Nina of Georgia

Our Forward Day by Day noted that December 15 was the day to remember Nina of Georgia.

This brought back lovely memories of when I worked in Tbilisi, Georgia. My colleagues there were excited to share their deep and rich history.

These Georgian Orthodox Christians reminded me that Nina (Saint Nino) brought Christianity to the Caucasus Region in the late 3rd Century. She made crosses out of the plentiful grape vines. I visited 4rd century churches built on ancient pagan hillside worship sites.

I attended Georgian Orthodox worship services, standing throughout the service, where I observed worshippers at side chapels venerating icons and priests offering opportunities for confession while the traditional liturgy took place in the chancel. I cherish my Georgian Orthodox Prayer Book and garnet cross.

Worship there and in so many other sacred places leads me to reflect how Christians around the world are connected in God’s dream of one holy, catholic, and apostolic church, a faith which began with the incarnation of Jesus in this holy season.

As we await the coming of our Lord in this last week of Advent, I offer a prayer from the Advent Worship Booklet of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

The verse for December 15 is my favorite:

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

The Very Reverend Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem, offers this prayer:

Loving God, in the gift of your Son Jesus Christ, you show us the depth of your love for all creation. You show us that our love for the world needs to be committed and sacrificial too. Your love reaches out and extends to all creatures, all people and all places. Help us to live out love with no boundaries or limits.

God of peace, in Jesus Christ, you have reconciled the world to yourself through the cross. Strengthen us, dear Lord, to love one another with that same spirit of reconciliation, which seeks to break divisions. In knowing the love of Christ in our own hearts, give us the same limitless love which can drive out hatred and grievance so that we may serve your peaceable kingdom with enduring commitment. Amen.

Advent Blessings,

Judy Q +