love and other foolishness

love
in a young girl's song;
fearful,
determined,
hopeful,
bursting.
love
in a mother's song;
tender,
embracing,
challenging,
stern.
love
is god's song;
curious yet timid,
playful and wondering
coming among us again.
we light a candle for love.
Katherine Hawker
www.liturgyoutside.net

Today we lit the final candle on the Advent wreath -- leaving only the tall white Christ candle that will be in the center of the wreath on Christmas Eve burning brightly. This week we light the Candle of Love as we read the great love story of Mary's acceptance of the angel's message that she would give birth to God's son, Jesus.

I began this posting with poetry. It is appropriate because according to the gospel of Luke, Mary not only accepted, she replied in beautiful poetry.

My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Luke 1:46

We find that surprising. She had so much to be worried about. She was so young. Poetry? That's a stretch. But then, we are so accustomed to life in a sound-bite 24-hour news cycle reality show world, we've forgotten the indulgent nourishment of poetry.

I'm grateful for the beauty, poetry, song, spirit, and indulgence of worship. An hour during which our phones don't ring, e-mail goes un-read, and we bask in the beauty of Mary's words. And we are saved by the gift she offered to the world.

Blessings -
Pastor Kris