Joy to the World

I welcome you to this unseasonably warm, wet and dark night to celebrate the new light of God’s promised hope of peace and joy to all the world.  It is a festive night of pageantry and carols echoing songs of praise and glory to God for the gift of his Son, the birth of a baby in Bethlehem whose name is Jesus.

Tonight we hear again the story about angels and shepherds and a manger with a new-born baby wrapped in bands of cloth with animals standing around and the baby’s parents, Mary and Joseph looking on with approval.  It is a traditional story, full of awe and wonder; and it is a story we look forward to every year.

As we heard in the Gospel of Luke, Mary "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.”  Shepherds tending their flock in a nearby field were terrified when an angel appeared.  Then, suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host sang, `Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!'"

The point of the story goes far beyond the actual detail of how it all happened.  Its impact is its meaning and importance to people of faith.  God's grace, God’s compassion and love appeared in the incarnation and redemptive action of Christ.  

The early followers of Jesus had experienced his death and resurrection, and they looked back in history to understand how it all came to be.  Unraveling the actual details of the birth is a complex task.  Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea; his birth occurred during the reigns of Herod the Great and the Emperor Augustus; and he grew up in Nazareth of Galilee. 

Today, as it was in the first century, Christians everywhere wait for the light of a new day.  As St. Paul wrote to his friend Titus, Salvation is for all people and we are to live upright and godly lives while we wait for the promised hope and glory of a gracious and merciful God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

God's grace has been revealed through the Incarnation, the Word made flesh in the birth of the infant Jesus.  It is now up to us to accept this revelation by living lives of faith with compassion for those in need.   It is the revelation of God in Christ "while we wait for the blessed hope… of the glory of God."

Christmas is a time to enjoy peace and joy, a time to rest from the worry and frenzied pace of our lives, a time for family and loved ones, a time for sharing gifts, especially those of our relationships that bring satisfaction and meaning to our lives.

After the tree is purchased and decorated, dinner menus planned and invitations extended, gifts bought, wrapped, and placed under the tree, it is time to come to church and pray and sing the great carols of the season.  It is time to celebrate the glory of God’s Holy Word becoming incarnate in the birth of Jesus, the Son of God.  We listen to the ancient story of Jesus’ birth and immerse ourselves in the peace that is holy and blessed.  Time seems to stand still and the angelic sounds of choral voices fill the air singing glory to God.

The new light of Christ is born among us.  That new light is about the fulfillment of God’s promise for peace, compassion, justice, and love. It is the joy of this season of new beginnings.  The story in Matthew’s gospel emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament.  A star guides the wise men, the magi, to Bethlehem bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  In the gospel of Luke the emphasis is different, there are echoes of Mary’s song magnifying the Lord, and the glory of heaven fills the sky when the angels appear to shepherds.

There is a 14^th century hymn that tells our story in beautiful prose.  “A child is born in Bethlehem, therefore rejoice Jerusalem.  The babe within a manger poor, rule the world forevermore.  Upon this joyful holy night, bless your name O Lord of light.  We praise you Holy Trinity, adoring you eternally.  Come join the angel throng in songs of joy, in one accord adoring Christ the Lord.  Alleluia.”

May this Christmas season be for you and everyone a time that is filled with light and joy.  And may we all hope for a future of compassion, peace and justice for everyone.  Amen.

The Promised Hope for Peace

Today’s gospel reading from Luke is a portion of what might be called a preamble or an overture to the Christmas story.  The entire first chapter of Luke is about four events that happened prior to the story of Jesus’ birth.  First, there is the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist.  An angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah and said to him, “ your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.”

Next, the angel Gabriel came to Mary and 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."

After these appearances by the angel to Zechariah and Mary, Mary visited Elizabeth.  “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’”  Mary then sang her song of praise, the familiar Magnificat: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

We then learn about the birth of John the Baptist, and hear Zechariah’s prophecy, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.”  Only after informing us of all these events does Luke’s Gospel relate the story of the birth of Jesus.

Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, in their book titled The First Christmas, discuss the birth narratives in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.  They examine their historical context and what these stories mean at the time they were written and what they mean for us today.  We conflate these two stories of Jesus’ birth in our Christmas celebration, but they are different in what they emphasize.  Matthew seems to portray Jesus as the New Moses who like Moses was rescued.  In the story from Exodus Moses led the people out of Egypt to escape Pharaoh’s pursuit.  In Matthew’s story Jesus and his parents go down to Egypt to escape king Herod's wrath.  The lives of Moses and Jesus are spared in each of these accounts. 

The Gospel of Luke has a different emphasis.  Luke sees Jesus in contrast to Caesar Augustus, who was acclaimed as son of the god Apollo.  Luke’s inclusion of the shepherds is about his concern for the poor and the marginalized.  Borg and Crossan tell us that these stories challenged the domination system of their day.  Herod was known as “king of the Jews, and Caesar was referred to as “son of God” and savior or light of the world.  The point is that these stories of Jesus’ birth serve as a parable and contain within them an overture of the whole gospel.

The time in which these stories occur is important.  There is a striking contrast between the Roman imperial kingdom and the kingdom of God.  As Borg and Crossan state both kingdoms are about peace.  The Roman kingdom focused on peace through war and victory, whrereas God’s kingdom was about peace through justice.  Their book goes on to talk about the differences in genealogy in Matthew and Luke and the theological images of light, fulfillment, and joy.

All of us love the Christmas story but our tendency is to view it as a sentimental story about the birth of Jesus as a baby.  We don’t normally probe more deeply and ask about its meaning either for the time in which it was written or for our time today.  Borg and Crossan love the story but they also want us to know about its implications and meaning as a word of warning at the time it was written and as a word of hope both then and now..

In thinking about this and reflecting on today’s Gospel we can have a renewed appreciation for the angel’s visit to Mary.  The angel Gabriel said to Mary, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.  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 was startled by this news and she 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."

The angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary in its historical context is a revolutionary story. An amazing event is about to happen.  It is an event that will strike awe in everyone, an event that will bring hope and joy to the whole world.  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.  This week we shall celebrate the birth that brought hope, peace and joy to the world.  Amen.

Rejoice in the Lord

The third Sunday of Advent is a day to rejoice in the Lord.  It is a time to celebrate who we are as people living with God’s life-giving and life-sustaining spirit.  It is a time to prepare for the new light of Christ’s birth amidst the darkness of our winter days.  It is a time to acknowledge and give thanks for God’s blessings throughout the generations; and it is a time to honor God’s compassionate concern for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, justice and peace. It is a time to rejoice in the Lord.

Our reading from the Old Testament is about the spirit of the Lord sending Isaiah “to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Isaiah exclaimed, “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,”

Rejoicing in the lord is the theme of the Magnificat when Mary sang, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” Rejoicing is also the subject of our reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  Paul admonished his hearers by saying, “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.”

As we progress through this season of Advent, waiting and preparing for the coming of God’s incarnate Word in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, there are a couple of areas in which I rejoice and invite you to rejoice with me.  One of those is our life together here at All Saints.  I rejoice in the fact that we are a welcoming community, open to everyone and inviting them to worship with us as we give glory to God in thanksgiving for all we receive.  I rejoice in the relationships we share as we are bound together, members one of another, and live out the ministries to which we have been called.  I rejoice in our programs of outreach and care for those in need in our neighboring communities. The groups that share our space, La Iglesia Luterana, City Meal Site, AA group, and many homeless and needy people who come into our church office asking for help.  What we are able do in responding to the needs of others is cause for rejoicing.

Another cause for rejoicing is what is happening in our Diocese and especially on North Main Street with the cathedral building of St. John.  A Our Bishop appointed a Steering Committee comprised of “mixed race and ancestry … to address the legacy of racism in Rhode Island and the nation.”  A grant application submitted this past week states, “Our idea is to create, at the Cathedral of St. John in Providence, a National Center for Reconciliation to look deeply into the history of Rhode Island Episcopalians and enslaved Africans of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries, and the legacy this history has for all Rhode Islanders.  We seek to tell a complex story of creative survival by African Americans amid continually challenging and brutal conditions, and to encourage the work of reconciliation for the people of Rhode Island and for our denomination as well…. The National Center for Reconciliation will confront the history of racism in our midst today, build relationships that effect its eradication, and train individuals dedicated to the work of reconciliation in their communities to promote needed social change.”

