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Notes and thoughts for 3 St Lucy day 13 2020

. For us here at Wesley Fremantle we are through our worship exploring the stories and traditions from around the world that have given rise to many of those wonderful and colourful experiences. Many of the sources of the stories and their Christian heritage are not well known This year two of our four Advent Sundays are particular saints days

December 6th is day

The story of St Nicholas, the Red Sock and Gold Coins

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas looks like this in the East—in Orthodox tradition and for Eastern Rite Catholics. This is how a bishop looks in the Eastern Church—and it is the way Bishop Nicholas would have looked (he lived before the Eastern and Western churches split). Nicholas was Greek and lived in Asia Minor, an area that is now in Turkey. St. Nicholas is a Father of the Faith in the Eastern Church. Bishop Nicholas attended the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea

Red Sock The story of the very poor farmer and his three daughters all of whom needed a dowry and how St Nicholas provided for them all by giving gold coins which were thrown through an opening in the farmer’s house and the first time landed in the red sock drying beside the fire. In some versions of the story the gold landed in stockings drying before the fire (in others it was —so European children put shoes out for St. Nicholas treats). This is the origin of hanging stockings for Santa to fill.

Gold Coins Gold coins, real or chocolate, represent gold Nicholas tossed through the window to rescue three young women from a life of servitude, or even prostitution. Gold is the most common symbol for Saint Nicholas.

Crozier Croziers are a common symbol for a bishop. They represent a shepherd’s staff, and are a visible reminder of bishops’ responsibility to care for people as the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep. A crozier is a symbol for St. Nicholas, a reminder of the care he had for people.

December 6 is St Nicholas’s day and the whole story about this man born during the 3rd century who became the Bishop of was the origin of the red stocking, the gold coins in netting and also the legend of

December 13 Our Eucharist Sunday is ’s Day . St Lucia was martyred for faith in 304 because she would secretly bring food to persecuted Christians in Rome She would wear candles on her head so that she would have her hands free to carry more food and supplies . Lucy means light In Sweden there are very big celebrations and processions with young girls dressed as Lucy and we will be telling her story in worship on Sunday 13th December

St Lucy’s Day

Around Christmas time in Sweden, one of the biggest celebrations is St. Lucia's Day (or St. Lucy's Day) on December 13th. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden.

St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304. The most common story told about St Lucia is that she would secretly bring food to the persecuted Christians in Rome, who lived in hiding in the catacombs under the city. She would wear candles on her head so she had both her hands free to carry things. Lucy means 'light' so this is a very appropriate name.

December 13th was also the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, in the old 'Julian' Calendar and a pagan festival of lights in Sweden was turned into St. Lucia's Day.

St. Lucia's Day is now celebrated by a girl dressing in a white dress with a red sash round her waist and a crown of candles on her head. Small children use electric candles but from about 12 years old, real candles are often used!

The crown is made of Lingonberry branches which are evergreen and symbolise new life in winter. Schools normally have their own St. Lucia's and some town and villages also choose a girl to play St. Lucia in a procession where carols are sung.

A national Lucia is also chosen. Lucias also visit hospitals and old people's homes singing a song about St Lucia and handing out 'Pepparkakor', ginger snap biscuits.

Small children sometimes like dressing up as Lucia (with the help of their parents!). Also boys might dress up as 'Stjärngossar' (star boys) and girls might be 'tärnor' (like Lucia but without the candles).

A popular food eaten at St. Lucia's day are 'Lussekatts', St Lucia's day buns flavored with saffron and dotted with raisins which are eaten for breakfast.

St Lucia's Day first became widely celebrated in Sweden in the late 1700s. St Lucia's Day is also celebrated in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Bosnia, and Croatia. In Denmark it is more a of a children's day and in some part of Italy, children are told that St Lucy brings them presents. They leave out a sandwich for her and the donkey that helps carry the !

Comments on :6-8, 19-28 and 1 1Thessalonians 5:16-24

Some notes and comments from a range of scholars who again point us to see the uniqueness of the writer of the Gospel of John and the way in which the story of John sets the scene of pointing to the coming Christ . This is the true theme of Advent and call us to show our commitment to how we in our lives are witnessing to Christ

Thessalonians probably the first book in terms of date of the New Testament . brings us to the whole nature of how we live in community . The series of recent writings by Hugh Mackay a gifted social commentator and Christian add to the images and values expressed by Paul in the reading for Advent 3 But let us return to the Gospel text to begin these notes

In the Synoptic Gospels, is a prophet who has an important ministry in his own right. He calls people to repentance and eventually dies as a martyr for daring to confront petty earthly tyrants with the word of the Lord. But in John, for the most part, he just points people to .

The text for today tells us more about who John wasn’t than about who he was: he wasn’t the light; he wasn’t the Messiah; he wasn’t Elijah; he wasn’t the prophet.” Who, then, was he? He was a witness (John 1:7) and he was a voice (John 1:23), albeit a voice telling people to prepare for someone else, someone whose sandal thong John was unworthy to untie (John 1:28).

There are probably historical reasons for this subordination. Many of the commentaries discuss various versions of a theory that John’s significance had to be downplayed in some segments of the church because his followers had become competitors with the followers of Jesus. Thus, John himself is represented as directing his followers to Jesus and as declaring that “he must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Whatever political struggles might have influenced the Fourth Gospel’s presentation of events, the account we have before us offers a different nuance than what we encountered in Mark.

. That is what seems most important to the writer of our Fourth Gospel: it is not just what he says about Jesus that is important, but how he says it.

