It is Advent. A time in the church when we prepare, we wait, we expect something amazing. I find this funny because I am always expecting something amazing from God. Everything that God does amazes me. Bringing hope from despair, bringing laughter from tears, loving a dirtbag like me, and the most amazing thing, bringing life from death! Everything God does is amazing! But being so close to Christmas, everyone wants to sing Christmas carols. "We want to get into the Christmas spirit now instead of during the season of Christmas," is what I hear. The season of Christmas in the church is the time between Christmas and Epiphany. Those 12 days between December 25th and January 6th. That is when the church says to sing all those favorite hymns. Advent is a time to prepare for the coming. The coming of Jesus as God in the flesh, Immanuel, Mighty God! But, I guess I am no different, so in my churches, I sing a few Christmas hymns to help people get in the mood.
The first week of Advent we are asked to reflect on the coming of Jesus at the end of time, when the parousia happens. Have you ever noticed that fundamentalist evangelical Christianity talks about the second coming as a two fold return. First, Jesus comes and "raptures" the believers and then comes again after the "great tribulation" for the "Great White Throne Judgement." But here is a surprise for most people, the words "second coming" never occur in the entire bible! What fundamentalists desire, the Second Coming, is never spoken in the scriptures! It is simply the coming, the parousia! And it is to the Earth that the coming happens! Holy Cow!!
The coming is spoken of, and we get to see and know, we get to look and know. That is what Luke states. We Look and Know the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom is not far off, it is here and now. The kingdom is a participatory event! We get to participate in it most surely when we feed that hungry child at our "poor shelter" in town, when we give our clothes to the Salvation Army second hand store, when the hooker and the pious people sit at the same table, when God's ways become the way the people of the world live by instead of war and capitalism and rich getting more and poor getting less, when we sacrifice our desires for the ways of God! The veil between our world and God's kingdom becomes transparent during these times and when we pray,and when we worship, and when we eat and drink at the table of God!
The Kingdom is not too far off. The coming is at hand! Look and Know!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Enough
I just returned from my Thanksgiving Eve service. I am ever thankful for the vocation I am blessed to be in!
The text that I preached on was from Matthew. Jesus is in the middle of his sermon on the mount. He is the new Moses and has given a new Decalogue, but then he says something amazing. He says don't worry about what you will eat or drink or wear, Seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus can say this because he is living in the here and now kingdom where he and his followers are sharing and living and loving. Those in his movement don't need to worry about food because they share. Those in his movement don't need to worry about clothing because they share. Those in his movement don't need to worry, period.
We claim to be in his movement today and yet we worry. We worry because even though we claim to be followers of Jesus, we don't live in the kingdom he started. We live in the world, but we could live in the kingdom. We could live in the kingdom that is hear and also in the future by saying enough!
We in the USA have enough, and yet others don't. We in the USA spend $1.14 trillion a year on war and military endeavors and yet 20,000 people will die today from hunger related diseases. I think that is enough! We in the USA have clothes to spare, and yet some in the world don't have shoes to keep the diseases from their feet. I say that is Enough!
What would happen if we all said ENOUGH?
The text that I preached on was from Matthew. Jesus is in the middle of his sermon on the mount. He is the new Moses and has given a new Decalogue, but then he says something amazing. He says don't worry about what you will eat or drink or wear, Seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus can say this because he is living in the here and now kingdom where he and his followers are sharing and living and loving. Those in his movement don't need to worry about food because they share. Those in his movement don't need to worry about clothing because they share. Those in his movement don't need to worry, period.
We claim to be in his movement today and yet we worry. We worry because even though we claim to be followers of Jesus, we don't live in the kingdom he started. We live in the world, but we could live in the kingdom. We could live in the kingdom that is hear and also in the future by saying enough!
We in the USA have enough, and yet others don't. We in the USA spend $1.14 trillion a year on war and military endeavors and yet 20,000 people will die today from hunger related diseases. I think that is enough! We in the USA have clothes to spare, and yet some in the world don't have shoes to keep the diseases from their feet. I say that is Enough!
What would happen if we all said ENOUGH?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Lutheran CORE
Change is good. Change can make one grow. Change can even buy a soda pop! Change in the church is inevitable because the church is a group of people coming together to see what God is up to in the world that we live in and a place to gain strength for facing the changes in the world.
