Feast of Holy Innocents, December 29, 2014

The third day after Christmas Day is the Feast of Holy Innocents. When it falls on a Sunday, as it has this year, it is common practice to translate the feast to the following day. This year, however, we did celebrate it at the Sunday service.

          It is odd to use the word “celebrate” and “Feast” with reference to the slaughter of the young children of Bethlehem. Like life, however, feasts of the church comprise commemorations both good and bad. As St. Paul says in Romans 8, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

          And so it is that early in the Christmas season, while we are still high on the best possible news, we are challenged with Herod’s pointless, hideous violence.

Collect for the Day:

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Jeremiah 31:15-17

Thus says the Lord:

A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
    she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.

Thus says the Lord:

Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears;
for there is a reward for your work,

says the Lord:

they shall come back from the land of the enemy; there is hope for your future,

says the Lord:

your children shall come back to their own country.

Reflections: The Lord has proclaimed, “With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back”; “I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.” Those we mourn will come home.

Psalm 124

If the LORD had not been on our side, * let Israel now say;

If the LORD had not been on our side, * when enemies rose up against us;

Then would they have swallowed us up alive * in their fierce anger toward us;

Then would the waters have overwhelmed us * and the torrent gone over us;

Then would the raging waters * have gone right over us.

Blessed be the LORD! * He has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.

We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the Name of the LORD, * the maker of heaven and earth.

 

Epistle: Revelations 21:1-7

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-18

When the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

A voice was heard in Ramah,

wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.

Reflections: On the heels of the good news of Christ’s birth, Herod massacres babies. Only three days after the Feast of the Nativity, and already we face a text that raises more questions than we can find answers. Why doesn’t the birth of God into the world prevent Herod’s jealous rage? Was the birth of Jesus in some way responsible for the slaughter? Why didn’t angels appear and protect the other children, as well?

          In his courageous sermon, Deacon Tony faced the difficult questions that confront us daily, if we’re honest. God doesn’t prevent unthinkably bad things from happening. Reality is not simple. Despite the fact that Christ is born to us, the human beings perpetrate injustice and brutality. But we know now that, until mourning and crying and pain are no more, we are not alone; Christ shares our every joy, our every tear. Now, there's a Christmas gift!

The Feast of the Nativity, December 25, 2014

There is so much to say, yet the Mystery--however we understand it--exceeds our words. Best perhaps to light the Christ candle in the center of the Advent wreath and kneel in silent wonder.

Collect for the Day 

God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness--

on them light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation,

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His authority shall grow continually,

and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom.

He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time onward and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Psalm 96 Cantate Domino

Sing to the LORD a new song; * sing to the LORD, all the whole earth.

Sing to the LORD and bless his Name; *

proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations * and his wonders among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; * he is more to be feared than all gods.

As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *

but it is the LORD who made the heavens.

Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *

Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!

Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples; *

          ascribe to the LORD honor and power.

Ascribe to the LORD the honor due his Name; * bring offerings and come into his courts.

Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; * let the whole earth tremble before him.

Tell it out among the nations: The LORD is King! *

he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;

he will judge the peoples with equity.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;

let the sea thunder and all that is in it; *
let the field be joyful and all that is therein.

Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the LORD when he comes, *

when he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness * and the peoples with his truth.

Epistle: Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Gospel: Luke 2:1-20)

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

4th Sunday in Advent, December 21, 2014

Prayer for the Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle:  Holy are you, God of steadfast love and faithfulness; you promised to make a covenant with your chosen ones, and to establish the throne of your servant David forever. As we light these candles, open our hearts to the mystery of the Incarnation revealed to your servant Mary, and plant your word in us that it may grow and prosper. Show us your favor, O Rock of our Salvation.

Response: Reveal your truth to us, and strengthen us for service in your name. Amen.

Collect for the Day

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you."

But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.

Reflections: This passage reflects a transitional period in the history of Israel. Earlier, Israel—unlike the surrounding peoples, who had kings—had been a loose association of tribes occasionally united under a divinely inspired leader (Judges). In addition, the surrounding peoples worshipped their gods in temples, but the Israelite God was not associated with a permanent structure.

          By this time, obviously, Israel had developed a kingship (but struggles associated that are clear 1 Samuel 8). In our current reading, obviously, Israel has a king (David), but there is as yet no temple. Here, David proposes to build a “house” for God, but God refuses his offer; in a marvelous turnabout that hinges on the double meaning of “house,” God offers—promises—to establish David and his descendants forever: “The Lord will make you a house . . ..”

