“Where Is He Who Is Born
King Of The Jews?”
Grace and peace in the power of the Holy Spirit. For many years, Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas has written books of this nature during Advent. The purpose is to provide a short, structured process to daily prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bringing such a wonderful gift to Christ Episcopal Church in Slidell, Louisiana seems appropriate this year given the parish is 100 years old this year. Inside, you will find those members who were brave enough to share their thoughts about the lessons for the day. Most take a verse or two out of one lesson but occasionally an author will take on the challenge of tying multiple lessons together. Each is special in its own way. After all, the goal is to bring us closer to Jesus.
The first page of each Advent week has simple instructions for each day that week. Each day, read the explanation of the candle, the collect for the week before turning to the current day's page. Close with the Lord's Prayer and PLEASE MAKE SURE THE ADVENT CANDLES ARE COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED AND THE WREATH DID NOT CATCH A SPARK.
Happy New Year,
J. Wesley McComb
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. BCP, page 211.
Isaiah 1:1-9, 2nd Peter 3:1-10, Matthew 25:1-13
Psalms: Morning 146, 147; Evening 111, 112, 113;
“The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master's crib;
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
Isaiah 1:3
Prophecy is often confused with fortune-telling. Fortune tellers use various signs to “predict” the future, ranging from palm-reading and tarot cards to occult practices. Some of it is harmless, like the carnival fortune teller who told my father never to buy a red car because dastardly things would happen to him if he did. Some fortune telling, on the other hand, invokes spiritual forces that ought better to be left alone.
But prophecy is something else. A prophet is one who speaks God's truth into the world. Prophets do speak of what will come to pass, but only as inevitable consequences that will happen if things don't change. This isn't fortune-telling; this is predicting that your new red car will be hit by a train if you continue to insist upon parking it on the railroad tracks. It's just plain common sense. So it is with prophets--the truth of God's law, love and purposes held up against a societies' practices from time to time makes the coming train wreck quite obvious.
So when Isaiah begins by telling the people of Israel,
““Oxen and donkeys know who they belong to, so apparently you
are dumber than they are”,
” you can understand why he wasn't invited
to any more parties. You can also understand, however, how Isaiah
gets to everything else he is about to write, including the scattering
of Israel into exile and the coming of the Messiah. It is obvious to
Isaiah that the only way God is ever going to get through to us
is to come to us in the flesh.
How blessed we are to be able to know the one for whom Isaiah spent his whole life longing. Yet having the ability to know and getting to know Jesus are two different things. This Advent let us prepare our hearts and minds for the latter. And avoid red cars.
Rev. Brian Grantz
Isaiah 1:10-20, 1st Thessalonians 1:1-10, title="Luke 20:1-8">Luke 20:1-8,
Psalms: Morning 1, 2, 3, Evening 4, 7
“He answered them, “'I will
also ask you a question, and you tell me: Did the baptism of John come
from heaven, or was it of human origin?'
””
Luke 20:3-4
The rhetorical value of Jesus' question goes far beyond the development in the story. The answer to Jesus' question surely implies the answer to the elders' question; if they could believe that John's baptisms were of heavenly origin, they had the faith to believe that Jesus' authority was of heaven. But, as they denied the heavenly origin of John's baptism to themselves, if not aloud, they certainly would not believe that Jesus' authority was from heaven. If you cannot believe in the smaller things, you will never believe in the larger. So learn to recognize the small miracles and believe in them, and by degrees, you will soon believe in the greatest miracle of all, that you are loved by God and have been saved by grace.
Gus Michel
Isaiah 1:21-31, 1st Thessalonians 2:1-12, Luke 20:9-18,
Psalms: Morning 5, 6; Evening 10, 11,
“But though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated...we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.”
I Thessalonians 2:2
I was first drawn to today's Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 1:21:
““How the faithful city has become a harlot!
She that was full of justice, righteousness
lodged in her—but now murderers!”
”
This prophecy could be applied to post-Katrina New Orleans -- or on a smaller scale, about our own city of Slidell. In the months that followed Katrina's devastation, I heard many well-meaning “explanations” for what had happened. They all centered around the idea that an angry God had sent Katrina to punish New Orleans and the Gulf Coast for various infractions, such as promoting sins of the flesh or for legalizing gambling. I'm not sure what Slidell had done to get hit the way it did...maybe we were what the military calls “collateral damage.”