Some people will say that the ELCA has left the church catholic by the changes it is making concerning the rostering of publicaly accountable, life long monogomous, same gendered people, but I say hog wash. The Reverend Dr. Gil Waldkoenig from the Lutehran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg recently said "Lutheranism is a reforming movement within the church catholic, a generation of scholars tried to teach us (for one example, Jenson and Gritsch in their book Lutheranism). Now CORE is giving visible witness AGAINST that thesis, by drawing a smaller circle to stand inside and proclaim 'we are true, you are false.'" I agree whole heartedly.
The church must change or it will die. We, as a people of God, must reinterpret how God is acting in the world. We, as a people of God, must always move in the direction of justice because God is a God of justice. God is a God of life and anything that does not foster life is not of God. Therefore, keeping people who are in a publicly accountable, life long monogmous, same gender relationship from fulfilling their calling in the church is not of God. Those scriptures that say homosexual sexual activity is an abomination DO NOT come from God but from people who wanted the nation of Israel to be different from the nations around them.
The ELCA must endeavor to be a reforming church. The ELCA must never draw a circle around itself for the sake of unity. The ELCA can simply say "good bye" to those people who want to consistently tell us the world is flat, and watch them sail off into the sunset of history because their movement will never survive becaue it is not relavent to people living in a post flat world. Good bye CORE, good bye!
Some people will say that the ELCA has left the church catholic by the changes it is making concerning the rostering of publicaly accountable, life long monogomous, same gendered people, but I say hog wash. The Reverend Dr. Gil Waldkoenig from the Lutehran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg recently said "Lutheranism is a reforming movement within the church catholic, a generation of scholars tried to teach us (for one example, Jenson and Gritsch in their book Lutheranism). Now CORE is giving visible witness AGAINST that thesis, by drawing a smaller circle to stand inside and proclaim 'we are true, you are false.'" I agree whole heartedly.
The church must change or it will die. We, as a people of God, must reinterpret how God is acting in the world. We, as a people of God, must always move in the direction of justice because God is a God of justice. God is a God of life and anything that does not foster life is not of God. Therefore, keeping people who are in a publicly accountable, life long monogmous, same gender relationship from fulfilling their calling in the church is not of God. Those scriptures that say homosexual sexual activity is an abomination DO NOT come from God but from people who wanted the nation of Israel to be different from the nations around them.
The ELCA must endeavor to be a reforming church. The ELCA must never draw a circle around itself for the sake of unity. The ELCA can simply say "good bye" to those people who want to consistently tell us the world is flat, and watch them sail off into the sunset of history because their movement will never survive becaue it is not relavent to people living in a post flat world. Good bye CORE, good bye!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Christ the King
Today is Christ the King Sunday. My friend loves this day. I am not too sure. I wonder what it means for me living in 2009 in North Dakota to say that Jesus is King? I have often talked about primary identity. What is my primary identity? Am I an American who happens to be a Christian, or am I a Christian that happens to live in America. I lean towards the latter, but most people in my parish would lean towards the former.
I argue quite often with my older brother about theology. He is a conservative fundamentalist and I am a flaming progressive. He would say that he is an American Christian, and I love him for that. But saying that Jesus is King is making a political statement just like the first followers of Jesus made when they said that Jesus is Lord and Caesar is not. But do we mean Jesus is King always when we say it or does it matter what is happening in our lives?
I think many people think of Jesus and God only during times of great stress and trial. God is the escape hatch in the troubles of life, and I find this difficult to come to terms with. I would like to see more people taking their religion a lot more serious. Not like the pious people of the past, but like people who want to change the world for the better with the love of God.
Christ is King, not just of heaven, but of earth too. Does that make a difference to us?
I argue quite often with my older brother about theology. He is a conservative fundamentalist and I am a flaming progressive. He would say that he is an American Christian, and I love him for that. But saying that Jesus is King is making a political statement just like the first followers of Jesus made when they said that Jesus is Lord and Caesar is not. But do we mean Jesus is King always when we say it or does it matter what is happening in our lives?
I think many people think of Jesus and God only during times of great stress and trial. God is the escape hatch in the troubles of life, and I find this difficult to come to terms with. I would like to see more people taking their religion a lot more serious. Not like the pious people of the past, but like people who want to change the world for the better with the love of God.
Christ is King, not just of heaven, but of earth too. Does that make a difference to us?
