“Gates, lift high your heads, raise high the ancient gateways, and the king of glory shall enter! Who is he, this king of glory? It is Yahweh, strong and valiant, Yahweh valiant in battle. Gates, lift high your heads, raise high the ancient gateways, and the king of glory shall enter! Who is he, this king of glory? Yahweh Sabaoth, He is the king of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10, New Jerusalem Bible).
Sabbath
Begin with entering into a posture of Sabbath. Shabbat can be translated “to cease” or simply “to stop.”
As we float down the stream of the Church calendar from Advent to Christmastide, contemplate on the Psalm for this Sunday. Ask the question along with the psalmist “who is this king of glory?” Consider what it might even be like to rest in that question.
Read
As you read, notice what stands out to you in the passage and share it with God; consider writing it down. Read closely two or three times. Where is God present in the text? What is He doing?
Contemplate the love of God as you read. What kind of God enters into the ancient gates of creation and puts on all of humanity? The God of love.
Look for the way God’s love invades in this passage.
Behold
Take what you see in this passage and move slowly from pondering to beholding. Take and see. Behold the love of God in our Lord Jesus.
Behold the passage eucharistically. Where is God using ordinary things to teach you about peace?
- Where does this passage draw you up into love? The love that passes from Father to Son to the Holy Spirit and descends onto you.
- Where is Christ truly present in this passage?
Renewal
Our being proceeds doing. It is His work in us.
- Consider how this passage might renew your thoughts.
- As the gates open up for the King of glory draws near, what are some gates that have remained closed off from this King of glory?
- How might you invite the Holy Spirit to co-labor in opening those gates to the King of glory?
A Collect For The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and as we are sorely hindered by our sins from running the race that is set before us, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (taken from the Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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