The BreadCast

(Heb.2:5-12; Ps.8:2,5-9; Mk.1:21-28) "A completely new teaching in a spirit of authority!" Thus do the people exclaim at the power of the word which issues forth from the mouth of Christ, into whose hands "all things" have been subjected. The devils see Him and shriek: "I know who you are – the holy one of God!" They know Him and they fear Him, for He has indeed "come to destroy" them and whatever authority they seemed to have. He it is who has come to return man to his rightful "rule over the works of [God's] hands." God has "crowned [man] with glory and honor, and put all things under his feet"; and though "at present we do not see all things thus subjected" because of man's sin, because he has subjected himself to the works of the devil, yet Jesus has come to bring "many sons the glory," to reveal in His own person the power of God present in all mankind. And how does the Lord Jesus Christ destroy the devils? How does He redeem man from their clutches, from their possession? By suffering. By dying. Yes, even now we "see Jesus crowned with glory and honor" – the glory and honor to which we are all called – "because He suffered death." By suffering death He conquered death, and thus any power the devil wielded by its weight upon our souls. And we are free! The devils are cast from us because He has walked among us; He has come into the synagogue and "taught with authority." And so the pride of the devil is broken, and we see the angels' place as servants to man as we see the dignity to which men are called in this Son of Man. And the Lord "is not ashamed to call [us] brothers." Though by our weakness, by our sinfulness, our disobedience, certainly we merit shame – and so, rightly does David cry to God, "What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him?" – yet He does care for us, He is mindful of us… He suffers and dies for us, taking our shame upon Himself in His only Son. And what the Lord has earned we should not spurn, but treasure the grace that is ours through our Brother's sacrifice. Let us put ourselves under His authority that His authority might be our own, and the devil shall be gone. ******* O LORD, all things are under the authority of your Son, who came to save us from all evil. YHWH, what authority is upon your Son! Your own authority, your own glory. He has power over all the earth, and the unclean spirits are subject to His command. There is nothing outside his rule, for His rule is your own. And through your Son, and through His suffering, this rule, this glory, becomes our own. Since He has come as our Brother, we become your sons with Him. And so, great authority you place upon your children, LORD, upon the men you call forth; for you call us to share in the work of your Son and in His consecration. Greater than the angels is Jesus, our Savior. O LORD, only He leads us to your glory this day. May we know the blessing that is ours through the Holy One of God and listen to His teaching. Let all men to the ends of the earth hear of His fame and believe in Him, that all might praise Him in the great assembly.

(Heb.1:1-6; Ps.97:1-2,6-7,9; Mk.1:14-20) "This is the time of fulfillment." Brothers and sisters, no longer does God speak to us "in fragmentary and varied ways"; this is "the final age," in which "He has spoken to us through His Son, whom He has made heir of all things and through whom He first created the universe." With full voice does He make Himself known now, for "this Son is the reflection of the Father's being, and He sustains all things by His powerful word." Jesus is the Christ, and in Him the will of God is fulfilled. And is it any wonder the disciples "immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers," that at once they joined Him in "proclaiming the good news of God"? For here is the One they have been waiting for, the voice they have been longing to hear, and what can they do but heed His call to join in speaking the very Word of God? James and John even "abandoned their father Zebedee," a good man, for the greatest of men, the Son of Man, God Himself, had come to them: their hearts could not resist for here indeed was the pure reflection of their Father in heaven, whom even Zebedee desired above all. (With his blessing we can presume they go, the "nets in order" they leave behind.) O brothers and sisters, do you know who this is has come into your midst? Do you realize who has joined your race? This Jesus whom the Father deems His Son sits at "the right hand of the Majesty in heaven," "far superior to the angels," far superior to all creation, for indeed all creation has come to be through Him, who is one in being with the Father. Here is the heart of our creed, this Jesus, this Christ, who is God Himself, and yet also Man with us. Of His Son the Father says, "Let all the angels of God worship Him," and indeed "all gods are prostrate before Him." He is "the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods," who are no gods at all, unable to stand before the glory of His majesty. And so should we not bow down to Him? Should we not follow when He calls, "Come after me"? Do we not wish to join with Him who is our salvation, who has "cleansed us from our sins," on the way that leads to "the reign of God"? Yes, the kingdom of God has come to us in the Person of Jesus the Son; there is nothing more to wait upon. The time has come. Let us now follow Him. ******* O LORD, let us worship your Son in His glory; let us follow Him unreservedly this day. YHWH, let us abandon all things to follow your Son; with the angels let us bow down and worship Him. For He is the pure reflection of your Being all our hearts have been hoping to see, and so let us answer His call for our lives. O LORD, you are the Most High over all the earth and your Son has joined you at your right hand. His glory is far above anything of Heaven or earth, for His glory is your own – and that glory He would bring to each of us, if we would but turn from our sins and set our hearts on His reign. O let us worship Him! Speak to us this day, O LORD, through your only Son; call us to His side that we might do your will and rejoice in your glory. Let us not be deaf to His powerful Word but be transformed by its proclamation and find the time of fulfillment at hand. Alleluia!

