Monday 21 December — Thomas, Apostle and Martyr

Reveal among us the light of your presence, that we may behold your power and glory.

Antiphon
O Oriens

O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.
(cf Malachi 4.2)

Readings

Thomas: Habakkuk 2.1-4 | Psalm 117 | Ephesians 2.19-22 | John 20.24-29 |

Of the day: Zephaniah 3.14-18 | Psalm 33.17-21| Luke 1.39-45 |

The God We Hardly Knew
Oscar Romero

No one can celebrate
a genuine Christmas
without being truly poor.
The self-sufficient, the proud,
those who, because they have
everything, look down on others,
those who have no need
even of God—for them there
will be no Christmas.
Only the poor, the hungry,
those who need someone
to come on their behalf,
will have that someone.
That someone is God.
Emmanuel. God-with-us.
Without poverty of spirit
there can be no abundance of God.

Prayer

As we wait for the coming of Jesus Christ, kindle your light in our hearts
to keep us watchful and hopeful,
to open our lives to Christ's coming in many ways through all our days—even in the least expected ways,
to witness to Christ's ministry and love to our neighbours,
to work together for peace and reconciliation with our neighbours,
to pray for our concerns in this congregation and in our lives.
In the name of Christ.

"The Incredulity of St Thomas" — detail from the Tabernacle of Cherves, Charente, France, ca. 1220–30. Champlevé enamel and copper. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

G. F. Handel, "Rejoice greatly!" (Zephaniah 3.14) from Messiah HWV 56. Soprano: Xu Yaping or Chen Peiqi (?) with the Sunny Taipei Chamber Orchestra, cond. Sun Aiguang, at the Taipei YMCA Oratorio Choir's 73rd Messiah Charity Concert, December 2019, in the Huai En Hall, Taipei.