Sounds of Silence

Second Sunday of Advent

"Getting Ready"

COLOR: Purple CANDLE: The Candle of Peace

(The candle we light today symbolizes the preparation for the comings (past, present and future) of Christ, and His reign of peace on Earth.)

Lectionary Readings for the Second Sunday in Advent
Isaiah 11:1-10      Romans 15:4-13;

Matthew 3:1-12;  Psalm 72:1-7: 18-19

Hymn of the Day "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"

Author – Unknown (Translated By: Gerard Moultrie Based on the Liturgy of St. James) 


Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in His hand
Christ, our God, to earth descended, our full homage to demand!


King of Kings yet born of Mary, as of old on earth He stood,
Lord of Lords in human vesture, in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful His own Self for Heavenly Food.


Rank on rank the hosts of heaven, spreads its vanguard on His way;
As the Light of light descendeth, from the realm of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanquish as the darkness clears away.


At His feet the six-winged seraph, Cherubim with sleepless eye, 
Veil their faces to the Presence as with ceaseless voice they cry, 
"Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia, Lord most high!"

Meditation

"The Sounds of Silence"

This is an anonymous hymn from the Liturgy of St. James, one of the oldest in the world. The Liturgy was originally devised for use in the Church at Jerusalem. For a time it was thought to be the work of James the Lesser, brother of our Lord, but it seems to have taken its earliest form under Cyril of Jerusalem and later modified and extended. Its earliest language was Greek.

When used in worship this Liturgy leads up to the celebration of the Eucharist, our Holy Communion. The Eucharist was an awesome rite in which, according to ancient universal belief, Christ was actually present in the bread and wine. It is to be approached only after due spiritual preparation. At one time the ritual of the United Methodist Church in one of the preliminary prayers to the receiving of Communion admonished us "if we had anything against anyone, to leave our gift on the altar and go and make it right" before presenting ourselves for Holy Communion.

The preface to the Liturgy tells us how the celebration would proceed. First the celebrant says, "Let us give thanks unto the Lord", to which the people respond, "Meet and just". After this, the Preface goes on, "We remember the sky, the earth and the sea, the sun and the moon, the stars and all creation both rational and irrational, the angels and archangels, powers, mights, dominations, principalities, thrones, the many-eyed Cherubim, who also say those words of David: ‘Praise the Lord with me.’ We remember also the Seraphim, whom Isaias saw in spirit standing around the throne of God, who with two wings cover their faces, with two their feet, and with two fly; who say, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth.’ We also say these divine words of the Seraphim so as to take part in the hymns of the heavenly host."
(Quoted by Albert Edward Bailey in The Gospel in Hymns, page 287.)

While very "wordy", this explanatory quote gives us something of a point of view from which to understand this hymn. In Verse one we stand before the altar of the celebration of the Eucharist. Silence and awe are appropriate and befitting such a moment.

In verse two we reflect upon the mystery. He was higher than all lords and kings, yet born on earth of an obscure village maiden. Now He will be here before our eyes – His body in the bread, His blood in the wine. 

In verse three we find that we are not alone as we stand before the altar. To witness this unique and incomprehensible mystery, all the hosts of heaven leave their thrones and descend in a body . . . all nine ranks of them – archangels, principalities, powers, virtues, dominations, thrones, cherubs and seraphs. We are blinded by the vision. Satan and all his minions of darkness flee before them. 

Finally, in the fourth verse,  we turn our focus on the two highest orders or ranks of the hosts of heaven – the cherubs who excel in knowledge and whose function it is to enlighten and the seraphs who excel in love and whose function it is to praise. All of this culminates in the consecration of the elements and the partaking of the Divine Food by all the Church.

What part does Holy Communion play in your life? Do you approach the altar to receive the elements with a clear conscience, at peace with your neighbor and all with whom you come into contact? Do you even think about that as you come to Communion? At one time I attended a church in which the schedule for Holy Communion was kept quite secret because people stayed home in droves if they knew ahead of time it was "Communion Sunday". I have also attended churches in which Holy Communion is celebrated no oftener than quarterly.
 
Why do you think this is? I find it mystifying at best, but that is probably because I have learned to really love and appreciate the celebration of Holy Communion.
There is something mystical and miraculous that takes place for me
in the receiving of the elements and in the symbolism contained in the ritual of the Church.

This hymn is one of the most beautiful Communion-focused hymns in all of the Church, be it Christmas or otherwise. I find there is something about the Advent and Christmas season that heighten the miracle. I hope you find the same wonder and awe in the mystery of the Eucharist this day!

Prayer ~ Let us indeed keep silence as we approach the throne of grace and receive the elements of Holy Communion this day, O Lord.
We are mindful of the company in which we find ourselves – the very
hosts of heaven – as we come, and we are humbly grateful that
You have made it possible for us to be included in the
number that gathers around Your table.
 
Give us a deeper sense of just what it is we participate in as we share the Communion table with others around us, and raise us from our knees a better people for our having come to commune with Thee, for we ask these things in the blessed name of the Babe of Bethlehem, about whose birth the angels sang, "Glory to God in the Highest"! Amen ~

Activity ~ When you are stuck today in some unexpected and  unplanned period of delay or waiting, use the time to rest in Jesus 
and to meditate on His divine goodness and perfect love!