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The Third Sunday in Advent
Intent: Recognition of the Messenger
THE COLLECT
Christ, our Light, come to us and take us unto Thee! We have trusted to the knowledge of Thy hope which called us unto Thee; take us up to Thine abode, O our celestial Spouse! We are trees in the orchard of Thy Light; our Light shines like the sun; for we have lit it with Thy fire, and nourished it with the good oil of purity. O Thou who art our eternal saving power, cleanse us in Thy waters, that we may become divine again as we once were. And come to us, O Thou dearly awaited One, come to those who await Thee today and forever.
Amen.
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the words of the Holy Prophet Mani:
The Messenger of Light, who comes at the right time and assumes the form of the true church and human flesh, and acts as leader within righteousness, chooses the personalities of his disciples and then frees them, both those of the Elect and those of the Hearers; he dives down into the deep oceans of the waters of the world, and draws them out from the jaws of the deep. And they do not stray again, but after other rebirths and toil for the Light, they come to the hands of the Angels; and the Angels carry them to the places where they shall be refined as pure gold.
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the secret sayings of Jesus:
Jesus said: Pay no heed to the multitude; and think little on those outside of the mystery; for know that I am wholly with the Father, and the Father with me. Therefore I have suffered nothing of what they are going to say about me. For what thou seest, this I have shown thee; but what I am, this alone I know, no other. Let me then keep what is mine, and see what is thine through me. But see me truly, not what I said I am, but what thou being akin to me, canst fully realize, and wilt know in the fulness of thy time.
A Homily for the Third Sunday in Advent
Presented by the Most Reverend Stephan A. Hoeller, bishop of the Ecclesia Gnostic