Monday, February 12, 2007
Transfiguration
I love to sleep. It is a wonderful thing to lay one’s head on a pillow and fall into a deep, lasting sleep. When I get ready for sleep, my body is excited. I long to lay on my cool, soft bed and fall asleep. It moves me to no end to be able to sleep long and fast. I have only one problem. When my wife arrives to enter into our bed, she is like a cat that is getting ready to nest. She has to situate herself just right. Move this way and that way until she has roused me from my slumber and then she takes at least another five minutes to get her self situated and ready for sleep. She tells me that she has to be in just the right position for her to go to sleep. I think she just wants me to be awake for a little bit so she can say good night. It is alright with me, but then I have to try to fall back asleep again.
Sometimes falling asleep is not easy. I have a hard time when my mind is racing with too many things and I cannot get calmed down to sleep. I have a visit to make tomorrow that I am dreading, or I have a class to teach that I know people will not be happy to take, or I have a funeral to preside at and I dislike funerals. All these things can keep sleep at bay and I sit and think and toss and turn and count sheep but never fall asleep.
The transfiguration is a time to be awake, and yet the disciples are almost asleep. The disciples have just told Jesus who they think he is and Jesus takes the special three, the three amigos up on a mountain top alone and Jesus is changed right before their eyes. It is a momentous time in the life of Jesus and the three chosen disciples are almost asleep. Their eyes are groggy with sleep and I am not sure they truly understand the significance of the event they are witnessing. But then again, are we truly awake to understand all the things that God is doing right before our eyes?
Do we see the hand of God working through the hearts of people that we encounter every day? The person who stands at the intersection with a sign that says will work for food. Do we see God working in that person? Maybe God is asking us to be God’s hand that day to feed a person down on his or her luck? Maybe God is asking us to be God’s heart that day to show a person who is an outcast that God has not forgotten them?
Do we see God working in the weather? Here in the Northern Great Plains we are in the middle of a cold streak. The temperature has not climbed above zero for over two weeks. People are tired of the cold even through they should be used to it. I have only been in these parts for four years, they have been here a lifetime, and they complain more than I do! But, is God working in the cold and we just don’t see it? The cold is a way to keep the pathogens dormant and we might need dormant pathogens right now. The cold is a way to help people get closer together and people need to be closer to each other right now. The cold is a way to help people remember the blessings we all have here in America. Maybe God is trying to tell us something in this cold and we are just turning a blind eye to?
Or do we see God at work in the conflict in our churches? Right now, my national denomination is once again talking about homosexuality. I have to tell you, I am tired of talking about sex. I was told in seminary to leave money and politics out of the pulpit, but I would much rather talk about money and politics than sex. Sex is a gift of God and when the church talks about sex, it takes all the fun out of sex, plain and simple. People have their hard felt beliefs about sex, and people will fight tooth and nail when it comes to those beliefs. But could God be working in this conflict to show us something new? Could we all be wrong? Could there be something we are missing in this conflict that in our anger and bickering we have missed because we are blind to the movement of God in our world today? Could the problem in this conflict be that neither view is really seeing God at work? I don’t know.
The disciples did not have their eyes open to fully understand what was happening on the mount of Transfiguration and I find that today, most people are blind to the movement of God. Wake up! Amen
Sometimes falling asleep is not easy. I have a hard time when my mind is racing with too many things and I cannot get calmed down to sleep. I have a visit to make tomorrow that I am dreading, or I have a class to teach that I know people will not be happy to take, or I have a funeral to preside at and I dislike funerals. All these things can keep sleep at bay and I sit and think and toss and turn and count sheep but never fall asleep.
The transfiguration is a time to be awake, and yet the disciples are almost asleep. The disciples have just told Jesus who they think he is and Jesus takes the special three, the three amigos up on a mountain top alone and Jesus is changed right before their eyes. It is a momentous time in the life of Jesus and the three chosen disciples are almost asleep. Their eyes are groggy with sleep and I am not sure they truly understand the significance of the event they are witnessing. But then again, are we truly awake to understand all the things that God is doing right before our eyes?
Do we see the hand of God working through the hearts of people that we encounter every day? The person who stands at the intersection with a sign that says will work for food. Do we see God working in that person? Maybe God is asking us to be God’s hand that day to feed a person down on his or her luck? Maybe God is asking us to be God’s heart that day to show a person who is an outcast that God has not forgotten them?