All of these “angry-God” explanations reflect the God of the Old Testament, to Sodom and Gomorrah and the 40-days flood, without recognizing the Christian notion of a loving and forgiving God. I believe that those who follow Christ should look to The New Testament when contemplating the events of their lives.
I contemplate these events: a tree crushed half my home, and a flood demolished half of Slidell. New Orleans (the city where I earn my living) is still digging out from the toxic muck that covered her 15 months ago. I could end my meditation at the words of Isaiah, but the lesson would not be complete.
Yes, we have all suffered. But “why” is not
important. What's important is,
“How do we respond?”
I believe that Paul's words to the Thessalonians provide the answer.
We can do what Jesus instructed us to do, what Christians have always done.
Through our faith and our works, we can rebuild cities in a new image.
As one of my favorite hymns goes:
““Let us build the City of God/ May our tears be turned into
dancing/ For the Lord, our light and our love/ Has turned the night
into day”
”
[See acknowledgment on page2.]
You won't find it in our Hymnal, but I hope that we will all sing it loud and clear in our daily lives as we work to build a City of God in our hearts and in our community.
John B. Pfeifer
Isaiah 2:1-11, 1st Thessalonians 2:13-20, Luke 20:19-26
Psalms: Morning 19:1-24; Evening 12, 13, 14
I found a number of common themes, messages, and lessons in these readings.
The first are God's proclamations that the only true source of fulfillment, joy, and happiness in this life is having a thorough knowledge and steadfast following of His precepts, commandments, statutes, and laws. Possession of these is worth far more than any and all of the world's treasures. God is stating through prophets and preachers that all other ways of attaining fulfillment, joy, and happiness are merely illusions that provide only temporary, and often false, sensations of these things.
Secondly, God is warning and admonishing us to not be deceived by the world's measure/standards of success, power, happiness, and fulfillment. We are told that these are temporary states that will pass. All of the nations, no matter how wealthy and powerful, will ultimately be subject to God and He will peacefully settle disputes between all nations and peoples one day. Therefore there will no longer be wars nor the necessity to prepare for and fight wars, which essentially renders the power and wealth of each nation and peoples irrelevant. God also warns us, His people, that those who do not follow and adhere to His ways will be humbled, even though they may now be rich and powerful or enjoying an abundant and prosperous life. He further warns us that He hears the cries of the poor and oppressed and will act to relieve them while humbling and bringing to justice those who allow, condone, support, or cause the oppression; e.g. not following His ways.
Finally, God tells us that following His precepts, commandments, statutes, and laws will often bring suffering and persecution at the hands of other people in this world, including our own countrymen and those closest to us. God encourages us to hold firmly and steadfastly to His ways in the midst of our suffering, because we will then find true fulfillment, joy, and happiness as promised.
Larry deQuay
Isaiah 2:12-22, 1st Thessalonians 3:1-13, Luke 20:27-40
Psalms: Morning 18:1-20; Evening 18:21-50
“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.”
1st Thessalonians 3.12
Paul's letter of love and encouragement seems particularly pertinent in today's context. So many of us need those words of encouragement from our family and friends as we put our lives back together. Whatever form these new lives take we can take heart in the knowledge that our faith will see us through and that we have an obligation to do as Paul did and offer love and encouragement to those who may still be suffering. I pray that the Lord will increase my love for others especially those I know well.
Many of us are living in cramped spaces with relatives we would sooner
not have. Paul's words help to remind us what God expects of us.
We are now in a season of hope and we all need to
““feel the love”
”. This is surely a test of faith we all need
to pass.
Aldie Jacobs
Isaiah 3:8-15, 1st Thessalonians 4:1-12, Luke 20:41-21:4
Psalms: Morning 16, 17; Evening 22
The widow gave all she had to the synagogue
Based on Luke 21:1-4
God wants all of our substance, which the two coins were for the widow. He has given us all that we have, and expects us to pass along His generosity. Among ancient customs is the “potlatch” ceremony of native tribes such as the Tlingits of Alaska (before that Great Land was “Americanized”). A potlatch might have occurred when a tribal member decided that since all was going well, and there was money in the house, and neighbors thought kindly of him, maybe it was proper to give everything away (by hosting a grand celebration of feasting, song and dance along with the gift-giving) and then start over. That way, one did not rise too high above the neighbors, and could “prove” his worthiness again. In its best sense, the potlatch ceremony seemed to keep the Tlingits in harmony with one another, and their community's economy in balance.