          This year, two things in this account catch my attention. First, whatever motives David really had (to be like the other nations?), he seems motivated to make give God a great honor. Nonetheless, it took prophetic vision to discern whether his wishes actually were in line with God’s will. Now, as we know, God allows Solomon to go ahead and build the temple (and it becomes the center of Hebrew worship). But at the moment, God does not want a temple.

What can we draw from this? Perhaps that even our best (and sometimes most altruistic) ideas may not spring from the heart of God? The intensity of our “inspiration” (how it makes us feel) is no guide. We may require the help of another person to discern, or at least spending time in that deep reflective space within us, where God speaks more loudly than we do. It takes humility to question what we want, but in the case of David—and I suspect this is true for all of us—the willingness to do so just might uncover unexpected blessings.

Second, the Davidic “house” promised by God must have been understood as a permanent dynasty. Nonetheless, the kingdom was immediately fraught with division, went into decline, and was ultimately destroyed. Looking back at this history can lead to cynicism, or to a new level of questioning. Should that promise to David be swept aside, or re-understood?

What about in our own lives? What parts of our lives feel like broken promises? Our two extreme choices are to turn away, or to seek deeper. If God is infinite, then perhaps we grasp God’s intentions for us gradually—as we allow our souls to deepen and open our broken hearts in trust.

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 Misericordias Domini

Your love, O LORD, for ever will I sing; * from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; * you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.

"I have made a covenant with my chosen one; * I have sworn an oath to David my servant:

'I will establish your line for ever, * and preserve your throne for all generations.'"

You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: *
     "I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

I have found David my servant; * with my holy oil have I anointed him.

My hand will hold him fast * and my arm will make him strong.

No enemy shall deceive him, * nor any wicked man bring him down.

I will crush his foes before him * and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and love shall be with him, * and he shall be victorious through my Name.

I shall make his dominion extend * from the Great Sea to the River.

He will say to me, 'You are my Father, * my God, and the rock of my salvation.'"

 

Reflections: On the face of it, this psalm celebrates God’s choice of David as king, and the establishment of his kingdom. As Christians, we see in it a proclamation of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.

Epistle: Romans 16:25-27

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

Reflections: As occasionally happens in St. Paul’s writing, the sentence simply doesn’t parce. It’s as though he gets sidetracked elaborating something, then finishes the sentence differently from how it started. The words represent his ideas, but the sentence structure is not coherent (the “to whom” in the last phrase creates the problem). Because Paul was dictating his epistles, it would have been easy for him to get the syntax a little confused. In fact, this textual problem itself supports Paul’s own claim to use a scribe. Then again, the intent is clear; the message transcends the details of language.

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."

Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

Reflections: Much has been made about where Mary here “doubts” the angel’s words when she asks “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” In fact, a great deal of energy goes into explaining that Mary wonders, rather than doubts, because somehow doubting God is not allowed. But where did this notion come from? I have thought through poignant moments in both the New and Old testaments, and I come up pretty much empty.

          The classic example is the accusation that Sarah doubted the prophecy of the three angels, when they told Abraham that they would return in a year and she would have a child. Sarah hears this and laughs, and the angels accuse her of laughing, which she denies. She had laughed, and the reason she laughed (amusement, cynicism, giggly delight) was never clarified. In fact, it seems irrelevant, because she conceives Isaac. There’s the story of Hana, whose husband was struck dumb, apparently because he doubted—but he becomes a father anyway. Gideon (Judges 6:36ff) tested God’s intentions—twice!—but God was not offended. And of course there’s our own Doubting Thomas, who insists on seeing Jesus for himself, and who Jesus accommodates by inviting him to touch the wounds.

          The notion that it’s not okay to question or doubt God, I’ve concluded, is belongs to some Christian denominations. A brief online search showed me web pages across the spectrum: all the way from don’t dare doubt God to God is big enough to take it.

          In fact, it seems to me that the readings for Advent IV encourage our questioning and doubt. We cannot force ourselves to trust. Dare we be honest enough to question or to doubt? If we are not honest in our doubt, we cannot be honest in our faith.

