Advent: December 4

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

Hosea 6:1-6

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

         Today we begin to prepare for the second Sunday, Peace Sunday. By the nature of their job, often when we look in the prophets, we confront graphic violence and epic destruction. Yet, we still find peace because we come to realize that peace is more than the absence of conflict, it includes the presence of confidence.

         Hosea embraced the confidence that he found in the relationship he had with God. He was able to hold that confidence because he recognized the power of relationship with God. As he and other prophets earlier and later delivered their message from God, the ultimate lesson reminded the people to keep and nurture their relationship with God and He would be happier than any rite could make Him.

         An all too common complaint from people is that there is too much conflict and not enough peace in their lives. The world is just so busy it lends itself to conflict. How easy though would it be to embrace the Person who wants more than anything to be in relationship with us?

Advent: December 2

Psalm 79

Micah 4:6-13

Revelation 18:1-10

         Ninety-five percent of the time a prophet speaks, the audience starts stocking up on willow bark (a source of what we now call aspirin) because they knew celestial hurt was coming. God mobilized His voices when the people strayed from Him and, mostly, violated their duties to one another. Across the prophets we read accounts of the grievous harm done to God – through the abuse of His people.

         Micah was no different – except he never forgets the restoration that is to come. Connecting it to the familiar, and often deadly, pain of childbirth, he makes clear to the people that great difficulties will come, but in the end God will still be with His people and all human endeavor will be subsumed to God’s plan.

         The pain is real, but so is the hope.

Lenten Prayer - Conflict

Every newscast reminds us of the often horrific events happening around the world, in a bordering state, and down the street. Conflict makes for a great story with its victims, violence, and volume. Whether the battle happens in a nation halfway around the world with a scope so big we cannot imagine or in a living room halfway down the block with friends so close we do not imagine, conflict moves us because of its intensely human aspect.

Lord, we know you did not make us for conflict, but for communion with you and all mankind. When we brought conflict into the world, you responded with a guide. You told us exactly how to connect with you and with others through the law. We could not even agree on the rules you gave us, so Jesus simplified it to two imperative sentences: 1) Love God. 2) Love your neighbor.

We know how to avoid conflict and yet the headlines are filled with it. There is a difference between knowing and doing. Lord, we ask you to give us the courage to resist conflict, and even more, wisdom and peace to navigate the conflicts that do come our way – globally or relationally. And when the conflicts do come, we also ask for the grace to reflect our connection with you because you led by example in the time you walked among us.

We thank you for showing us it can be done.

Amen

Christmas Day

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Dec 25  Nativity of the Lord II   Isaiah 62:6-12   Psalm 97   Titus 3:4-7   Luke 2:[1-7] 8-20 Dec 25  Nativity of the Lord III   Isaiah 52:7-10   Psalm 98   Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12]   John 1:1-14

Today’s Reflection: Christmas morning, amid the various wrapping paper remnants, we like to reflect back on the birth of the Christ child. The passages this year, though take us beyond the manger. The word found across many of the passages is “heir,” a word we more likely associate with disposition of property following death. Thinking about death on a day like today kills the mood in a hurry. Fortunately for us, the inheritance we get through the coming of Christ is a living gift that continues into today.   As the only son, Jesus has all of God’s creation at his command. As co-heirs to that creation we are drawn in with a connection like none other. Throughout the entire season, we have been reminded of the connection we have to one another, to the historical Biblical figures, and most importantly to the triune God.   As heirs to the creation, we have responsibility to care for that creation and work as God would have us. Today is a time of celebration, but tomorrow comes time to start working. As we have seen through the passages, our relationship with God requires effort on both parts. He empowers us to do what needs to be done and we do it. Even though God does not need us, he desires us to be a part of his ongoing activity. Being desired means so much.   When we come down from the holiday highs and return to our daily routines, let us remember just how much God desired our participation in his creation. Let us remember just how much he counts on our actions fulfilling his desires. The birth of Christ in human form let us have that pure and perfect connection with God in order to perfect our relationship with him. Each day in the coming year, let us celebrate that relationship.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

Christmas Eve 2012

Sometimes our view of God allows us to take the cop-out of expecting God to act alone without any participation on our part. We believe an omnipotent God can act alone in a vacuum and because of that power, we serve no meaningful role in the function of God's kingdom. His will be done. This season's Advent proves to us the exact opposite. As I reviewed my notes to the Scriptures of the season, three words kept coming up: connection, repentance, and salvation. As I studied and read across the weeks, I had no idea how many times the same concepts kept occurring from week to week. It does not surprise me, given the relationship between the words that they dominate the Advent lectionary. Our anticipation of the coming (returning) Christ comes from the connection God seeks with humankind. He desires that we repent for those things outside God's plan and accept the salvation through the New Covenant that came with Christ's coming. From Moses through through the prophets to Christ we see how integral God's connection to humanity is in his plan. Moses followed God's direction to set the Jews apart from the rest of the world through the giving of the law. The prophets kept the people on track and gave them directions to restored favor with God when they had gone astray. Christ recruited then sent the apostles to do his work. We cannot say we are not needed in the work of God. Tonight as we reach the climax in our anticipation of his coming we are called also to focus on the connection we have with our Lord. We rely on him, but he too calls on us. We cannot afford the cop-out of putting it all on God; he uses us! Today our anticipation could become a reflection of ways we are prepared to be used. Our connection to God allows him to accomplish his work through us and it allows us to receive the ability from him to accomplish his work. It is not just his coming in to us but also our going out to him. Anticipation encompasses both receiving and giving. This Advent season has prepared us for both!