(Is.40:1-5,9-11; Ps.104:1-4,24-25,27-30; Ti.2:11-14,3:4-7; Lk.3:15-16,21-22) "Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove." "Beloved: The grace of God has appeared." Here we see its clear evidence in the Baptism of our Lord. Here He who "baptize[s] [us] with the Holy Spirit and fire" has the Spirit descend upon Himself. In our stead He places Himself (as He shall on the cross), and by the Spirit's presence upon Him, we ourselves are made clean. This Jesus, this Son of God, shall "save us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit," the Spirit which is united with His own, which is His own. And so does He who "rules with a strong arm" enter our midst. And what does He say? "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated." He who is "clothed with majesty and glory," who has "constructed [His] palace on the waters" and made "the clouds [His] chariot"; He who "travel[s] on the wings of the wind" and "make[s] the winds [His] messengers, and flaming fire [His] ministers"… He comes begging the prophet: "Give comfort to my people." O brothers and sisters, "the kindness and generous love of our God [has] appeared" and our souls have been "justified by His grace." And now we are "heirs in hope of eternal life," life that is in His gentle hands alone. O Lord, "when you send forth your Spirit, [we] are created and you renew the face of the earth." And so this day you send your Spirit forth; upon your Son your Spirit rests, and remains. His prayer – which is no other than our own – you answer, and witness to us that He is the Chosen One. Upon us, too, let your Spirit rest. As "in [your] arms" you gather "the lambs," so let us be gathered with your Holy Lamb and know the Spirit's power upon us, that to us, too, heaven will be opened, and we may enter there in the wake of our Lord. Let the waters of heaven pour upon us. Alleluia! Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Roger Fortney. Music is "Audio Track 8" by Carie Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, be pleased with us as you are with your Son that we might be blessed with the Spirit as He. YHWH, send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. The Spirit has descended upon your Son and through Him has come to all who are cleansed in His blood. By His grace we are made whole; because of your love, all our crooked ways are made straight, every valley filled in and every mountain made low, and we are called into your kingdom with your beloved One. O let be fulfilled in us the Good News you bring this holy day! Our salvation is at hand, for Jesus has come to John at the Jordan and made clean the waters in which we find rebirth. Now with the Holy Spirit and fire we are baptized. And coming up from the waters we hear your voice, O Father in Heaven, calling us to your side, calling us to share your glory with your only Son. O let us give thanks to you, dear God, for paving our way to eternal life! Though you are clothed in majesty, to us poor creatures you come to pour your Spirit upon us through Christ our Savior. Alleluia!