          Who know what lay behind Mary’s question to the angel. The important thing is that her “Amen” sprang up from the depths of her soul. May our questioning and our doubts lead us to an amen as profound as hers: free and uncoerced, spontaneous, in its own time.

Third Sunday in Advent, December 14, 2014

Prayer for the Lighting of the Advent Candles

Holy are you, God of the brokenhearted and oppressed; you promised to send your chosen one who gives a garland instead of ashes to those who mourn; who brings down the powerful and lifts the lowly. As we light these candles, open our lips to testify to the true light coming into the world, who enlightens everyone. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the desert.

Response: Reveal your truth to us, and fill our mouths with shouts of joy that declare the great things you have done for us. Amen.

Collect for the Day

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

They shall build up the ancient ruins,

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations.

For I the LORD love justice,

I hate robbery and wrongdoing;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their descendants shall be known among the nations,

and their offspring among the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge

that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

my whole being shall exult in my God;

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its shoots,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

to spring up before all the nations.

 

Reflections: You will recognize the first seven lines as the text Jesus reads in the synagogue  in Luke 4:18, after which he announces, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” The response to Jesus’ proclamation is not what a gospel reader would expect. It’s easy to criticize those gathered around Jesus in the synagogue, but how would we have reacted? It’s human to reject whatever confounds our expectations.

As we see from the full passage, God’s appearance is two-edged: mercy and judgment. On the one hand, the text elevates those who know their need of salvation; for them, God’s coming is salvation. On the other hand, Isaiah says, “I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing,” echoing the shocking and eloquent message of the prophet Amos:

Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! . . .
    Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light . . .
I hate, I despise your festivals,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. . . .
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them . . .
But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Inasmuch as our hearts are closed (and to some extent they are—in ways we cannot recognize), salvation involves judgment, which ultimately can lead us to repentance, the capacity to receive divine mercy and peace.

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13  In convertendo

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations, * "The LORD has done great things for them."

The LORD has done great things for us, * and we are glad indeed.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, * like the watercourses of the Negev.

Those who sowed with tears * will reap with songs of joy.

Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, * will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

 

Reflections: Blessed are those who “sowed with tears,” for they “will reap with songs of joy.” These lines are taken up in the first movement of Brahm’s (German) Requiem. Here is a link to a performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIw2DUM-3kU, and here a link to the text: http://www.kellydeanhansen.com/opus45.html. I cannot hear or read this scripture without thinking of it.

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Reflections: St. Paul focuses our attention, not on the ups and downs of our experience, but on the One at the heart of our being. Rooted and grounded in Christ, we are able to rejoice in, and even despite, our circumstances—for in every aspect of our lives God is with us.

Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?"     

  John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Reflections: We all want to pigeonhole. The religious leaders of his day wanted to know how to understand John. But the prophet, like Jesus after him, didn’t answer the questions; what words or concepts would have been adequate? Both John and Jesus deflected attention from themselves to the prophetic tradition, and to its Ultimate Referent. For John, that was Jesus; for Jesus, it was the Father.

        Who are we? How would we answer that question?

The Second Sunday in Advent, December 7, 2014

Prayer for the Lighting of the Second Advent Candle:  

Holy are you, God of righteousness and peace; you promised to wait with patience for all to come to repentance, and to send your prophet to cry in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. As we light these candles, open our ears to hear you speak tenderly to your people; open our hearts to welcome you as a shepherd who gently leads the flock. Comfort us, O God, and forgive the sin of your people. Reveal you glory to us and speak to us your word of peace. Amen.

Collect for the Day

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 Isaiah 40:1-11

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her

that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,

that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:

In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

A voice says, Cry out!

And I said, What shall I cry?

All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings;

lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,

lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah,

Here is your God!

See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him;

his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms,

and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

 

Reflections: This achingly tender passage assures a wounded people that they have not been forgotten or abandoned; rather, they are deeply loved. When we, too, find ourselves victims of forces we cannot combat, witnesses of abuse we cannot prevent, tortured by wounds we cannot heal, oppressed by guilt we cannot assuage, we yearn for the prophetic assurance of God’s forgiveness and love.

The gift of our most vulnerable moments is that they are the times we are most open to God. At those times, the barrier thins between the temporal and the eternal, the mortal and the divine. In those times we are more receptive to the grace, not merely to endure, but to live.

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13  Benedixisti, Domine

You have been gracious to your land, O LORD, *

you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.