Most of us have “been there” with everything going well, but not many have “done that” -- chosen to give everything away and start over. Recently, Katrina caused some to have every “thing” flooded away. Thanks be to God that there are so many selfless people -- friends, family, visitors and volunteers -- who continuously demonstrate His extravagant generosity as we start over! Many have realized that the most important “things” are intangible, God-given. His Holy Spirit will guide us to use our aptitudes and assets, no matter how insignificant they may seem, to help others start over, or regain equilibrium and harmony in life.
God gives unstintingly so that we might live and give in the same abundant manner. 1st pray to remember always that the best things in life are available, through God's grace, to be shared with others in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Cecile Torbergsen
Isaiah 4:2-6, 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, Luke 21:5-19
Psalms: Morning 20, 21; Evening 110, 116, 117
One huge impact on me while working in the Katrina disaster response is:
God is in the midst of it all. Over and over we have been asked
““How could God let this happen?”
” And over and over we say:
““God is in the midst of it.”
”
The readings today tell us in several places that God takes care of those who are faithful to Him. God honors those who honor Him. Those are really powerful statements. God is not saying all will go smoothly for those who love Him, but God will be with us when things do go wrong. If we honor God and He becomes the central focus of our lives, so many things that mattered before are no longer important.
We have seen so many miracles in the last year and continue to see them regularly. How amazing it is to see God working in people's lives. Some people who have lost everything gained so much in finding God in the midst of their despair. We see Jesus almost daily in the lives of those coming to help and in those living here who are dedicated to helping.
What does it mean to be faithful to God? I think it means we put Him first in our lives. This is not always an easy thing to do, but it is such a rewarding thing to do. God works in our lives in different ways and we just have to learn to listen to Him. Where some people's calling may be to become ordained, others are to be the workers, teachers, encouragers, or prayer soldiers. We are being asked to be faithful to God by listening and responding to His call.
As we await the Christmas season, let's listen to God's voice and become faithful to His call.
Beth Gibson
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. BCP, page 211.
Isaiah 5:1-7, 2nd Peter 3:11-18, Luke 7:28-35
Psalms: Morning 148, 149, 150; Evening 114, 115
“Let me sing for my beloved love-song concerning his vineyard...”
Isaiah 5:1
The most tragic stories of all involve the scorning of innocence and love. In romantic tales it goes like this: a young and beautiful maiden falls madly in love with a handsome, roguish man. They swear their undying love to one another and she, innocent and naïve, remains faithful while he is off gallivanting around the country and living the high life, making her look the fool. We, the reader or audience, are usually privy to the betrayal before the fair young maiden, evoking deep emotional responses within us: pity for the innocent, loathing for the betrayer.
This literary device may be as old as humanity itself. In Isaiah God sings a love song to humanity. God creates a beautiful garden for us, providing beauty and justice and peace and an abundance of the fruits of the earth. But Israel scorns God's love. Not only do they leave the garden a little unkempt, as you might expect from less-than-perfect human beings, there are those who actually take delight in wrecking it and others who just don't seem to care so long as it doesn't affect them personally.
God has loved Israel with a perfect love. Israel has professed their love for God, but utterly scorned everything God stands for.
Love stories at this point can go one of two directions: 1) the rogue sees the error of his ways, how his selfish, callous behavior causes the suffering of the innocent, and repents; 2) the rogue does not repent, and the fury of a woman scorned is unleashed. Hell truly has no fury like that; the betrayal of love, after all, is the betrayal of God.
Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ -- the innocent coming to find the wayward lover. Which direction will our story take?
Rev. Brian Grantz
Isaiah 5:8-12,18-23, 1st Thessalonians 5:1-11, Luke 21:20-28
Psalms: Morning 25; Evening 9, 15
“For God has destined us not for wrath
but for obtaining salvation through out Lord Jesus Christ.”
