Dec.26, 2021 First Sunday of Christmas

  Luke 2:41-52  (The Message)

41-45 Every year Jesus’ parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up as they always did for the Feast. When it was over and they left for home, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t know it. Thinking he was somewhere in the company of pilgrims, they journeyed for a whole day and then began looking for him among relatives and neighbors. When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.

46-48 The next day they found him in the Temple seated among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. The teachers were all quite taken with him, impressed with the sharpness of his answers. But his parents were not impressed; they were upset and hurt.

His mother said, “Young man, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been half out of our minds looking for you.”

49-50 He said, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?” But they had no idea what he was talking about.

51-52 So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself. And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people.

Jesus wasn’t the perfect child if we think of being perfect as always obedient, always predictable, always meeting his parents expectations.

He gave them some anxious moments, fearful moments, bewildering moments.  Something burned within Jesus which he may not have understood as a child of 12 but which led him in ways which left his family anxious.  He had to find out who he was and what he was here for.  (Don’t we all!)

No one can do this for us - we have to each do it for ourselves and it will create anxious moments for those who love us. 

To parent is to love when we are anxious and let our children grow up “in both body and spirit”.  Even Jesus had to do this! 

“There are times when we get caught up 

in things which scare our parents, 

not because they are wrong, but because 

there is danger as well as beauty in what 

we are doing.” Anonymous

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to grow in body and spirit, and love me as I do.”

Dec 19, 2021 Advent 4

Luke 1: 39-45

 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Mary is called “blessed” because she allowed herself to be used as a blessing.  She humbly believed what the Lord said to her and let it be accomplished.

God needed Mary to do God’s will.  God couldn’t have done it, at that time, in that way, without Mary.

God needs us to do God’s will in our world.  As unbelievable as it sounds, there are some things God can not do at this time without us.  To follow God’s lead is to discover God’s blessing.  It comes in the doing, for blessing is a serendipity.  Something which happens in the process of surrendering to God’s will.  There will always be a blessing in doing God’s will.

 

“And Mary said: 

My soul glorifies the Lord            

and my spirit rejoices in God

my Savior, 

for he has been mindful 

of the humble state of his servant. 

From now on all generations 

will call me blessed,’”  

Luke 1:46-48

 

Prayer thought for the day:  “Lord, what is it you cannot do without me?  

Bless me that I might be a blessing and do what only I can do.”

Dec 12, 2021 Advent 3

Luke 3:7-18  (The Message)

7-9 When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.”

10 The crowd asked him, “Then what are we supposed to do?”

11 “If you have two coats, give one away,” he said. “Do the same with your food.”

12 Tax men also came to be baptized and said, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13 He told them, “No more extortion—collect only what is required by law.”

14 Soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He told them, “No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations.”

John got their attention.  He broke through their blindness, pricked their conscience, penetrated their hearts so they asked, ”What then shall we do?”

It is a question we must ask too, for it is never enough to talk the talk; we must walk the walk.  We must let God get to our hearts and change our way of being, or at best we are just sincere hypocrites, “honoring God with our lips while our hearts are far from God.”

And what is it we are to do?

We are to “To be authentic from the inside out”.  How?

We are to “Share… be fair…be kind.”

That’s it!  Simple yet profound.  

A challenge which will lead us to repent often as we seek to live lives which

reflect something of God’s love. 

"Three things in human         

life are important.  

The first is to be kind.  

The second is to be kind.  

And the third is to be kind." 

Henry James

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, keep me mindful that kindness is next to Godliness.  And being fair and sharing is too!

Dec 5, 2021 Advent 2

Luke 3:1-6

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

   “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 

‘Prepare the way for the Lord, 

   make straight paths for him. 

5 Every valley shall be filled in, 

   every mountain and hill made low. 

The crooked roads shall become straight, 

   the rough ways smooth. 

6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

Our preparation for Christmas is distracted by the litany of commercialism and the litany of indulgence.  To offset this we need to “discern what is best” about this celebration by going deeper and deeper into the mystery which is Christmas.  This means we look for Christmas to happen in human acts of love wherein we also see “God’s salvation” in action.

This is what Advent is all about.  Discerning.  Getting ready!  When I am ready, I am more able to experience, more able to see.  Ironically, I can also be more spontaneous, more open to chance; call it planned spontaneity; prepared enough to be free to be spontaneous.

A song writer once said,  “Tunes simply pop into my head all the time. 

But of course, your head has to be arranged to receive them!”