(1Jn.3:7-10; Ps.98:1,3,7-9; Jn.1:35-42) "When Jesus turned around and noticed them following Him, He asked them, 'What are you looking for?'" Brothers and sisters, what Jesus asks the first two disciples He asks each of us who follow in their wake. What do we seek? Why are we following Him? What is it we hope to find at the place where He stays? David makes clear in our psalm that the Son of God, "His holy arm," has been revealed in our midst – in "wondrous deeds" He "comes to rule the earth." "The world and those who dwell in it" should resound with joy. Him whom John the Baptist points out in no uncertainty is with us now. There is no other whom we should follow. And so we do. And so we come to Him each day, to receive our daily bread. Seeing where He lodges, we come to stay with Him. But what does the Lord see when He looks upon us? Does He stay with us? When Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus, He "looked at him and said, 'You are Simon, son of John; your name shall be Cephas (which is rendered Peter).'" Jesus upon looking at Peter sees the Rock on which He will build His Church. Peter's holiness, the strength he has in God and for God, is evident to the Lord. Jesus knows what Peter seeks, and both have found what they are looking for. Is it upon our hearts as well to find the holiness of heaven, to become one with the Son of God? "The man who acts in holiness is holy indeed, even as the Son is holy," but "the man who sins belongs to the devil." Holiness or sin? Jesus or the devil? The choice is clear, and must be evident in our lives. "No one begotten of God acts sinfully" and "no one whose actions are unholy belongs to God." The first letter of John, our first reading, could not more simply state our call in the Lord: to be holy, not to sin… to love our brothers and sisters well – to be as Jesus, the Son most holy. Jesus will turn and see us; His eyes are upon us now. What does He see as He looks upon your heart? What is your answer to His question, "What are you looking for?" Let His dwelling be all you seek. ******* O LORD, let us follow your Son to where He lives, in holiness with you. YHWH, let us stay with you and with your Son. May He turn and look upon us with kindness, with pity for our frail condition. O let this Lamb take our sins from us that we might no longer be in the grip of the devil but come to eternal life in your House! The Messiah you have sent is in our midst this day; let us come to the altar to receive Him, to receive His holy sacrifice and become one with Him. Only thus shall we be made holy; only with Him will we find true justice and so rejoice in your presence, O LORD. O let us be ruled by Him! Make us your children, dear LORD. Make us as your only Son. May Jesus be with us this day and we with Him that we might become holy indeed. Never let us act sinfully but ever love as you love, as your Son loves us. Let us seek your love alone and so be founded upon true Rock, in your House.

(1Sm.1:1:20-22,24-28; Ps.84:2-3,5-6,9-10; 1Jn.3:1-2,21-24; Lk.2:41-52) "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" If Hannah says of Samuel, "As long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord" even as she leaves her son with Eli in the temple, should not Jesus be equally dedicated to God, being His true Son? If as John rightfully says of all those who live in God's love and follow His commandments, "We are God's children now," how much greater a child of God is He who serves to make us children? And so, where should He be but the temple of the Lord? But Jesus' parents do not look for Him there, indeed are "astonished" to find Him there – and thus perplexed at His answer to them – because they have no word that He will be like Samuel, that they are to leave Him in "the midst of the teachers." Surely Mary knows of her own kinship with Hannah, for this is indicated clearly in her Magnificat, which mirrors so closely Hannah's own canticle of praise upon conceiving her son. But that Jesus should be separated from them at this time, that He should in essence begin His ministry, begin plying the leaders of the people with revelatory questions so that "all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers," now, at twelve years of age, is not known to them. Thirty is the customary age for the start of one's ministry, is it not? And their Son has not even reached His bar mitzvah yet! It must be noted that Jesus gives place to the customs of the race. We are told "He went down with [Joseph and Mary] and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them." Though certainly the Son of God is prepared to teach even as He begins to talk, yet He does not remain in the temple at this time. He is obedient. And obedient particularly to Mary, who shall indeed indicate to Him the start of His ministry, at Cana. And He shall be obedient there to her, too, even though He says then that it is not His time. The Son must be in the Father's house, for more than any of God's children His "soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. [His] flesh and [His] heart cry out for the living God." His heart is ever "set upon the pilgrimage," for in the temple is His home. But the truly Beloved Child of God remains among us in our mundane lives, taking the cross of earthly existence upon Himself, enduring all for the sake of God's children. And through His Mother's intercession even "Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man." So may we all. So may we all be so obedient, so prepared for the Father's House. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Heaven" from Listening to the Lamp, ninth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, remain in us and let us remain in you. YHWH, your Spirit you give us to make us your children, to make us even your very temples. Let us remain in your House always! One with the Holy Family let us become, blessed as Joseph and Mary, and your Son Jesus, blessed to be called your own – blessed to be one with all your chosen ones in the heavenly kingdom. O LORD, remain in us! If we must leave our earthly family behind, so be it, LORD. If we must leave the caravan of our relatives and friends to enter your Temple, to remain with you, let us freely answer such a blessed call and dedicate ourselves to you alone. And if we must return to the house of our mother and father, let us be obedient to them in your Name. But wherever we are and whatever we do, let our lives be a holy offering to you. Our souls yearn for your courts, O LORD; our heart and our flesh cry out for you. O let us dwell in your House! Let our prayer come to your ears that we might be your beloved children, pleasing you in all things and growing unto your kingdom.