1st Thessalonians 5:9
WOW!!! ISN'T THIS GREAT?!? Jesus died for us. He paid our price. We only have to ask to be our Lord and Savior. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
As a child, I remember singing the hymn
““What A Friend We Have In Jesus”
” by Joseph Scriven (1819-1886)
in 1855. This song made me feel so good all over. Think about
this: Jesus is our friend.
Ask yourself: What does it mean to be a friend? A friend is one who is dependable and with whom we have a close relationship. So if Jesus is our friend, we should have a close relationship with Him. How do we do this? We become close to Jesus through prayer. We deepen our relationship with Him by reading and studying the Bible.
Jesus is our faithful friend just waiting for a relationship with us; just for the asking!
Betty Tonkel
Isaiah 5:13-17,24-25, 1st Thessalonians 5:12-28, Luke 21:29-38
Psalms: Morning 26, 28; Evening 36, 39
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Luke 21:33
This is my 64th birthday. There are a lot of neat things about being 64 years old.
Retirement has removed most time restraints. Sport gray and crows' feet, people become very kind to you. Strangers open doors for me, find a seat for me and smile freely. Young men, some quite handsome, lift and carry heavy items. Did I mention discounts? I receive discounts based solely on the fact that I have kept breathing for more than 55 years.
It's fun to look back over 64 years to see how things change.
My first camera was a Kodak Brownie, now I have a digital camera and Windows XP. My earliest memory of books is of the Bookmobile that came to my Lakeview neighborhood on a regular schedule; that has been replaced by Amazon, books on CDs, MP3s, and other devices. They do not have the excitement of seeing the Bookmobile coming down the street. When Al and I came to Slidell in 1963, our mailbox was on a corner three blocks from our home and we had a four-party telephone line. Now we e-mail around the world with the touch of a key. Quarter to three is now two forty-five, digital. Tony Bennet will never get a classic out of "It's Two Forty-five".
Yet some things never change, the image of a beloved -- whether the
newest on my computer screen or a faded black and white photo of
someone long ago lost -- gives me deep joy. Words that
have worth stir me however they come to me. All of the silly
e-mail jokes are just a way to say, ““I am thinking of you and
I don't want to lose touch.”
” The power of a friend holding
my hand at two forty-five in the morning when the night has been
very dark indeed, never changes. These things
endure because in them is a whisper of God's words.
The words are always the same,
““You are loved, love each other.”
”
Peace,
Claire D. Singer
Isaiah 6:1-13, 2nd Thessalonians 1:1-12, John 7:53-8:11
Psalms: Morning 38; Evening 119:25-48
“But Jesus stooped down, and with his
finger wrote on the ground,
as though he heard them not.”
John 8:6
Mystery novels are some of my favorite things to read. I especially enjoy the “golden age” mysteries of writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. The characters of Hercule Poirot, Lord Peter Wimsey, and other famous detectives investigate, unearth, and solve even the most knotted puzzle of a plot. Any actual “mystery” is short-lived. By the end of the book, we know who did it, where, when, how, what, and why. All the loose ends are tied up neatly. When I read today's gospel lesson, I realize that it too contains a mystery, but one that is never unraveled or explained, which makes it all the more intriguing. What is it that Jesus is writing on the ground of the temple while the Pharisees demand he tell them how to punish the adulterous woman--and again while the Pharisees are deciding if any one of them will cast the first stone?
Being accustomed to mysteries that wrap themselves up in a tidy package,
I am absorbed by the mystery of what Jesus might have written.
Was it a verse of scripture? Was it a “code word” that had special
significance? Were the Pharisees meant to read it? We will never
know. When John wrote his gospel, he focused on the important
elements of the story: the Pharisees examining their consciences
and realizing that none of them were capable of casting the first stone,
and then Jesus' straightforward instruction to the woman to
““Go, and sin no more.”
”
My reaction to this reading is similar to how I find myself living my life:
I sometimes allow the solving of small “mysteries” to distract me
from the universal “Mystery” of Christ's life-affirming love as
it moves through our lives. Too often, I find myself
wondering about unexplained trivia rather than realizing the
essential lesson of God's will for my life. I struggle
not to be diverted from the truly important. During this time
of year especially, when parties, presents, packages,
and cards sometimes seem so overwhelmingly important, it is worth
taking time to remember that John knew what was genuinely important
and what was not. What Jesus wrote on the floor of the temple
is not important; his directive to live our lives
““and sin no more”
” is.
