FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

“Advent! Our four Sunday journey into Christmas is complete today. This week we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Way-Shower, who became the perfect manifestation of the Christ. This same Christ presence is born anew in us and becomes visible in our lives in this Christmas season and EVERY season. We began our Advent journey with faith. We then decorated our lives with peace. Love is in the Bethlehem of our homes and hearts. This fourth candle represents JOY. Let your joy show. Smile. Laugh. Be peaceful. Help others. Joy comes from inside you. Let your joy shine.”

 

“In Luke we read: ‘…behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’ We let our joy shine.’

 

Joy is already ours. It is a gift from God instilled in us at our creation. Like love, it is always a part of us, always ready to be activated. We don’t have to wait for something to throw our joy switch. We can activate it in ourselves, not because of what’s going on in our lives, or even in spite of what’s going on, but simply because we are.

It is happiness that is triggered by winning the lottery or by having someone express love for us or by our favorite team winning a game or by getting a hole in one…outside forces.

But JOY is from God…and is always available for us to be open to it.

 

JOKE—–

A father took his son Billy to the Penney’s mall to see Santa. They stood in line awhile, and finally the boy was able to meet Santa and sit on his lap.

“What would you like for Christmas, Billy?” asked Santa.

“An X-Box and a Hobbit game,” Billy said.

“Okay, we’ll see what we can do about that,” said Santa with a big smile.

Later on that day they also went to see Santa at the Sears mall. When Santa asked Billy what he wanted for Christmas, Billy said, “An X-Box and a Hobbit game.”

“Will you be a good boy and do what your daddy tells you?” Santa asked.

Billy turned to his dad and said, “Let’s go back to the other Santa, Dad.”

“Why Billy?” asked his father.

“Because I didn’t have to make any deals with that one.”

 

Introduce the Dialogue:

Unity is a way of life that takes us on a spiritual adventure to the very source of our being. It calls us to understand our spiritual nature, our true relationship with God, and to live from that awareness.

When we look at things Metaphysically, we see them from a different perspective. That’s one of the major things about Unity…looking at the Bible, the lessons of life, our every moment from a different perception gives us a view of life that can be a guide to how to travel on this Spiritual path.

 

A METAPHYSICAL CHRISTMAS

 

NARRATOR: “The angel, Gabriel, was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. The maiden’s name was Mary.”

 

MARY:   “I represent Mary, the mother of Jesus. I am the perfect love that fills your soul. I am that in you which desires to see only the good come to you and to every other creature in the universe. I am that in you which never wants to hurt in anyway for I am open and receptive only to that which is good and true.”

 

“I am the gentlest aspect of the love in your heart; yet, I am strong and perfect because all the power of good in the universe is with me and approves of me. I am the kindness and sweetness of your nature out of which will be born the understanding of your true self – a child of God.”

 

JOSEPH: “I represent Joseph, the husband of Mary. I am the strength and wisdom within you, which protects and guides the love in your soul. Sometimes others suggest that I should separate myself from this love, that His love is making a fool of me, but I cannot do this for I am only satisfied and complete when joined with love. I will never desert the love in your heart. I will nourish and support the new and wonderful good which will come out of our union.”

 

NARRATOR: “A maiden was betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph and the maiden’s name was Mary. And the angel said unto her, ‘Fear not, Mary, thou has found favor with God. And behold! Thou shall conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High and of His kingdom there shall be no end.’”

 

BETHLEHEM: “I represent the town of Bethlehem. I show you that though your days and life – even though space may be crowded and jammed full – there will always be room in your heart for the Christ love to be born in ever greater ways. You come to me to take care of ordinary, worldly responsibilities. You are richly blessed and prosperous as you are willing to take care of your daily duties.”

 

“Here in the midst of the crowds and pressures, you know that the most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those weary days when out of rejection, being shoved back, having been put down – you still know that nothing can keep God’s good from manifesting in your life and your world. You choose to bring forth positive changes in your life so that you can be a happier, healthier, a more peaceful and prosperous person.”