You have forgiven the iniquity of your people * and blotted out all their sins.

I will listen to what the LORD God is saying, *

for he is speaking peace to his faithful people

and to those who turn their hearts to him.

Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *

that his glory may dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth have met together; * righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Truth shall spring up from the earth, * and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

The LORD will indeed grant prosperity, * and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness shall go before him, * and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

Epistle: 2 Peter 3:8-15a

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Reflections: We pray, and wait. As creatures of time and space, we cannot fully understand why prayers are not answered, or perhaps we cannot recognize God’s response. Peter tells us that God does respond, and that God’s response is compassion.

He also redirects our attention from the goal of our prayer to our waiting, and urges us to be at peace. Our here and now is in fact the context in which God answers our prayer. “The present moment,” according to Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s Abandonment to Divine Providence, is sacrament.

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Reflections: The Gospel of Mark opens with John the Baptist in the desert, a direct reference to Isaiah’s prophetic utterance in the first reading. That is not to say that Isaiah was predicting events that would occur in the time of Jesus. Despite the widespread notion that prophecy means prediction, the role of the prophet in Judaism wasn’t to foretell the future, but to discern the truth.

In alluding to Isaiah at the beginning of the gospel, the evangelist is placing his own message in the context of Isaiah’s. Part of what sets the two prophets apart is that Isaiah (centuries before) delivered the message in figures; but John in concrete, historical terms. John calls for the only appropriate, perhaps the only possible response in the face of the Divine: repentance. God comes now, here, in flesh. And for us too, God comes now, here, in flesh.

Environmental Prayer for Advent 2

The prayer comes from Archbishop Tutu; I received it through the Episcopal Ecological Network. Please join me in prayer and intention as we approach the gathering of world leaders for climate negotiations. And consider joining the Light for Lima vigil (http://ourvoices.net/lima).
 
Holy God,
earth and air and water are your creation, and the web of life is yours.
Have mercy on us in the face of climate chaos.
Help us to be keepers of your Earth:
      to simplify our lives,
      to reduce our use of energy,
      to share the resources you have given us,
      to raise our voices for justice
and to bear the cost of change.

We kindle this light for Lima as we pray for the climate change negotiations in Lima, Peru.

First Sunday in Advent, November 30, 2014

Collect for the Day

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

Reflections: The theme of advent, waiting in hope, is clear in this collect, as the continuity between the End Times and the Incarnation. Life is on a continuum between the Beginning and the End, the already and the not yet—a tension never clearer, perhaps, than in Advent.

 

Epistle: I Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind—just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Reflections: In the verse just prior to this passage, St. Paul says that the Christians in Corinth are “called to be saints.” Here, he affirms that they have already received every spiritual gift. Nevertheless, they wait for the “revealing of . . . Christ.”

          We, too, who find ourselves at the beginning of Advent, wait for the revealing of Emmanuel: God-With-Us. And we, too, have received every spiritual gift. We wait for the fulfillment of the promise, the fulfillment of human history—and at the same time, God is already with us. We sense the divine presence in the hope for which we are waiting, and in the hope in which we are waiting. The very desire for God is itself a testament to God’s presence. May God grace our waiting with the patient knowledge of God’s love.

 

Gospel: Mark 13:24-37

Jesus said to his disciples, In those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from heaven,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

     From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

     But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake-- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.

 

Reflections: The opening passage reminds us of Daniel 7, Revelations, and other apocalyptic texts. We sense the continuity between the readings from the end of the liturgical year and those of Advent. However, the imagery of the past few weeks has been the Coming of Christ, the Judgment, and the submission of the whole creation and all powers—even death itself—to God. Whereas now at the beginning of Advent, and we await what a quite different coming.

Or is it? Are we going forwards, or backwards? Full circle? Does such a distinction hold outside human experience and the domain of space and time? In what ways are the Coming of Christ at the End Times similar to the birth of God as an infant into the world? And how are they different?

Do we wait for judgment, or blessing? As isolated individuals, or surrounded by a cloud of witnesses? Distanced—or already embraced by the God of our longing? What if these categories are merely tools and constructs, given us by God as a means of groping toward a Truth so much greater than we are, but Who is our ultimate purpose and destiny?

          Whatever the answers, whatever image we have of God, of Christ, of ourselves, we are called to wakefulness, called to cultivate an awakened heart, to discern the One Who Comes.