Deborah Pfeifer
Isaiah 7:1-9, 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12, Luke 22:1-13
Psalms: Morning 37:1-18; Evening 37:19-42
“If you will not believe, you surely shall not be established”
Isaiah 7:9
Get Ready! Get Ready! Get Ready! Get Ready!
If you channel surf through the religious broadcasting programs available on your TV, you just might come across a program called The Potter's House. There you will see a mountain of a man whose main message never changes; and that is, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready! The pastor's name is T. D. Jakes. His message to us is a simple one--get ready. God's message to us is also a simple one--get ready--a profoundly simple message with a promise attached.
The whispers were in the wind, and the House and people of David
were shaking as the trees of the forest shake in the wind.
But the prophet, Isaiah, was also listening--listening
to the Lord; ““...say to him, 'take care, be calm, have no fear,
be not fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering
firebrands'...'It shall not stand nor shall it come to
pass'..'If you will not believe, you surely shall not be
established.'”
” [Is.7:4, 7, 9]
The Thessalonian church was also listening to the wind and quaking in their boots--fearing that they had missed the 2nd Coming of Christ.
Although Paul tells us that the end will come and there will be judgment, he also tells us something far more beneficial to us for today as well as the future. He reminds us that we each need to prepare for Christ's return by living rightly day by day. If we are ready--if our faith is strong, if we are living our lives as if Christ is returning today, we need not fear the past, the present, or the future. God is in control and He will truly have the last word. Our purpose is to be prepared for Christ's return and to spread the gospel--the good news--to as many as will listen, so that others will be prepared as well.
So, who is whispering in your ear? Is it the One that will establish you on that day? Or is it a stub of a smoldering firebrand. Get ready.
“And they departed and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.”
Luke 22:13
Karen Roberts
Isaiah 7:10-25, 2nd Thessalonians 2:13-3:5, Luke 22:14-30
Psalms: Morning 31; Evening 35
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
2nd Thessalonians 2:16-17
People are often too quick to focus on the negative, vice faith in the positive. That was the case for me as we sat in our house during Hurricane Katrina. I doubted, I questioned, and I forgot how to have faith.
The power of this storm was more than I can put into words. I could
feel death around me, and I was not sure of my future--I was scared
and not sure how to keep my composure in front of my 5 year old son.
But he gave me words of wisdom that will ring in my ears forever,
““Mommy, you just have to think positive and not worry--and if
I die, I will always be with you.”
” And with those words he
walked the walk, he did not worry--he played like a 5 year old in
our house during the storm. And we made it through unscathed.
Heidi Dulom
Isaiah 8:1-15, 2nd Thessalonians 3:6-18, Luke 22:31-38
Psalms: Morning 30, 32; Evening 42, 43
Waiting for anything without taking action is futile.
There are things that require us to wait. The birth of Jesus is one of the things for which the world was required wait. The second coming of Jesus is another thing for which we are required to wait. There are actions we are required to do. The second coming requires us to believe, pray, evangelize, read scripture, meditate, praise and yes, wait.
The second coming will take place in God's time, not ours. May we all be blessed as we await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Terry Brown
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. BCP, page 212.
Isaiah 13:6-13, Hebrews 12:18-29, John 3:22-30
Psalms: Morning 63, 98; Evening 103
“I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,
and lay low the insolence of tyrants.”
Isaiah 13:11
Love is scorned. God is angry.
One of my former rectors made a very big deal of not celebrating Christmas during the Advent season. There were no Christmas hymns or carols until the Christmas Eve Mass, the church could not be “greened” until after the 4th Sunday of Advent, and he would not host Christmas parties until the Christmas season -- the 12 days from December 25 through January 5. Further, he would dole out a fair amount of good-natured grief to parishioners whose retail establishments began their Christmas promotions in October.
Yes, people looked at him funny and thought this rather odd -- just another quirky God thing that is important only to priests. This interplay between priest and people, however, underscores exactly how counter-cultural Advent has become. Cultural Christmas begins the day after Thanksgiving (the proverbial Black Friday) and ends on December 25th. To insist on keeping Advent as a time of preparation is downright weird.
