hear the call of heaven
lift up your eyes to the clear cold sky and the beauty of the world
we lift them up to god
lift up your heads to your brothers and sisters sat beside you
we lift them up to god
lift up your voices to speak words of peace to all humanity
we lift them up to god
lift up your hearts to the child, the vulnerable ruler, the humble king
we lift them up to god
lift up your bodies to go to him, to worship him, to walk with him
we lift them up to god
god of paradox
god of complexity
god of power and might
god of the human touch
god of the swirling cloud and the birth of planets
god of the manger and the dust floor
god announced by angels
god welcomed by shepherds
god seen in the stars
god lying in the straw
god who shaped the earth
god who breathed it’s air
we do not understand you, but we welcome you
we thank you that in love you flung wide the gates of heaven and brought it’s glory to the hillside. we thank you that you took pity on our feeble efforts to reach you through religion and came instead to touch us.
so we join with the angels singing
holy holy holy
lord god almighty
heaven and earth are full of your glory
hosanna in the highest
so began a story. born in mercy. lived in justice. died in humility. raised again in love.
Luke 2 v 1-20
on this night we remember a beginning in the past and the beginning of the future.
a lifetime later, on the very night he was betrayed christ took bread, broke is and gave it to his friends saying take eat this is my body which is broken for you.
after supper he took the cup saying drink this all of you. this is my blood which is shed for the forgiveness of sins. do this to remember me. send down your spirit on these gifts of bread and wine that they may be to us christ’s body and blood.
christ was born
christ walked amongst us
christ has died
christ is risen
christ will come again
they came, they bowed they gave to him
gold given to one who will be honoured
myrrh given to one who will be mourned
frankincense given to one who will be worshipped
glory and praise given to the one who lives beyond reason, loves beyond logic, is beyond understanding
the christ is born, the world can never be the same again. Amen
53 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (the taken away branch);
54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 HE WHO EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM.
57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me." (John 6: 53-57)
Posted by: Michael | 27/12/2010 at 09:59