Do we see God working in the weather? Here in the Northern Great Plains we are in the middle of a cold streak. The temperature has not climbed above zero for over two weeks. People are tired of the cold even through they should be used to it. I have only been in these parts for four years, they have been here a lifetime, and they complain more than I do! But, is God working in the cold and we just don’t see it? The cold is a way to keep the pathogens dormant and we might need dormant pathogens right now. The cold is a way to help people get closer together and people need to be closer to each other right now. The cold is a way to help people remember the blessings we all have here in America. Maybe God is trying to tell us something in this cold and we are just turning a blind eye to?
Or do we see God at work in the conflict in our churches? Right now, my national denomination is once again talking about homosexuality. I have to tell you, I am tired of talking about sex. I was told in seminary to leave money and politics out of the pulpit, but I would much rather talk about money and politics than sex. Sex is a gift of God and when the church talks about sex, it takes all the fun out of sex, plain and simple. People have their hard felt beliefs about sex, and people will fight tooth and nail when it comes to those beliefs. But could God be working in this conflict to show us something new? Could we all be wrong? Could there be something we are missing in this conflict that in our anger and bickering we have missed because we are blind to the movement of God in our world today? Could the problem in this conflict be that neither view is really seeing God at work? I don’t know.
The disciples did not have their eyes open to fully understand what was happening on the mount of Transfiguration and I find that today, most people are blind to the movement of God. Wake up! Amen
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Christmas 1-Luke 2:41-52
What is it that one makes a habit? Many things can become a custom. Things such as exercise, reading, and spending time with loved ones can be considered good habits. Some things lead to destruction such as drinking, drugs, and sexual addictions. Drinking too much hounded me for many years. I often drowned my sorrows in beer, but thanks be to God for lifting me out of that habit. What is habitual for you?
I ask this because the word ethos in Greek is in the second verse of the gospel lesson appointed for this day. Ethos is translated in the NRSV as custom, but a more literal translation is habit. It was the habit of Joseph and Mary to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. I find that amazing. To travel from Nazareth to Jerusalem took four days one way, let alone the time spent at the Passover festival meaning the trek lasted at least two weeks. Imagine what dedication this took. Going on a two week vacation takes not only time, but a large amount of money. This rings true today, and rang true in the first century, but Luke tells us that traveling to the festival was the habit of Joseph and Mary. The habitual trek to Jerusalem for Passover indicates that Jesus grew up in a religiously dedicated family.
Traveling to Jerusalem became the routine, the practice, the custom, the habit of Jesus, and this shows that Jesus knew the practice of observant Jews. A very good habit. I wish my habits were as good. I tend to eat too much. I tend to watch too much brain numbing television. I have a tendency to spend too much time reading garbage on the internet. Do I spend too much time in prayer? Do I spend too much time reading scripture? Do I spend too much time with my family? These would be wonderful habits. I wonder what most people’s habits are?
Looking further into the text, Mary and Joseph leave after the festival, but they do something unimaginable. They left Jesus in the temple! How could they? This text brings up amazing things in my mind. It goes completely against my modern mindset of childrearing. Since the birth of my first child, what I have feared the most when out in public with him is losing him. I cannot imagine what people go through when they lose a child in a store, and it is easy to do. Children run quickly. Children can hide in the most amazing places and think it cute not to come out when mom or dad are looking for them. Children can be taken in an instant and then never return. I fear what happens to Jesus in the gospel lesson for this Sunday.
I must say that to travel for almost a day without knowing where one’s child is amazes me. I cannot go a minute without knowing where my children are. They are at school, which is an everyday thing. They are at home with me or their mother. They are spending time with friends. If they take off without telling me where they are going, they are in trouble, and yet Jesus is left by himself at 12 years of age and Mary and Joseph travel a day’s journey without knowing where he is. The text tries to justify this by saying that Mary and Joseph think he is in the group of travelers, but that is no justification. Theologians try to justify this by saying in that time, people would need to travel in large groups for safety, and this might be so, but that is no justification for leaving a large city without knowing where one’s child is. I have even tried to justify this by saying “it takes a village to raise a child” and this saying rings true today, and it was even more so back then, but that is still no justification. Mary and Joseph do an unthinkable thing and there can be no justification for this. If this happened today, the department of children and social services would be knocking on one’s front door in a heartbeat, and yet we think nothing of this when we read this text. What is the purpose of this text? What is Luke trying to tell us with this amazing left behind scene?