Christmas without Advent is a manifestation of a deep and serious spiritual problem. Remember the seven deadly sins according to Mahatma Gandhi:
Spiritually speaking, to celebrate Christmas without the preparation of Advent is to demand love without commitment; to insist upon grace without humility or gratitude; to claim forgiveness without repentance or remorse.
Rev. Brian Grantz
Isaiah 8:16-9:1, 2nd Peter 1:1-11, Luke 22:39-53
Psalms: Morning 41, 52; Evening 44
As I read the lessons for this day, I thought what strange readings for this day in Advent; this season of a new beginning and I thought especially of the anguish that Jesus was feeling as he was separated from his friends and followers in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here he was praying that God take the awful burden that he was to experience from him. He knew what the outcome would be when he also prayed that God's will be done. It must also be noted that his disciples had gone to sleep and left him alone. You see, he and only he, who was born for this particular moment, must travel alone the path set out for him by his heavenly father.
At this moment, it all comes clear that this reading is most appropriate for Advent, this season of the “New Beginning”, this time of “New Birth”. For you see, just as we prepare for the “new Beginning”, or the birth of Jesus the Christ on Christmas Day, he was preparing for the most important event since the Creation to take place. His death here on earth was the “New Beginning” for life eternal for each of us brave enough to make the commitment to him, as he did for each of us.
As we prepare for this celebration of the birth of Christ during Advent, let us never forget that this blessed event for us ended in agony for this man named Jesus; however, he through prayer to his heavenly father, came to accept his fate by understanding the love of his father. At this moment, the true “New Beginning” was taking place.
Rev. Milton Gibson
Isaiah 9:1-7, 2nd Peter 1:12-21, Luke 22:54-69
Psalms: Morning 45; Evening 47, 48
“The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness on them has light shined.”
Isaiah 9:2
Today you will see signs -- 6 shopping days 'til Christmas. You will wake in darkness and, most likely, come home from work in darkness. The end of the year is at hand -- we have almost arrived at the shortest day of the year. We can easily dispel the darkness with a flick of a switch. Light is still important to us everyday even if it has become easier to obtain. How can we bring the true Light into our own lives?
In the Godly Play Advent lessons, week by week we move closer to Bethlehem with those who are part of the Christmas story. Each week we move forward a little bit, hearing more of the story; accompanied by those who have traveled it before. Our first partner on the journey is the prophet Isaiah who reminds us that the Messiah is coming and that he would be like a light shining in the darkness. Then we wonder together what it would be like to journey to Bethlehem. We are reminded that during Advent we are all on a journey to Bethlehem and those who go before will help us on our way.
We made the Advent journey part of our family tradition right after seminary. Partly because it is a wonderful series and with break schedules doesn't fit into the curriculum; partly because our parish was using a different formation program and this series didn't fit; and, partly because we wanted to add something tangible to our family tradition of separating Advent from Christmas. So, at least once a week we work our way towards Bethlehem accompanied by the prophet Isaiah and others. The kids are getting older -- it is starting to lose some of the wonder it once had. But, hopefully it has at least started to foster a sense that Christmas is not all of December; that Christmas does not start on the day after Thanksgiving and end as soon as the trash is removed on December 25. But, rather that we need to move slowly, deliberately through Advent, preparing the way so that we can recognize that Light in the darkness.
Today, take a break from a world that says that Christmas is a single day whose only purpose is material. Think of how many encounters you have had on your journey to Bethlehem each year. For me, I will think of Sam, standing at the ambo, with a candle lit, but that really didn't matter, because he was reading this lesson to us at the Christmas service using the Braille text before him, proclaiming the coming of the Light into the world. I think it's already here -- all we have to do is look.
Tamisyn Grantz
Isaiah 9:8-17, 2nd Peter 2:1-10a, Mark 1:1-8
Psalms: Morning 119:49-72; Evening 49, 53
Genealogy is the study of your family tree. In our modern world, genealogists require documented proof for each person on your tree. The most obvious documents today are your birth certificate, marriage license, and death certificate. Cemetery records are also very valuable in establishing some of this information. Census records can be helpful in identifying where someone lived, who was in the family, and their relationships, but this data is prone to errors. Property and military records can prove quite useful. Ship passenger lists prove travel points.
