As we prepare for the Lord's coming, we are reminded that this time of year can be a sad and lonely time for many. A local Catholic church offers a blue mass service for those low in spirit, lonely, depressed, down and out. As we wait and prepare with expectant hope, this week we are invited to share in the joy of the Lord's coming - in the midst of our human condition - amidst times of turmoil, violence, illness, troubles and woes.
As Jesus began his mission, he unrolled the scroll and read from this week's passage in Isaiah. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to bring good news to the oppressed, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners." Isaiah wrote to those returning from the exile of captivity. Returning to the ruins of their homeland. In the midst of those ruins, with great joy the prophet and the Israelites returned, thankful and filled with the promise of restoration.
Psalm 126 shouts of that joy of restoration in every verse, and Luke's Song of Mary, the god bearer (Θεοτοκος) is full of joy as her "soul does magnify the Lord." Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians enjoined them to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ for us.
Consider the contrasts, and experience the hope and joy in Daniel Berrigan's, Advent Credo, Steve Goodier's "Surprised by Joy," and Melissa Bane Servier's "Joy?" When you have time, read C.S. Lewis' Surprised by Joy.
Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11 • Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 • 2 Peter 3:8-15a • Mark 1:1-8
After last week's apocalyptic passage from Mark, we have the first verse, or introduction, to Mark in this week's gospel. Mark starts with "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God," seizes on the writings of the prophet Isaiah, and introduces us to John the Baptist, a voice crying in the wilderness, making straight the path, preparing the way for the Lord, proclaiming a baptism of repentance by water, for the forgiveness of sins. We await the coming of the Lord, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Just as Mark speaks of preparation for the Lord's coming, the author of 2 Peter urges patience and endurance as we wait. Contrasted with last week's cry from Isaiah of "O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, " the prophet says, "Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God," and he says that the Lord will feed his flock like a shepherd, gathering the lambs, carrying them gently in his bosom, and gently leading the mother sheep.
In violent and unsettled times, considering John the Baptist's ministry of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, Kathleen Norris asks, in "Mercy, Me," asks "Can it be that mercy really is at the heart of God? In "I Want to Be Ready, " Steve Goodier suggests ways to prepare for the future we are called to. In "Leftovers," Melissa Bane Servier suggests that in the re-imagining, re-emergence of our faith tradition, is a coming anew of God, creating anew, "taking those beautiful flavors of the ancient past and delivering them to us in ever-new ways," - sort of like living anew that glorious feast of Thanksgiving, and the leftovers of all of the wonderful memories, people, stories, aromas and blessings of our lives.
Scripture: Isaiah
64:1-9 • Psalm
80:1-7, 17-19 • 1
Corinthians 1:3-9 • Mark
13:24-37
This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, and the first Sunday of Lectionary Year B. We light a candle with readings of hope and peace as we wait the coming of the Christ child, and Christ's coming again. What are called to do, as we wait? In what, or in whom do we hope? What are our expectations about the coming of Christ? Why does Kathleen Morris call her article "Apocalypse Now?"
In "Advent Alchemy," John Stendahl urges us not to choose indifference or resignation in the seasons of our lives as we take care to note the shape of the darkness in which our candles burn. Instead prepare for the Lord's coming by anticipating the good which will come, and shining when and where the light is most needed.
Finally, consider two short readings about Advent Candles, Melissa Banes Sevier's "One Candle," and The Rev. Eric J. Liles, "Why Blue for Advent?"
Scripture: Ezekiel
34:11-16, 20-24 and Psalm
100 • Ezekiel
34:11-16, 20-24 and Psalm
95:1-7a • Ephesians
1:15-23 • Matthew
25:31-46
As we end Lectionary Year A on Reign of Christ Sunday, we also finish up Jesus' apocalyptic, or, as Paul Tillich and Rudolph Bultmann characterize it, his eschatological vision and fulfillment in Matthew 25. For Bruce Epperly, Christ turns us toward justice and relationship. God experiences the
world and responds to bring about structures of justice and reconciliation. Enjoy reading the dynamics of the loving Creator God, in relationship with his Creation in his "Adventurous Lectionary- - The Reign of Christ."
The Rev. Kate Matthews always brings so much to the discussion. In her Reflection on The Reign of Christ,Christ is With Us, she considers, along with the authors she cites, judgment, freedom, and the "sheep and goats" of Jesus' parable. As Barbara Brown Taylor writes, "We are called to look at each other and see Christ."