Christmas Eve 2012

Sometimes our view of God allows us to take the cop-out of expecting God to act alone without any participation on our part. We believe an omnipotent God can act alone in a vacuum and because of that power, we serve no meaningful role in the function of God's kingdom. His will be done. This season's Advent proves to us the exact opposite. As I reviewed my notes to the Scriptures of the season, three words kept coming up: connection, repentance, and salvation. As I studied and read across the weeks, I had no idea how many times the same concepts kept occurring from week to week. It does not surprise me, given the relationship between the words that they dominate the Advent lectionary. Our anticipation of the coming (returning) Christ comes from the connection God seeks with humankind. He desires that we repent for those things outside God's plan and accept the salvation through the New Covenant that came with Christ's coming. From Moses through through the prophets to Christ we see how integral God's connection to humanity is in his plan. Moses followed God's direction to set the Jews apart from the rest of the world through the giving of the law. The prophets kept the people on track and gave them directions to restored favor with God when they had gone astray. Christ recruited then sent the apostles to do his work. We cannot say we are not needed in the work of God. Tonight as we reach the climax in our anticipation of his coming we are called also to focus on the connection we have with our Lord. We rely on him, but he too calls on us. We cannot afford the cop-out of putting it all on God; he uses us! Today our anticipation could become a reflection of ways we are prepared to be used. Our connection to God allows him to accomplish his work through us and it allows us to receive the ability from him to accomplish his work. It is not just his coming in to us but also our going out to him. Anticipation encompasses both receiving and giving. This Advent season has prepared us for both!

September 16 - Ordinary Time

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Book of Common Prayer Psalm 24, 29, 8, 84 Job 38:1, 18-41 Revelation 18:1-8 Matthew 5:21-26

Today’s Question: How do we respond to those who disagree with us and our beliefs?

Today’s Reflection: The attacks on United States embassies in Africa and the Middle East this week came about from factors both current and historic. One often cited reason behind the conflict between the Christian and Muslim world is intolerance. Both sides recite a litany of attacks on their belief by the other as justification for anger, frustration, and fear. The passages today allow us to focus on things we have in common.   God’s position in creation provides the centerpiece for many of the passages today. The Psalms praise God in his place in the heavens and identify connections between those who praise him. Psalm 24 and 84 concern the people who worship God and follow his directives. Psalm 29 makes reference to heavenly beings praising God, while Psalm 8 reminds us of our place in relationship to God. The Psalms encourage us to worship and follow God’s commands while reminding us of our special standing in creation.   In Job, God begins his response (defense) to the charges Job’s friends have made in their speeches to him. God’s response consists of questions that cover all of creation and God’s active involvement in it. The brief collection of questions in today’s selection gives an idea of the type of questions that methodically proceed through all parts of creation. Such questions as a teaching method come from the north African/Arabian tradition and are a common motif in literature from the region. It forces the listener (remember this comes out of an oral tradition) to reflect on what one has learned about God in creation. Connected to Psalm 8, the questions help us remember our place in creation when compared to the Creator.   The passage from Revelation foretells the (relatively soon) fall of Rome. Babylon served as the generic reference for power. The verses condemn all the leaders for their participation in evil deeds. When the author talks about leaders committing fornication, he includes the religious leaders’ infidelity to the Jewish tradition as a way to buy peace from the conquerors. Instead, he calls on the people of faith to leave the nation rather than join in the larger sin. The author describes a fall that will be twice what the nation did to other countries as it raided them. God offers the people an escape from the plagues that will come in the judgment removing themselves from the sin of the nation.   For a second week Jesus’s teaching from Matthew strikes at the heart of the law. For most of us, the command, “You shall not murder.” is easy to follow. Jesus redefines it as, “You shall not live in anger or insult.” He turns the law from a rare extreme to a common occurrence. Our conduct does not have to be extreme to violate the intent of the law – love your neighbor. We owe each other justice in every situation. We cannot be right with God if we are wrong with one another.   Today’s passages give us no place for intolerance and any such rhetoric or behavior runs contrary to the Bible. There is no verse that allows for vilification of those who believe differently than we do: as Christians, God commands us to share with them. We cannot control the world around us, but we can control us and become the difference that changes the world around us. Directing angry rhetoric toward those who believe differently than we do never succeeds in creating dialogue. Until there is dialogue, no change will take place. The Bible guides us to a united faith in God – not a war of words.

Today’s Prayer: Let us seek what we have in common as we seek to live the command to love one another.