Advent 5
Fulfilment and Glory:
God With Us Forever
Scripture Readings
Isaiah 9:2–7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11–14
Luke 2:1–14 (15–20)
Opening Prayer
Light of the world,
You come among us in gentleness and power,
in the cry of a child and the song of angels.
Fill my heart with wonder and joy,
that I may see Your glory
and proclaim Your peace.
Amen.
Suggested Hymns
- Joy to the World (R&S 135 / CMP 393)
- O Come, All Ye Faithful (R&S 151 / CMP 493)
- While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (R&S 144 / CMP 764)
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (R&S 149 / CMP 232)
Reflection – “Good News of Great Joy”
“To you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
This single verse captures the whole Gospel — to you is born a Saviour. God’s salvation is not distant or abstract but profoundly personal. The angels’ message was first for shepherds, people living on the margins, keeping watch through the night — and it is for you as well.
The birth of Christ transforms ordinary life. Fields become holy ground; the night sky becomes a sanctuary; silence is pierced by glory. The to you of the angel’s proclamation still echoes today — to you, to us, to all creation.
Ghirlandaio’s Adoration of the Shepherds mirrors this truth. The shepherds kneel in humble awe, their faces lifted toward light. Simplicity and splendour meet: a rough stable becomes a cathedral of grace. The painting reminds you that glory does not depend on distance or magnificence but on God choosing to dwell here — with you — Emmanuel, God with us.
The Advent journey that began in darkness now culminates in light. Isaiah proclaims that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light… For a child has been born for us.” Titus tells you that the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. Luke grounds this cosmic story in real history: a decree, a census, a small town, a child wrapped in cloth. The eternal becomes intimate; heaven meets earth.
Titus reminds you that Christ’s appearing is not only a moment in history — it is a call to live transformed, grace-shaped lives. Christmas is both gift and invitation: Emmanuel comes to dwell among us and to reshape how we dwell with one another.
Christmas proclaims the unimaginable: the Maker of all becomes vulnerable, taking on the texture, breath, and warmth of human life. The Incarnation means that God’s glory is never far from you; it shimmers beneath the surface of ordinary moments. The challenge is not only to adore the Incarnation but to recognise it continuing — in community, in kindness, in creation, in those who are overlooked.
Where might you see Emmanuel — God with us — today?
Discussion Questions
- How does it mean that “the Word became flesh and lived among us” ?
- How can we recognise God’s presence in the ordinary and material world?
- What does this passage teach us about the ongoing presence of Emmanuel -God with us- today?
Artwork Meditation
Domenico Ghirlandaio – Adoration of the Shepherds (1485–1490)
Tempera on panel, Santa Trinita, Florence
Ghirlandaio painted this work in Renaissance Florence, a world awakening to the dignity of humanity and to the presence of God in ordinary life. The shepherds kneel with open hands — no longer outcasts, but honoured witnesses to Christ’s birth. Behind Mary and Joseph, ruined walls symbolise the passing of the old order, while the open landscape hints at redemption’s dawn.
Light fills the scene with stillness — a balance between heaven and earth. The realism reflects a culture rediscovering that the divine can dwell in human form. The Incarnation becomes visible in faces, gestures, and the textures of daily life.
The setting resembles contemporary Florence, suggesting that God is born not only in distant places but in your own world. The shepherds’ individual faces show divine revelation breaking into ordinary experience. Ghirlandaio’s humanist vision mirrors John’s proclamation that the Word became flesh — the ordinary becomes sacred.
This painting invites you to look again at your own surroundings and recognise them as places where God chooses to dwell.
Spiritual Practice – “Seeing the Word Made Flesh”
Preparation
Look closely at Ghirlandaio’s scene. Notice the ordinary details made sacred: landscape, faces, stable, light.
Guided Reflection
In silence, ask:
- Where do I see God’s love embodied in my world?
- What ordinary moments recently revealed God’s presence to me?
- How might recognising the Incarnation change my daily life?
- Who are the “shepherds” today — the overlooked who reflect God’s glory?
Personal Response Options
Option 1 – Naming Emmanuel
Write down a moment, place, or person from this year that revealed “God with us.”
Option 2 – Light and Glory
Light a candle and give thanks for one way you’ve witnessed God’s glory this Advent.
Option 3 – A Prayer of Recognition
Respond:
“God with us, we see You in…”
After each phrase, say: “Emmanuel, God with us.”
Optional Extension – Living as Emmanuel Bearers
This week:
- Notice one ordinary moment each day and ask, “How is God present here? Choose one action to bring Christ’s presence to someone.
- At week’s end, reflect on how this changed your experience.
Closing Prayer
God of light and life,
You have shone upon me with the brightness of Your glory.
As we go from this place,
may the song of the angels dwell in our hearts
and the light of Christ guide our steps.
Emmanuel — God with us — now and forever.
Amen.
A Blessing for Christmas
May the Word made flesh dwell in you richly.
May the light of Christ shine through you brightly.
May the love of Emmanuel go with you always.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.