This is the only incident in the four canonical gospels that relates a story from the childhood of Jesus. Why would Luke choose this story? I am flabbergasted by his choice. There must have been some other stories that would have been better. An incident where Jesus helps another child learn about God, a tale of Jesus rescuing a child from danger, even a legend of Jesus fixing a broken toy for a weeping friend could have been included, but no. We get this account of Jesus being left behind in the temple.
I find numerous theological reasons for including this saga. Jesus knows from a young age that he is the Son of God, Joseph was not the natural father of Jesus, and even Jesus besting the best of theologian at the temple to show that the theologians are blind to what God was up to in Jesus, but I find it hard to get past the particulars of what has happened. Fundamentalists are always ranting that one must not add a single word to the literal words of the bible, and I am having a hard time getting past those literal words, but I must. What can I glean from this text? How can I relate this text to the modern arena to show the people I lead what God is up to in their lives through this amazing anecdote?
I think God is asking us to see what our habits are? Do we have good habits like the Holy family or do we teach our children other habits? Do our children learn to come to church as a habit or do we instruct our children that Sunday is a day for recreation outside of the faith community? I find that the church is getting smaller and smaller because people don’t see the need. Why would they? National churches are constantly arguing about things they need not argue about, and the leaders wonder why people don’t come to church. Leaders wonder why people don’t make church a habit. Furthermore, do we teach people that prayer can be a habit? Conversing with God in prayer leads to knowledge of God, and God loves this. What a good habit.
What is my habit? Peace!
I ask this because the word ethos in Greek is in the second verse of the gospel lesson appointed for this day. Ethos is translated in the NRSV as custom, but a more literal translation is habit. It was the habit of Joseph and Mary to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. I find that amazing. To travel from Nazareth to Jerusalem took four days one way, let alone the time spent at the Passover festival meaning the trek lasted at least two weeks. Imagine what dedication this took. Going on a two week vacation takes not only time, but a large amount of money. This rings true today, and rang true in the first century, but Luke tells us that traveling to the festival was the habit of Joseph and Mary. The habitual trek to Jerusalem for Passover indicates that Jesus grew up in a religiously dedicated family.
Traveling to Jerusalem became the routine, the practice, the custom, the habit of Jesus, and this shows that Jesus knew the practice of observant Jews. A very good habit. I wish my habits were as good. I tend to eat too much. I tend to watch too much brain numbing television. I have a tendency to spend too much time reading garbage on the internet. Do I spend too much time in prayer? Do I spend too much time reading scripture? Do I spend too much time with my family? These would be wonderful habits. I wonder what most people’s habits are?
Looking further into the text, Mary and Joseph leave after the festival, but they do something unimaginable. They left Jesus in the temple! How could they? This text brings up amazing things in my mind. It goes completely against my modern mindset of childrearing. Since the birth of my first child, what I have feared the most when out in public with him is losing him. I cannot imagine what people go through when they lose a child in a store, and it is easy to do. Children run quickly. Children can hide in the most amazing places and think it cute not to come out when mom or dad are looking for them. Children can be taken in an instant and then never return. I fear what happens to Jesus in the gospel lesson for this Sunday.
I must say that to travel for almost a day without knowing where one’s child is amazes me. I cannot go a minute without knowing where my children are. They are at school, which is an everyday thing. They are at home with me or their mother. They are spending time with friends. If they take off without telling me where they are going, they are in trouble, and yet Jesus is left by himself at 12 years of age and Mary and Joseph travel a day’s journey without knowing where he is. The text tries to justify this by saying that Mary and Joseph think he is in the group of travelers, but that is no justification. Theologians try to justify this by saying in that time, people would need to travel in large groups for safety, and this might be so, but that is no justification for leaving a large city without knowing where one’s child is. I have even tried to justify this by saying “it takes a village to raise a child” and this saying rings true today, and it was even more so back then, but that is still no justification. Mary and Joseph do an unthinkable thing and there can be no justification for this. If this happened today, the department of children and social services would be knocking on one’s front door in a heartbeat, and yet we think nothing of this when we read this text. What is the purpose of this text? What is Luke trying to tell us with this amazing left behind scene?
This is the only incident in the four canonical gospels that relates a story from the childhood of Jesus. Why would Luke choose this story? I am flabbergasted by his choice. There must have been some other stories that would have been better. An incident where Jesus helps another child learn about God, a tale of Jesus rescuing a child from danger, even a legend of Jesus fixing a broken toy for a weeping friend could have been included, but no. We get this account of Jesus being left behind in the temple.
