<p><em>Breath of the Spirit is our electronic spiritual and liturgical resource for our members and potential members. Nothing can replace your chapter or other faith community but we hope you will find further support here for integrating your spirituality with your sexuality and all the strands of your life.</em></p><p><strong>December 13th 2020: Third Sunday of Advent</strong></p><p>Isaiah 61:1-2a 10-11<br>1 Thessalonians: 5:16-24<br>John 1:6-8 19-28</p><p><strong>Reflection from&nbsp;Ann Marie Szpakowska</strong></p><p><em>This joy* I have the world didnt give it to me </em><em>The world didnt give it and the world cant take it away.</em></p><p>An African American Spiritual</p><p><em>*hope peace love</em></p><p></p><p>The 3rd Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday. It is taken from the entrance antiphon quoting Philippians 4;45 Rejoice in God always; again I say rejoice. Indeed God is near.</p><p>The first and second reading admonishes us to rejoice: I rejoice heartily in God in my God is the joy of my soul and Brothers sisters and siblings: rejoice always. Replacing the expected Psalm we pray or sing the Canticle of Mary also known as the Magnificat: My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Canticles are song-poems found in either the Old or New Testament. The Magnificat we all know is Marys response to Elizabeths greeting at the Visitation. Our gospel reading is about John the Baptists ministry. Although John was not known as an arbiter of joy we need to recall that Elizabeth greets Mary and proclaims: Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of God should come to me? As soon as the sound or your greeting reached my ears the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what God has said to her will be accomplished!</p><p>Rev. Anna Blaedels Litany for the Advent 3* reminds us that the Joy of God-With-Us does not come as naave optimism. Joy cannot be imposed or commanded. It is mingled with grief exists side by side with mourning knows that pain and death are all too real but do not have the final word. The joy tends tenderly to beauty and softness and the gladness that comes from paying attention to what matters. The Joy of God-With-Us is collective liberating us from despair. Joy is gestating in darkness; it comes unexpectedly. Joy invites our expectation and demands our participation. Prepare the way for joy. May joy be birthed among within and through us.</p><p>A contemporary adaption of the Magnificat is found in Rory Cooneys The Canticle of the Turning. Each verse ends with the world is about to turn. COVID-19 has turned everyones world upside down. None of us have been spared. Finally we can truthfully say we are all in the same boat. The pandemic is the great equalizer. The verities we knew are shaken and untrue. Yet God continues to call us as LGBTQI people to embody Gods persisting and unending love. It asks us to remain countercultural radical and even subversive. A quiet persistent joy pushes us towards hope which promises a justice and peace which is to be found beyond who we are and into what God needs us to be. While creations heart is breaking and the whole world groans we hear our fearless Mary sing her joyful justice song. May we continue to act justly love mercy and walk humbly with God. This is what God requires of us.</p><p>_</p>[caption align=left]<img src='https://www.dignityusa.org/sites/default/files/botsannmarie.png'>[/caption]<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><em><strong>Ann Marie Szpakowska</strong>&nbsp;has been active and in leadership of Dignity/Buffalo for nearly 40 years. She also participates in the Women's Caucus and has been an active contributor to Liturgical planning for Dignity's Conventions Conferences and on Feminist Liturgy Committees over many years.</em><em>&nbsp;She has presented workshops both locally and at Dignity Conventions.</em></p><p><em>She has also been a member of St. Martin de Porres parish since 4 inner city churches merged and built a new sanctuary in 1993. St. Martin de Porres is a predominantly African American community in Buffalo New York.</em></p><p><strong><a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/subscribe>Get Breath of the Spirit scripture reflections in your inbox each week. Subscribe online.</a></strong></p><p></p><p>*&nbsp; enfleshed 2018 Rev. Anna Blaedel.&nbsp;</p><p><em>&nbsp;</em></p>