O innocent martyrs of the Christ who gave your lives from the cradle for Him who carries the Cross, who suffered and died in His place even before His crucifixion, even as His martyrs would do after His death on the Tree – let our hearts cry not for the evil that has wrought your violent death; pray we not fear the dark wrath of this world's king but set our hearts on the joy of our Lord's kingdom, where you now reign with Him and to which we hope to come by the laying down of our own lives in His Name. And pray for the least among us who suffer the most this day, that they who are murdered in the womb will know the light of Christ's holy face.

(1Jn.1:5-2:2; Ps.124:2-5,7-8; Mt.2:13-18) "The blood of His Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin." And as martyrs of the Church, these innocent children slaughtered by Herod participate in the pouring forth of the blood of Christ. "Out of Egypt I have called my son." What does the prophet mean but that by the only Son all shall be redeemed of their sins – that out of sin all are called, all are drawn by the Lord? "Broken was the snare, and we were freed" when the child was born, when He died upon the cross. And that death is begun already in the slaughter of the holy innocents, whom indeed we commemorate as martyrs this day. In their sacrifice the cross is already known, though the Child Jesus be but a boy. No greater evil, no greater act of sin could be than Herod's cruel decree to "massacre all the boys two years and under in Bethlehem and its environs." And in the "sobbing and loud lamentation" rising from the town where Jesus was born we hear presaged our own cry, our own beating of our breasts as we gaze upon the crucified body of God's Holy One. It is sin that brings the slaughter of the innocent children, and it is sin that causes Christ's crucifixion. And we are participants in that sin, brothers and sisters. "If we say, 'We have never sinned,' we make Him a liar and His word finds no place in us." For He has come because of the sin which encompasses mankind, to redeem us from its sentence of death. And the blessed apostle John makes clear that we are indeed all participants in sin, and if we deny this fact we make His sacrifice null for our lives and continue to walk in darkness. We must all bewail our sins and the horrors they have wrought, and from their snare we shall be released – else the "raging waters" will overwhelm us. The souls of the innocents slaughtered by the evil king have been preserved, for their "help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Our souls, too, shall be redeemed "if we acknowledge our sin," our complicity in evil. For "He who is just can be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong" if we are but able to see we are not innocent as He, or they. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?" from Bearing the Birth Pangs, tenth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, take from us our weeping for our sins; make us innocent as these children. YHWH, what horrors our sins have wrought? Are we not complicit in the slaughter of these little ones, as indeed we are complicit in the crucifixion of your Son? Should we say, "We are free of the guilt of sin"? Should we deceive ourselves about the darkness in which we find ourselves? If we should, we would make void the sacrifice of Christ for the cleansing of our souls. For what would then need to be cleansed, and why should He have died? The truth is we are surrounded by sin and it would overwhelm us without the blood shed by Jesus. It is He alone who breaks the snare that holds us, and His martyrs share in His sacrifice. And we are called by you, O LORD, to share in this holy offering with them. Out of Egypt you call us, LORD, far from the darkness of sin. And if we admit our sin before you, in such light of truth we can be assured of your forgiveness. To Jesus let us come; at the foot of His Cross let us remain, and we shall never be separated from His cleansing grace.