Are you getting ready to “see” Christmas?  To see it happen again and again,  hidden in happenings you never expected?  And celebrate the mystery of God’s love incarnate in human flesh?  This is what is coming!

Get ready for a surprise!

“Chance favors the         

prepared mind.”

     Louis Pasteur  

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to not miss Christmas

as it comes over and over and over again, Your love incarnate in human flesh.”

Nov. 28, 2021 Advent 1

Luke 21:25-28  (The Message)

25-26 “It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.

27-28 “And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”

These words of Luke hardly sound like the beginning of Advent, a season which leads us to the celebration of Christmas.  A celebration which is on top of the list of all celebrations.  What we need to understand is that the main point of the message is not “the world in a panic” but “a glorious welcome” .

This gives us reason to celebrate indeed! 

And sets the mood for the season of Advent - “positive, joyful hope of redemption.”  

It is a reminder to celebrate life at all times and in all places, no matter what.  To see the good surrounded by the bad.  To be thankful when all is going wrong.  To be hopeful when all seems lost.  This is the mood of the Gospel.  This is the mood of Jesus.  Celebration of life, for it is good!  This is what we are getting ready to celebrate again in Christmas! 

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to be hopeful and joyful for the celebration of your coming is coming soon.”

November 21, 2021 Christ the King Sunday

John 18:36 (The Message)

36 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”

Jesus kingdom is not of this world.  It is a kingdom where things are reversed in a strange yet powerful way.  The first are last and the last first.   The great are the lowly and the masters are the servants.  The little is much and the poor are rich.  The widows mite is much and the rich peoples much is little.

A Kingdom where money is not as important as love and relationships;  where nothing can happen which is beyond becoming a blessing, redeemed by God’s love.  It is a Kingdom which cannot be destroyed and will never end.

“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I (Napoleon Bonaparte) have built great empires. but upon what did they depend?  They depended on force.  But centuries ago Jesus started an empire that was built on love, and even  today, millions will die for him.”

“All the armies that ever marched, 

all the navies that ever sailed, 

all the parliaments that ever sat, 

all the kings that ever reigned, 

put together have not affected 

the life of man on this earth 

as much as the one who was born 

to be a king...of another kingdom.”

Author unknown

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, may your Kingdom indeed come on earth, and help me to be a part of it.”

 

November 14, 2021 25th Sunday After Pentecost

 Mark 13:1-8 (The Message)

“As he walked away from the Temple, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at that stonework! Those buildings!”

2 Jesus said, “You’re impressed by this grandiose architecture? There’s not a stone in the whole works that is not going to end up in a heap of rubble.”

3-4 Later, as he was sitting on Mount Olives in full view of the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew got him off by himself and asked, “Tell us, when is this going to happen? What sign will we get that things are coming to a head?”

5-8 Jesus began, “Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When you hear of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history, and no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. But these things are nothing compared to what’s coming.”

Let me pass on to you these words from David F. Watson, New Testament professor at Union Seminary, Dayton, Ohio.

“These are complex (words), deeply rooted in Old Testament language, history and theology.  Yet, despite the difficulties that they present, they are also powerful (words) that teach us not to follow false messiahs and prophets.  The dangers of overzealous nationalism and reactionary violence are clear in this  passage.  Violence begets violence.  (Amen to that!)  Followers of Jesus are to trust in God’s providential care even if the world around them seems to be falling apart before their eyes.”

And that takes a lot of faith courage!

All that we know is that Jesus will be there at the end and no matter what, it will be good!  So watch, keep awake, stay alert, and don’t worry about it!

 

"Concerning that            

day or hour 

nobody knows.”

Mark 13:32

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to live today with love and kindness, not worrying about the end which is in your hands and will be good.”

Nov. 7, 2021 All Saints Sunday

 Matthew 5:1-12

1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

    He said:

   3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

4 Blessed are those who mourn, 

   for they will be comforted. 

5 Blessed are the meek, 

   for they will inherit the earth. 

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 

   for they will be filled. 

7 Blessed are the merciful, 

   for they will be shown mercy. 

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, 

   for they will see God. 

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, 

   for they will be called children of God. 

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 

   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

   11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Most of us do not consider ourselves to be saints.  In fact, it is almost an insult to be called a saint.  It means you are not in touch with real life.  As the agnostic Robert Ingersoll describes, you are someone who is “...not quite sick enough to die nor healthy enough to be wicked.”

This is a gross contradiction!  A saint is someone who is very human and very much alive. 

