I was talking to a friend recently who said that her least favorite Christmas hymn is “Joy to the World”. It wasn’t an issue of theology, or that Christmas isn’t indeed a time of joy, but rather that it’s been overdone. I quickly jumped to the defense of the beloved hymn because of the memories I associate with “Joy to the World”.
I have memories of growing up in North Carolina and being at my grandparent’s house for Christmas Eve. We would gather for dinner with all the aunts, uncles and cousins, and then once we were all fat and happy, we would move to the living room where my sister and I would put on our own Christmas Eve production. We would have spent the preceding weeks rehearsing…practicing hymns on the piano, how to walk in at the right time, which songs to sing. And so on Christmas Eve as everyone was relaxing on sofas and chairs, my sister and I would process into the living room singing “Joy to the World”. Once we had entered into this make-shift congregation, everyone would join us in singing. Then we would proceed with other hymns…Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Away in the Manger and Silent Night. My mother would sing O Holy Night the loudest and strongest of all the women. We would include other favorites such as O Christmas Tree, which my grandfather would sing in German, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Then my grandfather would read the Bible story…the same one from Luke that we heard tonight. Afterward, we’d have a moment of silence. I don’t know what everyone did in that moment of silence. Perhaps they were praying. Perhaps they were deeply moved by the story of God’s most generous gift—the Incarnation. Perhaps they were having a little post dinner snooze. Whatever was going on in that moment was special though because we were all together and we were happy. Then we would dive into the gifts, “oohing” and “ahhing” at each present received. “Thank you’s” and “This is just what I needed” floated throughout the room. We would conclude the Christmas Eve production with pie and a signing of “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer”. And no, I don’t know how we got from “Joy to the World” to singing about Grandma drinking too much eggnog. I don’t tell you this story as a way of providing a measuring stick by which to judge your own Christmas Eve experience. The truth is, it probably wasn’t as perfect as I remember it, because we’re human and it’s family, and it’s always complicated. I tell you this because what I remember about those Christmas Eve productions was the joy. Without a doubt, there was joy in my grandparent’s living room. Despite the fact that we didn’t have a lot of money, despite the fact that we were imperfect, flawed, and busy with our jobs, school and the farm, joy was there. In our readings tonight, there is great joy. The prophet Isaiah is rejoicing that a great light has been given to the people who have struggled in exile and persecution. The Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace is present with the people in the midst of their everyday living, their despair and their brokenness, and yet, there is great joy. The Psalmist is also rejoicing, along with all creation and the heavens at the glory and righteousness of God. And in the Gospel of Luke, the angels rejoice in the heavens for the birth of Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, the Messiah, the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace. There is joy in heaven. But what we also know from the readings is that joy is never meant to be self-contained…it’s meant to be shared and proclaimed. This is the calling of discipleship that we have as recipients of the Good News…to sing the song of the angels “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to the people on earth”, to “Tell it out among the nations” and to share our joy with everyone. Tonight we remember the greatest joy and God’s most gracious gift of the incarnation, Jesus, given for everyone to experience love, healing, peace, forgiveness and grace. What if this Christmas and in the days to come we didn’t just “ooh” and “ahh” over presents found under the tree? What if we also said to God “Thank you…this is just what I needed” and then shared that joy with someone else? May you be well, may you have peace, may you know the love of the Prince of Peace this night and every night. And may you sing out this greatest joy to the world. Amen.
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This Sunday is Gaudete (Gow-Day-Tay) Sunday…the Sunday of Rejoicing. The refrain in our opening hymn serves as a reminder that at all times, we should “Rejoice, Rejoice” for Emmanuel, God with us, is coming to bring salvation. Gaudete (Gow-Day-Tay) Sunday gets its name from the traditional Latin Mass which opens with the words “Gaudete in Dominio semper” which translates to “Rejoice in the Lord always”. The chant continues on in beautiful poetry taken from Philippians and the Psalms:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob. This theme of rejoicing is found throughout the texts for this Sunday. I have really enjoyed the readings from Isaiah this season because of the new vision of the Kingdom of God that the prophet has helped us to see. It is a vision of rebirth and renewal and a hope for salvation. As theologian Noel Erskine explains, the vision of the prophet Isaiah is one where “the presence of God provides courage and strength for all who are timid and afraid of tomorrow”. This week’s reading from Isaiah is full of the marks of salvation…a fully realized Kingdom of God: weak hands are made strong, feeble knees are made firm, the blind shall see, the deaf shall hear, the lame will walk, and the mute will sing for joy. In the Kingdom, even the deserted waste lands will blossom. And no one who is following the path of God—the Holy Way—will go astray. The fully realized Kingdom of God will include everyone and there will be rejoicing. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. We only get a portion of Psalm 146 in today’s readings, but it actually begins with the word “Halleluia”…which means “rejoice”. And here again, we get a vision of the fully realized Kingdom of God. There is justice for the oppressed, the hungry are full, the captives are set free, the blind can see, the week and oppressed are lifted up, and God’s promises of grace and love are fulfilled. As theologian Christian Scharen writes, “God’s will for good, for a life of shalom, of both well-doing and doing well, evokes praise, and in that praise arises hope.” Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. The letter of James was written to the early Jewish-Christian community who had started to lose hope in the coming of the Messiah. They had been raised in the tradition of the prophets like Isaiah and the words of the psalmist with much anticipation of the Kingdom of God, and they had gotten a glimpse of this new realized vision in the life of Jesus, but time had gone by and he had not returned. James is writing to remind them not to lose hope, but as beloved ones, to be patient and strong of heart. The Lord is coming! Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. The gospel of Matthew also presents us with a preview of the Kingdom of God. The imprisoned John sends his disciples to ask Jesus “are you ‘the one’”. Is Jesus the long awaited Messiah? Is Jesus the one that John has been preparing the way for? And Jesus’ response is almost word-for-word a reflection of Isaiah and the Psalm: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them” (11:5). Jesus is the one---the one who calls to us, who leads us, and who heals us, and who loves us. In Jesus, the redemptive reversals prophesized by Isaiah and sung about by the Psalmist, are dramatic and complete; there is wholeness and transformation. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. In the season of Advent we stand between the reality of brokenness and the anticipation of something holy and wonderful. We are much like the recipients of the letter of James…we are waiting patiently for the coming of the Messiah in the midst of our complicated, messy, fragile lives. Yet, like the traditional Latin Gaudete (Gow-day-tay) hymn says “have no anxiety about anything”…we are called to be strong in heart, remember that we are beloved, and wait. The Holy Way has been made clear for us and obstacles will be removed. In this in-between time, our community will continue to actively wait, watch and prepare as we serve others as Christ’s hands and feet in the world. Next Sunday we will celebrate with lessons and carols the coming of the Messiah. We will tell the stories of salvation history and we will continue to offer our prayers, supplications and thanksgivings to God in anticipation of the Incarnation. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Last week was the first week of Advent and I talked about getting ready for the “Big Event” of the coming of the Messiah. If you remember the reading from Paul’s letter, there was an anticipation of the coming of salvation, a new vision of the Kingdom of God, for all humankind. Paul said “now is the moment” and I talked about his sense of urgency and excitement.
This week, that sense of anticipation and urgency continues in our lessons as we prepare for the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us. The reading from Isaiah (11:1-10) is beautiful poetry that helps us to understand this new vision of the coming Kingdom of God. It is a vision of rebirth and renewal. From the stump comes a new shoot. Righteousness and faithfulness will be the sources of wisdom, understanding and power. The meek and the poor will no longer suffer. The wolf and the lamb will rest together. The people will be led by a child. Throughout this piece of prophetic poetry from Isaiah, we get glimpses of a world that is full of unlikely harmony and peace. It is a world that seems impossible. From desolation comes rebirth. From marginalization comes hope. From humility comes power. It seems impossible for us to imagine being led by a child, an end to suffering, and true peace because our reality is so far from this possibility. But for a people in exile, a people hungry and desperate for salvation and the Kingdom of God, as impossible as Isaiah’s vision was, it was hopeful. It is from Isaiah’s prophetic poetry that we begin to see not only an ancient people’s yearning for the Messiah, but also our own yearning for a new way of being in the world, a new way of understanding love, a new way to be Jesus’ hands and feet for one another. In the Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12), we encounter the all-too-familiar story of John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness “Prepare the Way”. Like Isaiah, John is an unlikely prophet with an unlikely vision. He is not on the street corner or in the temple…he’s out in the wilderness. He isn’t dressed in fine linen like the religious leaders, but is covered with a suit made of fur. Icons depict John as a crazy man…someone we’d likely avoid if we encountered him on the street. His hair is disheveled, he is barefoot, and he is dirty. He eats bugs and honey, not the meal of a rich man. And yet, people seek him out. Why? Because he is offering them welcome and hope. John’s message of “prepare the way” is about repentance. Like the message of Isaiah, John has a new vision of the Kingdom of God that requires people to change their perspective and become open to the possibility of a new way of being in the world. By the time of John the Baptist, Jerusalem was occupied by the Romans, and so once again, they were deeply yearning for salvation. They were looking for the coming Kingdom of God. They were urgently awaiting the coming of the Messiah. This week I’ve been thinking a lot about this new way of being in the world, this new creation, this coming Kingdom of God. I’ve been thinking about it, not because it’s Advent and that’s what I’m supposed to be thinking about, but because it’s been so bitterly cold. This winter freeze has made me all the more mindful of our brothers and sisters who have inadequate housing or no shelter at all. It has made me think of the guests at the warming shelter. It has made me think of the countless runaway teens who are couch surfing, sleeping in cars and abandoned buildings. Unlike any of us sitting here today, they are desperate. Regardless of how their situation came to be, these are individuals who have been marginalized, who are hurting, and who are deeply yearning for a new way of being in the world. I don’t know if they’d say they were yearning for the coming of