A Congregation at Prayer ~ The Address and First Petition of the Lord's Prayer

CATECHESIS NOTES FOR THE WEEK --  “Rejoice in the Lord Always” -- The Color Pink -- The liturgical color for advent is blue.  This color is associated with expectation and preparation.  During Advent we hear the call to repentance and reflect upon our need to prepare for the coming Savior. We cry out to God for mercy and pray for the strength to live in hope for His Second Coming. He will set us free from our sin, once and for all. He will free us from the corruption of this present age and bring forth the eternal kingdom of His salvation.  Some churches use the color purple for Advent. Purple is also the color of royalty.  During Advent, we, as penitent sinners, cry “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Save us now Lord!  You are our King and Deliverer.  Rescue us from the threatening perils of our sin and save us by Your mighty deliverance!”  The Lord hears and answers our prayers.  He teaches us to carry the cross of affliction and to live in the blessed hope of His coming.  On the third Sunday in Advent, the penitential color of purple or blue is softened to a pink.  The theme is rejoicing, taken from the fourth chapter of Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”  The Lord is near.  He is at hand to hear our every prayer.  He answers our prayers according to His Word so that we might live confidently and joyfully, even as we struggle against the weaknesses of the flesh in a fallen world.  It is because of the promise of God’s grace and mercy to us in Christ that we have every reason to “rejoice in the Lord always.”  Casting every care upon Him with faith in the Savior to hear, answer, uphold, and strengthen us, we live confidently and are guarded and kept in the true faith by our faithful Lord who comes to us, even now, in His precious Gospel and life-giving sacraments.  When you see “pink” think rejoicing and the faithful promise of the Lord to grant us the help and deliverance that He promises “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus unto life-everlasting.”

A Congregation at Prayer – Dec. 15-21, 2015 – The Address and 1st Petition of the Lord's Prayer
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