Confronting our collective history and working to transform our history and our Cathedral building into constructive change that benefits our church, our state and our nation is a reason for rejoicing.  The development of the National Center for Reconciliation will take time and money, and I shall keep all of us informed about its progress and ways we may be invited to participate.

Another reason to rejoice is the proclamation of John the Baptist in our gospel reading.  In the midst of the darkness of injustice during his time John “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.”  When asked who he was, John said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’… 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."

The theologian and author, Bruce Epperly writes, “John creates a spiritual and ethical environment in preparation for Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation and healing.  John is “sent” by God; that is, God uniquely moved in his life, as God did in the life of Isaiah, calling him for a particular mission in his concrete historical setting.  John’s mission is not for the ages in some generic and impersonal way but for the here in now.  He is speaking to his nation, to the affluent whose hearts are opening to a new way of life and to those who recognize the need for turning their lives around.  But, his concrete first-century Galilean mission still transforms lives today.  It invites [us] to consider where we need to change course as individuals and citizens.

“John’s own ministry of transformation calls us to ask: What pathways are we called to prepare?  For whom are we called to advocate and support? … Where are you called to make way for God’s Light in the world?  We are part of this first-century story. As we nurture our relationship with God and prepare for God’s light in our midst we become messengers of restoration and transformation.”

The coming of the Messiah is cause for rejoicing.  Jesus was born so all of us, and all humanity could be reconciled to God.  The work we do, the ministries we carry forth here and everywhere are important steps along the way of restoring all people in relationship with one another and with God.  It is our calling as baptized members of God’s household.  As Isaiah said, let us “greatly rejoice in the Lord and exult in God, for he has clothed us with the garments of salvation.” Amen.

Holy and Godly Lives

The Advent season is a time of waiting and preparation. The Gospel of Mark begins by quoting 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,'" The question for those of us living in the 21^st century is how are we preparing the way of the Lord?

As soon as Mark has told us to prepare the way of the Lord, it is interesting that he has nothing to say in his Gospel about Jesus’ birth.  He mentions John the baptizer saying that he baptizes with water but the one who is coming will “baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”  He then gives a brief description of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan river noting that the Spirit descended upon him and a voice came from heaven saying, “You are my Son the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  Next, Mark seems to rush through the forty days of the temptation in the wilderness, and then, finally, we hear the first words from Jesus, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” These are words of Jesus as an adult, not the words of an infant baby born in Bethlehem.

What does it mean to say the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near?  In our epistle reading from the Second Letter of Peter we are told, “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.”  What are we to do?  Peter tells us “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.”

“Leading lives of holiness and godliness.”  Writing in the current issue of The Christian Century Matthew Schlimm, Professor at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, suggests several ideas about holiness:

“First, when something is holy, it belongs to God.”  Churches and temples are holy because they are God’s houses.  “Sacrifices were holy because they were God’s food, meals shared between God and the people making the offering.  People were holy when they acted like they belonged to God.”

“Second, when something is holy, it’s complete.  It has integrity…. It belongs to God.”  We are holy “when we’re alert and full of life, not the glassy-eyed moments when we feel compelled to check our smartphones yet again.”

“Third, when something’s holy, it’s beautiful.”  “The temple [in ancient Israel] spoke loud and clear:  God is here.  God is holy.  God is beautiful.  God is greater than we ever could be.  God is worthy of our worship.”

“Fourth, when something’s holy, it’s pure…. Biblical purity includes daily matters like cleanliness and food.”  For biblical Israelites cleanliness and meals were sacraments. “The New Testament picks up on these ideas, associating purity with innocence.”

“Finally, when something’s holy, it’s set apart. People in the Bible set themselves apart by resisting the temptation to follow other gods…. We are called to work against the rampant forces of greed, lust, gluttony, and violence in our day.  Why?  Because as 2 Peter puts it, “we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.”

When something is holy it belongs to God; it is complete; it is beautiful; it is pure; and it is set apart.  The Lord is patient, wanting all to come to repentance.  Earlier in our service we read Psalm 85.  In it we heard the Psalmist say, “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.”  Throughout human history God speaks peace to a troubled world.  His desire is that all nations and all people live in peace, a peace that respects the dignity of every person.

