God perfects us in love – Phil 1:4-6, 8-11.

Moreau Sunday Vespers; Preaching on the Second Reading (Phil) from today's Mass.

“May God who began this good work in you bring it to completion.”  Many of us in this room have heard these words spoken directly to us and many will hear them in the future, whether again or for the first time.  They were first spoken to me by Fr. David Tyson right after I professed first vows.  I hope I will hear them for a final time in April of 2014, moments before the Bishop’s consecratory prayer will make me a priest.  This good work… may God bring it to completion.

God’s is the strength, God is destination – Adv I collect

Preaching on the Advent I Collect for Old College.

Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,

The resolve to run forth to meet your Christ

With righteous deeds at his coming,

So that, gathered at his right hand,

They may be worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

One God, for ever and ever.

Advent is for waiting – if people know one thing about Advent, it’s probably that.  We’re waiting for Christmas, which isn’t very long to wait (and seems even quicker given the decorations we have up in Old College!) and we’re waiting for Christ’s second coming, without knowing how long that will be.  Regardless, we’re waiting.  So why does this collect talk about running?  No matter what the pastor of St. Joe parish might tell you, it’s not a shout out to the St. Nick Six, but a characterization of what Christian waiting looks like.