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| Image by David Berry |
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The Ancestors of Jesus:
Mary
A GREETING
Smile on your faithful one;
save me in your love!
(Psalm 31:16)
READINGS
...Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary.
And from her Jesus was born...
(Matthew 1:16)
My soul [magnifies] your greatness, O God,
and my spirit rejoices in you, my Saviour.
For you have looked with favour
upon your lowly servant,
and from this day forward
all generations will call me blessed.
For you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
Your mercy reaches from age to age
for those who fear you.
You have shown strength with your arm;
you have scattered the proud in their conceit;
you have deposed the mighty from their thrones
and raised the lowly to high places.
You have filled the hungry with good things,
while you have sent the rich away empty.
(Luke 1:46-53)
MUSIC
Sung in Medieval Latin, this song by Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th century mystic,
describes Mary as the 'greenest branch,' from whom all goodness flows.
"And, because of you, nourishment is given to the human family
and great rejoicing to those gathered round the table."
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
The eyes of God look on those who stand in reverence,
on those who hope in God’s love.
(Psalm 33:18)
A REFLECTION
It was clear that everything in the natural world possessed innate value and was owed the same duty of care I granted myself and the people I held dear. This belief, that a person should love others and nature as much as they loved themselves, was at the very heart of Celtic philosophy. It had been drilled into me with every lesson. I can say now, after years of looking through eyes tinted with gorse, heather and sea breeze, that I can imagine no more fulfilling and joyful way of seeing the world.
- from To Speak for the Trees: My Life's Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest,
by Diana Beresford-Kroeger
VERSE OF THE DAY
Wait for God—stand tall and let your heart take courage!
Yes, wait for God!
(Psalm 27:14)
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| "Sunset," by Erika Pochybova-Johnson |
Throughout this week we have focused on the ancestors of Jesus, the roots of his family tree.
Roots are the fundamental part of a tree's structure, stretching as deep into the Earth as its branches reach into the sky. The roots of a tree act like the neural network of ecosystems, connecting a single form of botanical life to many others. When we pull something up by its roots, we watch the feathery bits drop down and seem to go on forever. Or if we are transplanting pots, those roots have curled up into an internal nest, making concentric circles of winding and searching out nutrients.
Our human ancestors have believed themselves to be superior to these ecological systems which God created. Much of the time they have acted with wisdom and great stewardship. And at other times they have shown neglect and extreme exploitation.
It can be hard to believe that we are those roots for the generations to come. In her book Speaking to the Trees, Diana Beresford-Kroeger describes the moment when the root of an Irish oak tree was discovered by her uncle in the bog near where she grew up in County Cork, Ireland. This discovery was double-edged for her as it offered a beautiful remnant of what had been lost to the colonizing end oppressive forces of the English on the Irish. On the other hand, it represented a life that had been preserved.
When Mary said yes to God's request to carry Jesus, she was making a decision for the world to come. She was understanding her place as an ancestor, as someone who was the root of all of those who would follow in the footsteps of her son.
Where are we establishing the roots of faith with others? What can we do to make sure those roots grow into thriving communities?
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| The East side of Point Pelee contains many trees which have collapsed due to rising water levels. As they fall, they expose their root systems. (Image by Sherry Coman) |
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Scripture passages are taken from The Inclusive Bible.
The next devotional day will be Monday, November 24th.
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LC† Vigil in Hope is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!
