Advent 2017

17th December

Matthew 1:20-23

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).


"The angel says: 'The child conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.' The Spirit of God that brooded over the first creation is again at work, causing something as original as that; introducing into the world the Word by which the world was first created! This is grace beyond all righteousness, the gift of Christmas."
W. Wangerin Jnr, Preparing for Jesus

TFL!

Bernie x

With grateful thanks to Gabriel Olude, International Photographer, for the Muse.

Advent 2017

16th December

Luke 1:56

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

Matthew 1:18-19

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

"Joseph the carpenter.

Joseph, a common man caught up in cosmic affairs;

Joseph, known to his neighbours, yet so unassuming that he sinks swiftly from Biblical sight;

Joseph, more mute in the Gospels than Zechariah, since the words of the latter are recorded in talk and in song, but of the former there are no words remembered, none;

Joseph, husband of Mary, adoptive father of Jesus - Joseph is just a man.

Because the Evangelists say so little about him, each word must bear enormous importance: Joseph is an 'upright' man. For raising his child, Papa Joseph shall be the very model of a righteous man - not so much in what he says as in what he does.

'He resolved to divorce her quietly.' He will make no accusation at all, although he has every right to do so. Joseph resolves to keep the Law, yes, but with such lenience that Mary's life will not be destroyed in the process.

What then is righteousness? These two things: the obedience we owe to God and the mercy God grants us to grant to others. It looks first to god, second to the other, never to the self - yet the self experiences a most holy peace in these relationships.

Come Lord Jesus: Come, live in my heart as you lived in the house of Joseph. I yearn to be as righteous as he. O Lord, become the source of righteousness in me. Amen."

W. Wangerin Jnr,  Preparing for Jesus

With grateful thanks to Gabriel Olude, International Photographer, for the Muses.

TFL!

Bernie x

Advent 2017

13th December

Luke 1:46-49

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

"Fill them, O Jesus!

Fill our hearts with your love.

Fill our songs with your Spirit.

Let nothing we sing be empty or noxious or foolish or false.

For if you will be the cause of our carols, then we will have joined the heavenly choirs.

We, with Mary, may be transported, and joy will shed joy on everyone. Amen. "

W. Wangerin Jnr,  Preparing for Jesus

With grateful thanks to Gabriel Olude, International Photographer, for the Muse.

TFL!

Bernie x

Advent 2017

11th December

Luke 1:39-41
Mary Visits Elizabeth

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

"Who am I?" she cries with a loud voice. "Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

And so it begins. Now more than one is aware of the Advent stirring in the world: there are two who know and each confirms the glad anticipation of the other. Two is a communion. Two is necessary. Two is a perfect circle: one to speak of it, one to hear. The word is real. Christ is coming!
W.Wangerin Jnr, Preparing for Jesus
TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2017

10th December

Luke 1:38
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.


If Mary could have known how and where she would give birth and what her life would hold from this time forward...
TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2017

9th December 2017

Luke 1:34-37

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

"She says, "This is the way of all flesh."


And Gabriel answers, "But you are about to see the ways of God."


Mary says, "No baby was ever conceived without a man as father."


And Gabriel answers, "This baby's father shall be no man, his father shall be God."


Mary says, "In every child the characteristics of both parents are manifest together."


And Gabriel agrees: "Yes, Jesus will be flesh like you - and like God he will be holy, truly the Son of God."

Preparing for Jesus, W. Wangerin Jnr.

TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2017

7th December 2017

Luke 1:28-30

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God.



"...look around: are we more fearful at the prospect of angels than the world is? Aren't we blithe this Christmas too? Heedless? Jaunty even, to the point of self-satisfaction ?

But here in a child comes God, the Light! And light in darkness is a frightening thing ("People loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil" John 3:19). O my friend, a self-examination both humble and true must cause us to tremble before the living God...be "greatly troubled" at the appearing of angels.

But even as we feared, so do we rejoice when we hear the light say, "Don't be afraid. I have not come to punish but to give you life. I am no judge. I am the Saviour born for you."

Preparing for Jesus, W. Wangerin Jnr.

TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2017

6th December 2017

Luke 1:26-27
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.
TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2016 - Day 29, 25th December

Advent Day 29

Of course, words taken from the Christmas Carol Joy to the World!
TFL and Merry CHRISTmas!
Bernie x

Advent 2016 - Day 21 - 17th December

Advent 2016 - 17th December, Day 21

Words taken from the Advent hymn Long Ago, Prophets Knew.

Made me think, did Mary have any thoughts about the kind of life she would have with the Son of God before He was born? Did she perceive He would be welcomed by the world, or that He would be so despised by some?
TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2016, 2nd December, Day 6

Advent Day 6

The readings for today led me to the Advent hymn Hail To The Lord's Anointed. Hadn't envisioned an image like this, but this is what appeared lol!
TFL!
Bernie x

Advent 2016 - 28th November, Day 2

Advent Day 2

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head;
"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said.
"My soul shall laud and magnify God’s holy name."
TFL!
Bernie x

The Greatest Gift

I created this as part of my training in my PhotoArtistry course. I'm not posting them all on here, as this blog is more for my Faith Art, but this piece is appropriate! (If you'd like to see more of my training pieces, you can find them on Flickr or on my ArtBoja site).

I think my subconscious was looking ahead a tad to Advent and Christmas - Mary, contemplating what is ahead for her and what it will mean for the world.
TFL!
Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - Advent Day 11 - 9th December 2015

Advent Day 11 - 9th December - When Love was Born

I loved the words! It took me a while to find a way I was happy with to represent the love and light and the feel of 'love is born.' Mary is mentioned so I decided to portray her in the piece too. I think this is my new favourite of all my Advent pieces!
TFL! 
Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - Advent Day 3 - 1st December 2015

Advent 3 - 1st December - God With Us

This was a digital paper I made a while ago which I edited a tad and then digitally painted and added the stars and words.
TFL!