Wednesday, December 23

Psalm 72; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Luke 1:39-48a (48b-56)

Listen to the author read their meditation and prayer:

The Rev. Stephen Kidd Advent Meditation

Who is your Elizabeth? Who is the person (or people) you call immediately when big news is brewing? I love the image of Mary, fresh from her encounter with the messenger, packing up her things and going “with haste” to see the one who would help her make sense of all that just happened.

One of the great blessings of our tradition is that we do not do big things alone.  We are a people of community discernment. Relationships matter.  We are not told that our heart’s fears, longings, and calls are just between us and Jesus but the responsibility of the whole body of believers. When we baptize, marry and ordain people we are reminded that the spiritual lives of each member of this body are intimately wrapped up with our own.

Each of us have people like Elizabeth, who magnify and reflect our faith back to us in their listening and friendship. This is a good time, on the doorstep of the nativity to wonder what God is bringing to life within us. What unexpected reality will be in our midst in the coming year? Who will we lean on? And perhaps more importantly, who will need to lean on us?  Give thanks today for those who love you, listen to you, rejoice with you, and cry with you. May God bless us all with eyes to see and ears to hear when others need that same care from us.

We give you thanks Lord for the companions you’ve given us in this life. Give us grace to love as you and they have loved us. Amen.

The Rev. Stephen Kidd, ‘10
President, Southwest Alumni Association
Rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI

The Rev. Stephen Kidd, ‘10 is the Rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Gulfport, Mississippi.