God’s peace is about repentance, a turning away from the accepted norms of dissension, and a turning toward a new day of righteousness and mutual respect.  The message of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of new life, God’s incarnate life in the midst of our human condition.  Our Advent is the way we prepare for Christ’s birth. Jesus proclaimed the good news of God saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”  Listen to God “speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him.”

We are called during this Advent season to live holy and godly lives.  As we sang at the beginning of our service, “Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.”  While we wait for the birth of Christ let us turn our hearts to God, listen to God speaking peace to his people, and strive to be found at peace.  Amen.

Waiting in Hope for God

The prophet Isaiah said to God,  “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence…to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!”  As it was in the time of Isaiah so are we moved today to long for the presence of God.  When we look around us at all the trouble in today’s world, in Jerusalem, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and at the racism in Ferguson and elsewhere here at home, we wait, listen and hope for the presence of God.  We desire peace and justice, compassion and kindness, love and equality for everyone.

God’s absence was unbearable for Isaiah.  He cried out with a complex emotional plea of anguish and hope.  “If you God would only tear open the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake…as when fire kindles brushwood, and the fire causes water to boil – to make your name known to your adversaries so that nations might tremble at your presence.”

How often do we cry out in times of frustration and despair?  Where is God when we need God’s presence in our midst?  Isaiah understood this and said, “We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.  There is no one who calls on your name.”

During Isaiah’s time the people felt abandoned by God.  They were living in exile and felt God’s absence.  But even so they had a glimmer of hope and asked where was God for whom they waited. The Psalmist echoed their plight: “Hear, O Shepherd of Israel… shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. … stir up your strength and come to help us.  Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.” 

Listen to the progression of the Psalmist’s words, “Hear, shine forth, stir up, restore.”  Then comes his plea: “How long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people? …. You have made us the derision of our neighbors, and our enemies laugh us to scorn.  Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.”

The words of Isaiah and the plea of the Psalmist are the source of hope for the grace and love of God.  “O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

The Gospel of Mark echoes these earlier cries for hope and the presence of God.  “Keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. … 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."

At the beginning of today’s service we lit the first candle on the Advent wreath.  The Advent wreath is a symbol of waiting and anticipation.  It is a reminder to “keep alert, for we do not know when the time will come.”  We shall light an additional candle each Sunday between now and Christmas.  The wreath is an eternal circle that has no end and no beginning.  It is a circle of evergreen, a circle of meaning, and a symbol of all that is eternal as God is eternal.  It is a sign of waiting and hope for restoration.  Three of the four candles signify both waiting and preparation.  The fourth candle, which we shall light on the third Sunday in Advent, symbolizes joy at the coming of Christ.  Then, at Christmas we light a white candle in the center of the wreath to signify the coming of Christ, who calls us to be ambassadors of reconciliation, and who is the Revelation of God incarnate in the life of the world.

The theme of hope and anticipation of God’s presence in the midst of adversity and feelings of abandonment is what the birth of Jesus signifies during this season.  Advent is a time for reflection about living as a reconciling community.  It poses a major challenge.  We are in the beginning of the year’s busiest season.  It is a time when we can easily become sidetracked by all the holiday celebrations, buying and exchanging gifts, hosting and attending holiday parties, everything and anything that pulls us away from watching, waiting, and hoping for peace and reconciliation.

As for reconciliation, I am excited about the action of our recent Diocesan Convention in affirming a resolution to renovate our Cathedral building on North Main Street into a Center for Reconciliation.  Much of our Rhode Island economy was built on the backs of slaves during colonial times and the early days of the Industrial Age.  To rebuild the Cathedral building into a museum space for archives related to the slave trade, to have a place for regular worship, for performances, for education and workshops, and for training reconcilers to be sent forth into areas in need around the country is a wonderful development.  The Cathedral Corporation and others, including members of the former congregation, some of whom are now members of All Saints’ are discussing numerous possibilities and working to establish a list of priorities and invite others to participate.

Living in the spirit of an expectant faith can enable us to restore a realistic desire and hope for the coming of God, the Word made flesh in the birth and life of Jesus of Nazareth.  “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence …. to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!”   “Show us the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.”  Advent is about anticipation, a time of preparation and expectant waiting for the Messiah, the anointed one of God, the Prince of Peace, who enters into our broken and troubled world reconciling all people to God.  Amen.