Festival of St. Thorlak, Bishop and Confessor
Posted on December 23, 2021 by under
Scripture: St Matthew 1:18-24 (NKJV)
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.
Devotion
Mary was about three months pregnant when she got back to Nazareth, after spending three months in Judea with her relative Elizabeth. The details of the discussions at that time between Mary and Joseph are left out of Holy Scripture, so we do well not to imagine too much about them. It is enough for us to know that Joseph was a righteous man who, even though he had the right to divorce his seemingly unfaithful betrothed wife, wanted to spare her from public shame. But the Lord blessedly didn’t force Joseph to take Mary at her word about her own innocence. He sent His angel to reveal the Child’s divine origins, and also to reveal the divinely appointed name and mission of this child: Jesus, Savior, not to save people from earthly poverty, or from social inequities, or from oppressive governments, or from boredom, but to “save His people from their sins.”
Look to the virgin’s Son for that, for salvation from your sins. It is the very reason He was born, so that God might be with us as one of us, to earn for us the forgiveness of sins by His righteous life and by His innocent death in our place. Our God chose to dwell with us for a time, so that we might dwell with Him for eternity. Our God chose to dwell with us in humility, so that we might dwell with Him in glory.
Prayer: Stir up, O Lord, we beseech Thee, Thy power, and come, and with great might, succor us, that by the help of Thy grace whatsoever is hindered by our sins may be speedily accomplished, through Thy mercy and satisfaction; Who livest and reignest with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Festival of St. Thorlak, Bishop and Confessor: Merciful God, graciously look upon Thy Church here on earth. Strengthen Thy congregation and give Thy Church comfort and peace. Teach the leaders of Thy Church to unite against all obstacles to Thy Word. Guide those who are tempted. Comfort those who suffer any want of body or soul. Prepare Thy congregation to make ready to sincerely and faithfully celebrate the holy feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Advent: Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
