This year I have a goal of daily blog entries during Advent. This came about as I was asked to participate in a Parish "Virtual Advent Calendar" at Saint George's Episcopal Church in Arlington VA. You can look for the "2020 Virtual Advent Calendar" link at St. George's Web Site.
I propose (to myself at least) to use the weekly Advent Collect from The Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer as inspiration and departure. You will find each weeks Collect posted in the Advent Collects page on my blog site. Remember, I did say inspiration and departure, don't be surprised to find the occasional exception.
On to today's blog entry...
"Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness..." Ever since I can remember I have loved the imagery of casting darkness away when we read this collect at our family dinner table. The physical act of striking a match to create light, lighting the first Advent candle, followed by reading the collect as part of family grace at supper brings back fond memories. I remember when Mother or Daddy struck the match, the light bursting forth and the acrid smell of the match wood burning as the candle was lit; then being old enough to have my hand held as I learned to strike the match and light the candle, and, finally, being able to strike the match and light the candle all by myself...
God can strike light in our life just like that match. And, if we allow, God kindles flames in our lives just as the match kindles the flame of the candle. Does this cast away the works of darkness? With prayer, and a lot of help from God, we are well on the way to casting the works of darkness away from our lives...
A Prayer: God, help me to remember the grace of your light in my life, that You will cast away all darkness in my life, if only I will let you. Amen.
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