(Mi.5:1-4a; Ps.80:2-4,15-16,18-19; Heb.10:5-10; Lk.1:39-45) "Blessed is the fruit of your womb." From the womb of Bethlehem-Ephrathah, from the womb of Judah, has come forth "one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times." Now "she who is to give birth has borne"; now has our Savior come. Though He has existed from time's beginning, it is now He is made flesh in the womb of this simple virgin. "When Christ came into the world, He said; 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.'" And so God comes in His own flesh to take away our sins. Prepared in the womb of the Immaculate Virgin, in this bright cave He is knit with sinews as we… and who could proclaim loudly enough the majesty of this humble event; who could declare in fullness the blessing of this Mother and Child? And their union is one which will save our race, as shown already in the Baptist's leap for joy in his own mother's womb. The Holy Spirit is working fully in the wombs of these mothers and in their children's flesh and blood. And so the psalmist finds answer for his prayer to God: "Rouse your power, and come to save us." For here comes "He [who] shall stand firm and shepherd His flock by the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord, His God"; here is the One whose "greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth." And so shall all who trust in Him be saved. In body He comes like a Rock upon whom our feet stand firm. In the Spirit has He been formed in His Mother's womb. And, yes, blessed is she "who believed that what was spoken to [her] by the Lord would be fulfilled"; and blessed are all those who have faith in the Son she bears. For all time meets in this moment; all prophecy speaks with one voice of the birth of this Holy One. And so, let us pray to God the Father: "Protect what your right hand has planted, the Son of Man whom you yourself made strong," that we might praise forever the glory of your presence, in the salvation you have made known. May the peace He is be with us always. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Baby Inside" from The Innocent Heart, first album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, let the Mother of our Lord come to us, too, that new life may stir in us as well. YHWH, blessed is the womb of Bethlehem, of Israel, of Mary the Mother of your Son. For in her you have prepared a body, the body of Jesus, the Word made flesh, that shall be as offering for our sins. In Him we are saved, for in Him your majesty reigns, and so your glory is now in our midst. O let us leap like John the Baptist at the approach of your Son and His Mother! Bring to life what has remained dormant for such a long time. Arouse within us the joy of new life that we might be stirred to proclaim your glory. He has come who shall shepherd us, LORD; let us be filled with the Holy Spirit. The sacrifices of old now pass away as all prophecy is fulfilled in the flesh of your only Son. And so we pray, let your will be done. Let your greatness reach to the ends of the earth and your peace reign in every heart by the power upon Jesus the Christ. O LORD, let us be consecrated to you in His holy offering.

(Sgs.2:8-14 or Zep.3:14-18; Ps.33:1-3,11-12,20-21; Lk.1:39-45) "Let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely." "Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" – she who comes bearing the Christ child, she whose very voice magnifies the presence of the Lord. Listen to the witness of Elizabeth: "The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby stirred in my womb for joy." Mary carries the Son of God not only in her womb, but in her soul; the Spirit working within her serves to inspire him who shall go before the Lord, and so she paves the road the forerunner of Jesus shall tread. How one are mother and child! Never so evident has it been than in this passage from Holy Scripture. For Mary's voice carries the very presence of Jesus, and Elizabeth's ears convey that presence to her child. Here is that relationship of love depicted in our reading from the Song of Songs exemplified most clearly; here is the oneness of lover and beloved. And the loveliness of the lover becomes the loveliness of the beloved; the blessing of the Child becomes the blessing of the Mother – and in this love the earth brings forth its fruit. "The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance." "The Lord, your God, is in your midst," and He blesses all with His presence. He calls to your soul to come forth and know His love. "Springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills," He hastens to your side. He visits you. He visits you, speaking to your heart, calling you to arise and join Him. As Mary visits Elizabeth, "proceeding in haste into the hill country," to bring her Son to the son of Elizabeth and so producing joy in this unborn child's heart – so she brings