Scripture: Judges
4:1-7 and Psalm
123 • Zephaniah
1:7, 12-18 and Psalm
90:1-8, (9-11), 12
1
Thessalonians 5:1-11 • Matthew
25:14-30
This week we have scripture and lessons concerning time and how we should meaningfully use that time. The Greek language has two words for time, Καιρός (kairos) and Χρόνος (chronos). In rhetoric, Καιρός means the passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved. In Christian theology, Καιρός means "the appointed time in the purpose of God", the time when God acts. Καιρός is timeless, eternal, whereas Χρόνος is "chronological," and is pictured in Greek mythology by Cronos who represented the destructive ravages of time which consumed all things, a concept that was definitely illustrated when the Titan king devoured the Olympian gods — the past consuming the future, the older generation suppressing the next generation.
The Psalmist says, "Teach us to count our days, that we may have a wise heart." In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul tells us to be alert, to have no concern about the seasons, but to prepare for the day of the Lord's coming, building up and encouraging one another, and to have faith, love and hope.
Jesus's parable of the talents tells us that the King entrusts his servants with talents, goes away for a long time, and returns to see what they have done with their talents. Talents are not what we might think. What does Jesus mean when he uses the words talents? Is God keeping score, or time? See The Rev. Charles Hoffacker's "Trust, not Fear." The Rev. Canon Frank Logue also discusses talents, and taking risks. See his "Love is Risky Business."
What are we to do with our time? See Enuma Okoro's "Discerning the Days," in his "With the Eyes of Our Heart," Series in November 2011 edition of Sojourners.
What are we to do with our "talents"? See Steve Goodier's "All Used Up."
Scripture: Joshua
24:1-3a, 14-25 and Psalm
78:1-7 • Wisdom
of Solomon 6:12-16 or Amos
5:18-24 and Wisdom
of Solomon 6:17-20 or Psalm
70 • 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18 • Matthew
25:1-13
In the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids, we are tempted to read it in such a way as to bolster ourselves and our thinking as being wise. What is it to be wise? It also is written in an eschatological sense - the meaning of existence and things to come, such as "the kingdom of heaven." What is the meaning and hope of things to come? Consider "Wisdom and Folly," by Debra Dean Murphy.
Ruminating on the declaration of Joshua, "... choose this day whom you will serve [other gods, idols] ... but as for me, and my household, we will serve the LORD," Professor Walter Bruggemann reviews Israel's history and choices, and Christ's feeding of the multitudes in "The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity," and invites us to change our public life.
"Whether we are liberal or conservative Christians, we
must confess that the central problem of our lives is that we are torn apart by
the conflict between our attraction to the good news of God's abundance and the
power of our belief in scarcity -- a belief that makes us greedy, mean and
unneighborly...
Wouldn't it be wonderful if liberal and conservative
church people, who love to quarrel with each other, came to a common
realization that the real issue confronting us is whether the news of God's
abundance can be trusted in the face of the story of scarcity? What we know in
the secret recesses of our hearts is that the story of scarcity is a tale of
death. And the people of God counter this tale by witnessing to the manna.
There is a more excellent bread than crass materialism. It is the bread of life
and you don't have to bake it. As we walk into the new millennium, we must
decide where our trust is placed... It has nothing to do with being Republicans or Democrats,
liberals or conservatives, socialists or capitalists. It is much more
elemental: the creation is infused with the Creator's generosity, and we can
find practices, procedures and institutions that allow that generosity to work.
Like the rich young man in Mark 10, we all have many possessions. Sharing our
abundance may, as Jesus says, be impossible for mortals, but nothing is
impossible for God. None of us knows what risks God's spirit may empower us to
take. Our faith, ministry and hope at the turn of the millennium are that the
Creator will empower us to trust his generosity, so that bread may abound." - Walter Bruggemann.
Scripture: Joshua
3:7-17 and Psalm
107:1-7, 33-37 • Micah
3:5-12 and Psalm
43 • 1
Thessalonians 2:9-13 • Matthew
23:1-12
As we read the regular appointed for this Sunday, we also celebrate All Saints. The articles for reading ask about what is godliness, holiness? What are the characteristics of the saints? Who have been saints in your life?
Michael Anthony Howard, in his "Saints in the hands of a humble heaven," contrasts the saintliness and holiness portrayed in Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" with a God who finds us worthy of salvation, and who comes to dwell among us - who chooses to be in the midst of us, in humility and love - not an "over-and-above holiness," but an "under-and-in-service holiness.
Bob Stuhlmann, helps ground our conceptions of "godliness" and saintliness" in his "Humility Against Despair," Stories from a Priestly Life, drawing on Thomas Merton's Seeds of Contemplation, and learning godliness and saintliness from the words of the Rt. Rev. Mark Evans given to him when his son, Christopher, was born with Downs Syndrome. See "A Place to Call Home."