the Messiah, but if the Kingdom of God is anything like what Isaiah or John had in mind, then perhaps this is what they desire. St. Teresa of Avila, a medieval Christian mystic wrote the following poem: Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. I believe that if we, the church, our community gathered here, are the new prophetic voice calling out into the world that the moment is now, that we need to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, part of our work is to help bring about this new creation, this Kingdom of God. The season of Advent isn’t just about preparing for the coming of the Christ child, but also about the second coming of Christ. As we watch and wait, we prepare actively. We are the feet, the hands, and the eyes of the long awaited Messiah. We are the agents of making the Kingdom of God not some far away place, but here in our midst. On Thursday Nelson Mandela passed away surrounded by loved ones. Mandela was known for his work towards justice and equality for the people of South Africa. Like Isaiah and John the Baptist, he was a voice calling out to those who were oppressed, fearful, and desperate. His vision of reconciliation and justice was considered unbelievable at the time. But his was a prophetic voice and people listened. And they prepared the way for a new reality…a Kingdom of God in the here and now, a new beginning in a place of desolation. There will be times when the voice calling out in the wilderness will be the voice of the unlikely prophet. There will be times when the message will seem impossible. But there is hope in the wilderness. There is hope in the stump that is able to produce new life. Prepare the way for the new vision. Prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. When I was a child, Thanksgiving was a very important day at my grandparent’s house. Not only was it a chance to run around and play with my cousins, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and eat the big turkey leg, it was also the day the catalogues were put on the table. Once everyone had finished their meals and were comfortably resting on the sofa and recliner chairs, my grandmother would give each of us a piece of paper, a pencil, and then set the catalogues out for our perusal. The instructions were simple…write your letter to Santa.
As adults, the letter may have turned more into a shopping list, but the scene hasn’t changed much. As soon as the leftovers are put away, out comes the shopping list and all the advertisements. Buy this! Buy that! You are incomplete without this new gadget. Hurry! Time is of the essence. The stores will be open as soon as dinner is over! How did this happen? We’ve been groomed by marketing agencies to anticipate these “Big Events”. We have a deep yearning and desire to be connected, to be transformed and to be made better, and somehow that hole has become filled with commercials, sales ads and catalogues. But for Isaiah, the psalmist, Paul, and the gospel writers, the “Big Event” was the coming of the Messiah and a new way of being in the world. The word “advent” means the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. We are now in the season of Advent. We are anticipating the arrival of the Messiah, the arrival of the Kingdom of God, the arrival of the big event. The reading from prophet Isaiah (2:1-5) invites us to see a new possibility. Swords will be beaten into plowshares and spears will be turned into pruning hooks. There will be no more war. Instead, we will walk in the light of the Lord. Here, the advent that Isaiah envisions is a new reality of God’s kingdom. As Noel Erskine explains: [For Isaiah and for us] the good news is that tomorrow will be different from yesterday, because the future is based on promises of God, which are always new…[they are a] basis and ground of hope. Can you imagine such an advent…a time when things will be different…a time that is full of hope? The reading from the Book of Psalms (122) also invites us into a new possibility. While the psalmist is writing about making pilgrimage, he also gives the blessing of “peace be within you”. Peace be within you. When was the last time you felt true peace within yourself? When was the last time you didn’t feel anxious? When was the last time that you were at peace while change was happening? This is part of what the season of Advent is about. Finding peace while at the same time anticipating the “Big Event” of the coming of Emmanuel. As we move from our Old Testament lessons and into our New Testament lessons, there is definitely a sense of urgency. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he says “now is the moment…salvation is near”. In my mind I imagine Paul writing with great excitement and joy. He’s anticipating the “Big Event” and standing on a precipice of change. I imagine that he is filled with both passion and longing, but not necessarily anxious…peace is within him about the second coming of Jesus. And it is this second coming, this new Advent, that Jesus tells his followers about. Throughout the lessons for today, we have seen time progress…the anticipation of the long awaited Messiah, the desire for peace and change, a hope for a new tomorrow in God’s kingdom, and then the anticipation of the seconding coming of Christ. It is of this that Jesus speaks about when he tells those gathered around him to “be ready” and “keep awake”. That sense of renewed hope, that promise that tomorrow will be different, the longing for justice and an end to war, the “Big Event” and the longing for deep peace within…that is what the new Advent is about. As much urgency as there is in the season of Advent—and we’ve already heard that “now is the moment” and soon we’ll be told to “prepare the way”—I hope you’ll remember what the “Big Event” really is. Yes, it’s Christmas, but not necessarily the Christmas that the commercials, newspaper ads, and catalogues want us to believe in. Instead, we are keeping awake and standing at the ready for the coming of the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us…the promise of a new tomorrow. |
AuthorI don't know what the future of the church is, but I know that we will continue to be a place of sanctuary and hope, working towards healing in the world. Archives
October 2017
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