A prayer that became known simply as the Nunc Dimittis and by the fourth century was a regular part of Christian liturgy because Simeon's prayer implies fulfillment, the arrival of what was awaited: 

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light of revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-31) 

Advent, is another Latin word. It simply means, "arrival." And the roots of the season of Advent go back as far as Nunc Dimittis, to a time when those converting to the family of faith were preparing for baptism at the feast celebrating Jesus' baptism (January 6th), which later became known as the Feast of Epiphany. The Advent season, as the four Sundays before Christmas Day, was formally established in the Western church in the 500s by Gregory the Great.

Since then, Advent has been a time for our faith to contemplate and celebrate the wondrous reality of Immanuel's arrival, God With Us (Is. 7:13-15), and all that means for our lives today and forever. Consider Him, God who became flesh, who dwelt among us, showing us how to live, and dying and rising so that we might be able to live. Consider Jesus Arrived; that's our aim this Advent Season, which kicked off on Sunday. 

Consider Jesus Arrived, seeing like Simeon, with your own eyes the long-awaited advent of the anointed, our salvation: 

"Christ is born, glorify Him!
Christ from heaven, go out to meet Him!
Christ on earth, be exalted!
Sing to the Lord all the whole earth;
and that I may join in one word:
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad,
for Him who is of heaven and then of earth.
Christ in the flesh, rejoice with trembling and with joy;
with trembling because of our sins,
with joy because of our hope."
(Gregory Nazianzus) 

Love you, faith family. God bless and Happy Advent!