 

NARRATOR: “Now it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled and all went to enroll themselves. Everyone to its own city and Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem to enroll himself with Mary who was betrothed to him, being great with child.”

 

“It came to pass while they were there the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered and she brought forth her first born son and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn.”

 

MANGER: “I represent the manger where Jesus was laid. I am evidence of the fact that wherever you put forth the best that is in you, you make of it a holy place. No matter how humble the surroundings or how unimportant the occasion, God is there. God will protect you and bless you. You can always trust God. You need not look for God in the grand and impressive places. Think of me whenever you are called upon to do your best in a situation that you don’t feel is quite worthy of you.”

 

NARRATOR: “And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the fields and keeping watch by night over their flock.”

 

SHEPHERD: “I represent the shepherd of your thoughts. I am the simple, and natural tendency in you that dwell in the fields of your mind. I gently, but firmly, bring you back into the right harmonious thinking when you are in danger of going astray. I am not the highest in you, but I am quick to acknowledge and joyfully surrender to your highest and best self. I am among the first to know when you have come into the joyful realization of who and what you really are.”

 

NARRATOR: “And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock and an angel of the Lord stood by them.   The glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were so afraid.   The angel said unto them, ‘Be not afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people.’”

 

ANGEL: I represent the angels that bring good tidings and great joy. I am the radiant thoughts that come to you directly from the mind of God. Through me God tells you there is nothing to fear. Through me God tells you there is much cause for joy. My news is always joyful. My news is joyful because it concerns the wonderful truths of your being.”

 

“I tell you of your divine self. I tell you of all the peace and happiness that you are going to encounter. I tell you that you are one with all persons and I tell all persons that they are now and forever one in God.”

 

NARRATOR: “And an angel of the Lord stood by them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were so afraid. The angels said unto them, ‘Be not afraid for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all the people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you – Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’

 

“Now when Jesus was born – Behold! Wise men came from the East to Jerusalem saying, ‘Where is he born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and have come to worship him.’ And lo! The star which they saw in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young Child was.”

 

STAR: “I represent the Star which guided the Wise Men. I am your intuition. Sometimes I may seem a mere flicker in the sky of your mind, but as you recognize me and learn to trust me and to follow me, I become brighter and more familiar.”

 

“God has given me to you as a special gift to lead you into your highest good.   Trust me. Follow me. For I will not fail you, nor lead you astray. I am attracted only to the best and the true.”

 

NARRATOR: “For we saw His Star in the East and are come to worship Him. And lo! The star, which they saw in the East, went before them until it came and stood over them where the Child was. When the Wise Men saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

 

WISE MEN: “I represent the Wise Men from the East.   I am all the hidden and buried powers deep within each of you, which you are so often unaware. As soon as you came to a new realization of your wonderful true self, I came to you as further evidence of the great spiritual resources that have always been with you.”

 

“I brought you the gifts of newly discovered truths about yourself. My gold shows the richness of your spiritual nature. My frankincense shows the beauty of your true character. My myrrh shows the eternal perfection of your life in God.”

 

NARRATOR: “For we saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him. And lo! The star, which they saw in the East, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. And when the Wise Men saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy and they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, His Mother. And they fell down and worshipped him, and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

 

CHRIST CHILD: “I represent the Christ Child. I am the sum total of all the good which is the real you. I am the love in your heart, the wisdom in your mind, and the peace in your soul. You have given me birth out of your very own nature, just as God created you out of its Spirit.

 

“I am that in you which blesses you and makes you a living blessing. Sometimes you feel separated from me. Now because of Christmas, you have finally realized you and I are really one. We are eternally one in God.”

 

NARRATOR: “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host – praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.’”

 

 

Our purpose in life is to create heaven on earth, that is, to actualize our own divine potential, and live in peace and harmony with all creation. This is the Joy we bring forth from within, from our Christ Presence.

 

Let’s take this lesson into meditation….

 

We wish you ALL a Very Merry Christmas.