Court records can contain a wealth of information. The probate of a will can establish when someone died, who their heirs were, and what they owned at the time of death. If an ancestor was a black sheep, his criminal trial might tell of his dastardly deeds before his execution.
Church records can provide the support needed to prove the records in the family Bible are correct. Properly kept, church records identify baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and funerals. This information will follow you all of your life if you properly transfer your letter each time you change parishes.
2,000 years ago, few of these events were ever recorded. What few records that were kept in Judah would have been destroyed with the temple in 70 AD. Even if you found a record for Joshua Bar Joseph as Jesus would have been called, how would you know it really is our savior?
Mark is believed to be the oldest of the New Testament Gospels. The fast pace suggests it was written for a Roman audience. Matthew and Luke appear to have used Mark as a guide for their Gospels. Were it not for Mark, we just might not have reliable documentation for our faith.
Wes McComb
Isaiah 9:18-10:4, 2nd Peter 2:10b-16, Matthew 3:1-12
Psalms: Morning 50; Evening 33, 59, 60
Have you ever wondered how so many people could have missed Jesus the first time he came? After all, they had John the Baptist telling them the Messiah was coming. Forget that the camel hair skin he wore and the locusts and wild honey he ate made him a colorful character in his own time. By the way, a nutritionist once told me the wild honey he ate provided all but one of the nutrients needed to sustain the human body. Strangely, the last nutrient would have been provided by the locusts.
John probably had the best picture of what he was expecting of anyone based on the lesson from Matthew. He witnessed the baptism first hand and yet, John later had to send some of his followers to ask Jesus if he truly was the Messiah. So what was going on that even someone with as clear of an understanding as John still had to ask the question?
In Houston, my doctor had a forest scene picture with a deer drinking from the stream. As you looked at the picture, you discovered rabbits playing on the ground and birds sitting in the trees. Close examination was needed to find the owl, the squirrels, and the chipmunks. Most never saw the rose bush, the small palm tree, or the cactus hiding in the underbrush because they were too busy searching for animals.
The Old Testament prophets painted the Messiah as a military conqueror. Like the animals, the military traits were generally easy to spot. The traits of Jesus were hiding in the underbrush and probably confused even the best of interpreters. No one read the prophecies thinking the Messiah would come more than ONCE!!!
During the time of Jesus, hundreds of military leaders arose trying to lead the rebellion against Rome. Many claimed to be the Messiah. What confused John was the peaceful, loving nature of our Lord and Savior.
So, ““Where is he who is born King of the Jews?”
”
Sometimes, you simply have to look past the obvious and be
open to what is hiding where you least expect it. The day of
celebration is nearly upon us. Are you prepared?
Wes McComb
Isaiah 10:5-19, 2nd Peter 2:17-22, Matthew 11:2-15
Psalms: Morning 40, 54; Evening 51
“Happy are those who make the Lord their Trust.”
Psalm 40:4a
Today's lessons remind us that disaster and betrayal are all
about us, but that it is ours to decide whether to become slaves
to disaster or to trust in the Lord and be free.
Isaiah's closing verse can be appreciated by those who
live in Katrina's wide swath: ““The remnants of the trees
of his forest will be so few that a child can write them
down.”
” [Isaiah 10:19] We are reminded that loss and death
are a natural part of life, but that if we face this loss,
trust in the Lord, and move on, we can live through it,
and even Live through it. As Yoda counseled Anakin in
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith,
““The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.”
”
It is not loss that destroys us,
but if we let the fear of loss be our masters, then we ourselves
are lost. As Peter says, ““for people are slaves to whatever
masters them.”
” [2nd Peter 2:19b] Trust in the Lord,
let go of anger, let go of that which you have lost, and finally let
go of the fear that keeps you from being whole again.
Then true healing can begin.
So,
“Let me hear joy and gladness;
Let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.”
Psalm 51:8
Gus Michel
Isaiah 10:20-27, Jude 17-25, Luke 3:1-9
Psalms: Morning 55; Evening 138, 139
“God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
Luke 3:8
“Don't you know who I am?”
Although we may not use these exact words, we all express this
attitude from time to time. We define ourselves by job title, relatives,
friends, position in the community, organizations to which we
belong, Church affiliation, etc. This is how the Israelites were
defining themselves to John the Baptist in today's reading.
It was almost as if they were asking
““Don't you know who my father is?”