 A saint is someone who wants much out of life but refuses to crush life to get it.  

Who is passionate enough to not hurt others as he/she drinks deeply of life. 

A saint is someone who dares to live as a human with an eye towards heaven.  

Who can be “poor in spirit” because he/she doesn’t have to pretend.  

Who can be “meek” because he/she doesn’t have to always be right.  

Who can be” merciful” because he/she doesn’t have to judge others.  

Who can “hunger and thirst after righteousness” because he/she doesn’t have to have all the answers all the time.  

A saint is a very human person who can “rejoice and be glad” amidst persecution, suffering, grief or pain because he/she lives on earth with an eye on heaven; and the love of God which comes from above.

 

“I am not a saint,                             

unless you think of a saint 

as a sinner who keeps on trying.” 

           Nelson Mandela

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to keep on trying to be a Saint, living in Your forgiving grace and seeking to do your will - to love as you love!”  Amen

October 31, 2021 Reformation Sunday

 John 8:36  (The Promise)

“36 So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.”

To be set free is not to be able to do what ever I want to do when ever I want to do it.  To be free is to be a different person than I was, with a heart open to being willing to forgive;  willing to encourage;  willing to help;  willing to be a servant of compassion in a world of hate, bringing light in the darkness.  

To be set free by the love of God is to become, as Luther once said, “Little Christ’s” who go about doing good, not because this is the way to earn heaven but because this is the way to show that we are free from the fear of losing heaven and to show not only that we love God, but that God first loved us! 

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, let your light shine through me;  

set me free to love!”  Amen

October 24, 2021 22nd Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 10:46-52  (The Message)

46-48 They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

49-50 Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.”

They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.

51 Jesus said, “What can I do for you?”

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.”

In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

In the passage just preceding these words, the disciples miss what Jesus is saying to them three times.  So he gives them an object lesson.  He heals blind Bartimaeus even as they too needed their eyes opened to see him as the Suffering Servant.

It is not easy to connect suffering with the way we would have it with our God.

We want a God who puts things right and keeps things right, so bad things do not happen to good people.  We don’t want a God who is so human he suffers and we don’’t want to see anything good in suffering.

Yet God came as a suffering servant and God is present even in the silence of suffering.

The cross, an instrument of great suffering, is also a sign of great love.  A love which is greater then all the suffering possible;  a love which nothing can separate us from;  a love which is eternal! 

"It is when things go wrong, when the good things do not happen, when our prayers seem to have been lost, that God is most present.  We do not need the sheltering wings when things go smoothly.  We are closest to God in the darkness, stumbling along blindly."  Madeleine L'Engle

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to see your goodness when bad things happen.  Open my eyes to see your love even in my suffering.”  

Oct. 17, 2021 21st Sunday after Pentecost

Mark 10: 41-45   (The Message)

41-45 When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John. Jesus got them together to settle things down. “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around,” he said, “and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.”

The lesson the disciples needed to learn - and we do too - is that they (we) were chosen not for special rewards but for special tasks.  We are to be servants, slaves, ambassadors, disciples,  all things to all people, and the rewards are in God’s hands.  Not to worry!

The primary reason for the Christian life is not so that I can get something after I die.  The primary reason for the Christian life is so that I can give something to this life here and now.

God will take care of heaven for us!  Our task is to be servants in the care of all God’s creation.  To be servants in his “kingdom on earth”.  Which Jesus reminds us is “within us”.  Luke 17:21

What does this mean?  Fr. Richard Rohr describes it this way:  The phrase “kingdom of God” on Jesus’ lips, then, means almost the opposite of what an American like me might assume, living in the richest, most powerful nation on earth. To a citizen of Western civilization like me, kingdom language suggests order, stability, government, policy, domination, control, maybe even vengeance on rebels and threats of banishment for the uncooperative. But on Jesus’ lips, those words describe Caesar’s kingdom: God’s kingdom turns all of those associations upside down. Order becomes opportunity, stability melts into movement and change, status-quo government gives way to a revolution of community and neighborliness, policy bows to love, domination descends to service and sacrifice, control morphs into influence and inspiration, and vengeance and threats are transformed into forgiveness and blessing.  Indeed, as the hymn Lead On, O King Eternal says… 

“for not with swords loud clashing, 

nor role of stirring drums,

but deeds of love and mercy

the heavenly kingdom comes.”

Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, help me to not just pray ‘Thy Kingdom come’ , 

but to help it come on earth, even a little like it is in heaven. ”