John is a witness (martyría; John 1:7) who testifies (martyréo; John 1:7, 19) to the good news of Jesus Christ. Those two words are used more than forty-five times in John’s Gospel and are expressive of what many consider to be a central theme of the work. They have their origin in a legal context and, so, imply public testimony to something that one guarantees is absolutely true. When a witness testifies to something, he or she stakes his or her life on it; a “false witness” commits perjury, a capital offense. This, of course, explains the origin of our English word martyr: a witness who suffers the ultimate consequence when his or her public testimony is deemed false. John is only the first of many to testify on behalf of Jesus in this Gospel (see, e.g., John 4:39; 5:36, 37, 39; 12:17; 15:26, 27).

Like the man whose name was John, the church is sent into today’s world as a witness. So, focusing specifically on the text for Advent 3, we may characterize this witness as public, certain, and humble.

These qualities are in tension with the spirit of our age. Most people today regard religion as a private matter and do not want to hear about someone else’s particular beliefs. Certainty is also shunned in these postmodern times; we are all victims of our own perspectives: who can ever know for sure whether anything is true or not?

Still, we are audacious enough to believe that the gospel is true, and that it must be proclaimed boldly — publicly and confidently.

The trick is to bear witness to this truth with humility. For John, that meant directing people away from himself and toward Jesus. Notice how people try not to let him do that. “Who are you? What do you say about yourself?” (John 1:22).

That is one thing that has not changed. Talk about Jesus, and people will always want to change the subject; often they want us to talk about ourselves. And frequently that may be what we would prefer to talk about as well.

Don’t take that bait. Our testimony about Jesus is ultimately less significant than Jesus’ testimony about us. Sure, share your opinions and beliefs about Jesus with friends, neighbours, and strangers (if they’ll listen), but that’s all you’ve got, beliefs and opinions.

The testimony of Jesus himself is more powerful. His words are the word of God; his actions, an incarnation of that word, putting us all on trial with public testimony. The light of God’s love and the darkest parts of humanity come together, and there need be no postmodern squabbling over what happens when darkness and light try to co-exist: the truth of what happens is public and certain.

Epistle 1Thessalonians 5:16-24

“Rejoice always.”

The third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been known as , taken from the opening of the Psalm appointed for the day so long ago. That Psalm began with the Latin command to rejoice. Today’s reading from the epistles also begins with the command to rejoice. In this reading, which is the conclusion of his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul sends words of encouragement and support.

Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia and this letter has a friendly tone. Paul would seem to be pleased with the way that they are living their new lives as followers of The Way, as Christians. He opens his letter with the comforting reminder that “We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). I suspect all of us would be happy to receive this letter confirming who we are and recognizing that we are on the right path.

Paul goes on also to remind them that they are serving as excellent role models for “all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (1 Thessalonians 1:7). Yet even these people of strong faith are troubled with an important question. Recalling Jesus’ declaration of the end time and the comforting news that “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place” (Mark 13:30), they wonder what will happen to their loved ones who have died. The end time has not arrived, Christ has not returned, yet members of “this generation” are passing away. As they walk to the burials of their mothers and fathers, husbands and wives; standing before the graves of the faithful, they wonder if Jesus has forsaken them.

Continuing the themes introduced in the epistle readings for the First and Second Sundays of Advent, we once again return to the theme of the delay of the parousia. Will we, in fact, see the end time? Will we see Jesus return in great glory? In the fourth chapter of the letter Paul turns to their question. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). They seem to have been asking how could they rejoice in the Lord in the midst of their grieving? How could they continue to trust and believe that Jesus was “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) when people were dying?

Paul declares to these worried and grieving faithful that those who have died will not be ignored or forgotten. In fact, he confirms that at the last day those who have already died will actually be the first to be raised by God, “For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Christ will return in glory. The dead shall be raised. We shall be raised to meet them. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. There will be an end time and there will be a second coming, “encourage one another with theses words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

With the sound of the trumpet ringing in their ears and the vision of Christ returning to lead their loved ones home, Paul turns to words of exhortation and encouragement. If we are confident in the news that there will be a second coming, the question remains, how are we who are alive to live our lives in the light of that knowledge and certainty?

Gaudete, “Rejoice always.” The instructions in this, the conclusion of the letter, are very brief and very general. Furthermore, the verbs are all plural. Paul is not speaking to individuals as much as he is to the entire community in Thessalonica. They are all to rejoice. And when? Not at a particular time, nor only in good times, but always. They are to pray always. They are to give thanks not just for the good things that happen to them, but “in all circumstances.” Earlier in the letter Paul speaks of the suffering he has endured for Christ. And he notes that they too “suffered the same things” (1 Thessalonians 2:14). It was not easy to follow Christ. But Paul’s call is simple and direct, rejoice, pray, give thanks always and no matter what happens.

Paul also directs them to live lives grounded not only in the Spirit but also in the words of the prophets whose words have already been directing their lives. He does not point to any particular actions they have undertaken that would have quenched the Spirit. Likewise, he does not indicate exactly what they should test nor what evils they should avoid. The ending of the reading serves as a wonderful benediction for all of us as our celebration of the first coming of Christ and a reminder to keep our eyes and our lives focused on the second coming. We will be kept holy, “sound and blameless” (1 Thessalonians 5:23) for that day, and it is not through our work alone, but by “The one who calls [us]” and who “is faithful” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

This is truly a time to rejoice, pray, and give thanks for the great of God’s Word made flesh who came to dwell among us and who will surely come again. This message may be of great comfort to those who have recently lost a loved one and for whom the holiday festivities may be particularly difficult.

In your ministry just as in mine I try to tell the story of Christmas using many of the traditions by writing in the local paper and exploring how we can be blessed as we are being a blessing to others .The challenge is always before us as Paul writes to encourage us all to act is what is best for everyone and pray that we will all enjoy the peace and love that comes down at this holy season

Rev Brian Carey

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