” It was enough for them to
be “children of Abraham.” It was not enough for John.
We are not saved by what we are; we are saved by what we do. If all God wants is “social butterflies,” he can create them from stones. John knew this when he admonished the Israelites to bring forth good fruit in order to be saved from the wrath to come.
As we approach the day on which we celebrate the birth of Christ, we must remember John's object lesson that external positions, or even religious connections, will not save us unless we have a right relationship to God and express it with generosity, kindness, and love.
John & Deborah Pfeifer
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. BCP, page 212.
Isaiah 42:1-12, Ephesians 6:10-20, John 3:16-21
Psalms: Morning 24, 29; Evening 8, 84
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my
chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him; he will
bring forth justice to the nations.
Isaiah 42:1
When I, for a short time, was a pitcher in Little League baseball, my father was sure I was the second coming of Pittsburgh Pirates relief ace Kent Tekulve, headed for the Major Leagues and the World Series. When a poem I had written about my Grandfather was published by the local newspaper, my father was convinced I was on my way to becoming a great writer. Now that I am a priest, my father is certain that I will one day be a bishop. I keep telling him it's not a promotion, but that doesn't seem to dissuade him. I used to think these were just goofy things my father said to me, grandiose dreams in the light of minor successes. I was wrong about that.
It is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Jesus,
the chosen one, in whom our Father God delighted and upon whom he
placed his spirit. God's boundless love for the whole world was
focused for a time on one tiny child, a baby in whom every
possibility, every hope for justice and peace in this world
was present. What a wondrous dream! With the passing years I have
discerned the distant echoes of God's hope and joy and delight
in Jesus in my father's words of encouragement to me,
““Do not hesitate to dream big, my child.”
”
It is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow let us receive this gift -- the dream of God -- that in Jesus all things in heaven and on earth will be put right. Have faith, dream big, O child of God. With God all things are possible.
Rev. Brian Grantz
O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. BCP, page 212.
Isaiah 9:2-4,6-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-20, Psalm 96
“Where is he who is born king of the Jews?”
Matthew 2:2a KJV
The Magi were late getting to Bethlehem but they are as much a part of the Christmas story as the angels, shepherds, and even the innkeeper. While the shepherds represent those of Jewish descent, the Magi represent the Gentile in me. These travelers are often referred to as being three in number but this count only represents the number of the royal gifts they bring: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.
In their search for Jesus, the Magi asked the most haunting question
of all: ““Where is he who is born king of the Jews?”
”
No one knows how long they spent in Jerusalem seeking the answer to this
question. We only know they found the answer waiting for them
in Bethlehem.
My sister-in-law loves to go to Christmas pageants just so she can see what the kids change. At least one will always wave to one of the onlookers. One brave mother taught a nervous young teenage girl to sway while holding her month old child. On several occasions, a performer replaced the words to his verse of “We Three Kings...” with the immortal line of “la la la laa la laa”.
Yes, we know the story but as editor, I took the license to change from the Daily Lectionary to the Christmas lessons because Luke is the Christmas story. The angels sang. The shepherds leaped for joy. The Magi traveled from afar. All of them knew the joy of finding the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Have you?
Merry Christmas,
Wes McComb
First and foremost, I have to thank all of those who shared a part of themselves in writing this book. Several did not have a clue as to what they were getting into when they agreed to write a meditation for me. I never in my wildest dreams expected the quality, the purity of thought, and the incredible healing in this book. I tip my hat to you, the writers of this book.
Second, I need to thank Jane Brown for spearheading these books at Holy Spirit in Houston, Texas for so many years. She has been an invaluable resource to this rookie editor. Her unselfish and timely support has made this book possible. Her good friend, Music Director Steve Morris, helped me wade through copyright issues.
Third is the staff at Christ Episcopal Church. Sandra Lemonie helped guide me on how to get things done. Gus Michel provided computer support in so many ways: E-mails, assignment communications, and the new logo.
Finally, I need to thank Father Brian Grantz for having the faith in this crazy old man that this was a good idea. He saw an old book from Holy Spirit and agreed. He put his full support behind this project by offering to write all four Sunday meditations despite being extremely busy as a new Rector at Christ Episcopal Church.
Grace and peace in
the power of the Holy Spirit,
Wes McComb