her sweet Jesus to us this day, her voice speaking of His glory to the ears of Mother Church. And so she becomes our Mother; and so she becomes our lover, for she bears the great lover of all souls to wed Himself to us as He is so perfectly wed to her. His sweetness comes to us through His "beautiful one," causing our hearts to rejoice at the sound of her voice and leading us to sing songs of praise to His holy name. Let us raise the joyful shout to our God! ******* O LORD, in joy with Mary, help us to bring Jesus to every waiting soul. YHWH, should we not rejoice at the coming of your Son? He comes to us across the hills in the womb of His Mother: should His approach not fill us with expectation and wonder, with joy in the Holy Spirit? And should we not cry out that joy with the Baptist and his mother? She who secluded herself for five months is now in her sixth, and now your Son comes to her. And what has lain dormant within her womb springs to life at the sound of the voice of His Mother. O LORD, are we not just so in need of your Spirit to awaken in us the love that has been dormant these many days? Do we not begin to doubt your gifts to us as we long to see them fulfilled, as we sit this day in darkness? And will you not come to us in your Son, in His Mother who carries Him to our side – she who is your perfect Bride? You desire to rejoice over us, O dearest LORD and God, and so our misfortunes you take away, and so the darkness of winter you dispel. Even we who are aged in sin you find beautiful. May our loveliness match your own. May our voice be pleasing to you.

(Zep.3:14-18a; Is.12:2-6; Phil.4:4-7; Lk.3:10-18) "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: Rejoice!" "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!" Zephaniah exclaims. "Shout with exultation, O city of Zion"! Isaiah urges. And Paul is overwhelmed with the spirit of rejoicing. Why such joy? Whence such celebration? "The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior," Zephaniah declares. "Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!" Isaiah proclaims. And Paul tells us simply: "The Lord is near." What could bring greater joy than such a prospect? And so we "have no further misfortune to fear." And so we should be "confident and unafraid." And so we should "have no anxiety." For the Lord will "renew [us] in His love." Our strength and [our] salvation is the Lord," and "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Why should we not be joyful if He Himself "will rejoice over [us] with gladness," if because of us He sings "as one sings at festivals." Should we not match His joy poured out for our sakes and sing the song of salvation? And it is John the Baptist who hails most clearly the song of salvation coming into our midst. It is he who "preached good news to the people" with all the power of God, exhorting them to holiness that they might be gathered as "wheat into His barn." By him "the people were filled with expectation"; by him and by his pronouncement of the coming of Him who "will baptize [them] with the Holy Spirit and fire," the song of joy is ignited in their hearts. He calls us all, by the Spirit that filled Isaiah, to "give thanks to the Lord, [and] acclaim His name." It is he who "among the nations make[s] known His deeds, [who] proclaim[s] how exalted is His name." And the souls of even tax collectors and soldiers turn to him in anxious anticipation. And yes, what about us, brothers and sisters? Is the joy of Christ brimming over in our hearts, despite any situation? Do we hear the voice of the Baptist – and the prophets and the apostles – crying out His way of peace? And do we follow as the voice instructs? Indeed, the Lord is near; He is in our midst. Let us welcome Him with the purest of joy. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Head Over Heels, Turn Around" from The Innocent Heart, first album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ****** O LORD, your Son is coming and we should repent of all sin that we might be ready to rejoice and give Him praise. YHWH, the fire of the Spirit has come to us; John has proclaimed the light in our midst. Jesus, your Son, is now among us, and what should we do but rejoice? O LORD God, holy is your NAME, and holy is the One whom you send to us. So holy is He that we are not worthy to kneel at His feet. For He reflects your greatness, O LORD; His light is your own. How can we stand in your overwhelming glory, except that in Him we receive your promised mercy in our soul? What mercy you bring us this day, LORD God! What grace is ours in the word the Baptist speaks. For he proclaims the Christ come among us – he proclaims the salvation of your lowly ones. We are but your servants, LORD, unworthy to wait on your only Son. Yet you bless us with your loving mercy and invite us to perfection in Him. And so, what can we do but rejoice?