Opening Litany based on the Gospel for this the fourth Sunday in Advent

Matthew 1:18-25

Pastor: This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Congregation: But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Pastor: As we light this fourth candle, the candle of love in the Advent wreath, we are reminded of how in the birth of Jesus Love came into the world.

Light the fourth Candle of love

Congregation: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth out of love. God created humans in the image of God so they would be able to show love. God worked with, condoled, prodded and even allowed our wayward ways to be rewarded with their natural consequences, all out of love, some of it tough love. In the end he gave his son Jesus as a gift of love to broken and divided humanity.

Pastor: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means “God with us”.

Congregation: When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.