I find numerous theological reasons for including this saga. Jesus knows from a young age that he is the Son of God, Joseph was not the natural father of Jesus, and even Jesus besting the best of theologian at the temple to show that the theologians are blind to what God was up to in Jesus, but I find it hard to get past the particulars of what has happened. Fundamentalists are always ranting that one must not add a single word to the literal words of the bible, and I am having a hard time getting past those literal words, but I must. What can I glean from this text? How can I relate this text to the modern arena to show the people I lead what God is up to in their lives through this amazing anecdote?
I think God is asking us to see what our habits are? Do we have good habits like the Holy family or do we teach our children other habits? Do our children learn to come to church as a habit or do we instruct our children that Sunday is a day for recreation outside of the faith community? I find that the church is getting smaller and smaller because people don’t see the need. Why would they? National churches are constantly arguing about things they need not argue about, and the leaders wonder why people don’t come to church. Leaders wonder why people don’t make church a habit. Furthermore, do we teach people that prayer can be a habit? Conversing with God in prayer leads to knowledge of God, and God loves this. What a good habit.
What is my habit? Peace!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Christmas Eve-Luke 2:1-20
Christmas Eve is a splendid time to share with people. There will be presents passed and eggnog shared. There will be hymns sung and food eaten. There will be babies born and joyous parents and grandparents shouting from the rooftops that a new child has been added to their family. I long for Christmas time each day of the year for Christmas brings hope and joy and peace and happiness to my heart.
As I reflected on the Christmas story told in Luke’s gospel, many things meandered through my mind. A census to find out how many people lived in the country. A census demanded by the then thought of savior of the world, Emperor Augustus. It was during his reign that true peace came to the Roman Empire. His leadership brought prosperity and happiness. During his reign, people's wealth began to burgeon. “Praise be to Caesar Augustus! He has brought new life to the world” would be on the lips of the people, but not on the lips of the oppressed whose hands did most of the work. For on them there was nothing but despair. On them, there was nothing but hard work and an early death. Caesar Augustus was nothing more than a tyrant who made them travel to a distant land to be registered. But “to you is born this day in the City of David a savior, who is the messiah, the Lord” is the message. Not Augustus. Not a political dynasty. Not a governor or a warrior or . . .you get the meaning. A savior born today for you. A savior is born, born a descendant of David the great king with earmarks of his great story. David, you know the one. He is the one taken out of the sheepfold to be the king, but now a king is born in the sheepfold who is more than a king, he is Messiah, Christ, the anointed one of God. David who brought the nation together will have another who will bring the cosmos together. There is another who will bring the divine and the creation together at last. He is born for you.
Like the shepherds, I am afraid. I am afraid of many things. The world is full of terrible disasters. Wars and rumors of wars. Hamas and Fatah fight for control of Palestine. In the region of Darfur, genocide. In my own country, Republicans and Democrats fight over control of the government and the distribution of power. I am afraid. Fear immobilizes me at times. How can I feed my family on my meager earnings while trying to keep the bill mongers off my steps? How can I build a nest egg for retirement when costs of living are skyrocketing out of sight? How can I take care of my sick child with no health insurance? These fears right true, but for me, a savior is born today.
What does it mean for me today in 21st century North Dakota that a savior, the Messiah, is born today? What difference can this make for me today? I am an alcoholic. I drank myself into a stupor for years. One beer led to 15 beers a day, and one day led to everyday and I am afraid that I might slip into another drunken haze, but not today. Because for me, today a savior is born who has resurrected me into sobriety. Today, a Messiah who is king has given me grace enough for this day to say no to a demon that tormented me for many days trying to tell me that alcohol was king.
In 21st century North Dakota, it means that my good friend can plant a crop and know that something will come up and a harvest will be had in the fall. Maybe not the biggest, but enough to put food on the table for another year. For him is born this day a savior who gives him courage to plant each year with faith to know that God will provide. Or for my wife who teaches, she can know that each year more young people will come and learn how to write. Or for my mother who decorates cakes, she will know that someone will have another birthday where her cakes will make them smile. Or for my father who saves lives on the ambulance. He will know that his skills, God given skills, will be used by God to help people in distress.
For us, today, where ever we are, who ever we are, a savior is born to give us hope. Hope enough for today. Enough to see us through these days of wars and rumors of wars, and enough hope to see us through until the end of time. For us, a babe wrapped in bands of cloth will give us enough hope to get up out of bed each day and do our best to make his world a better place. To that I can say, thanks be to God.
As I reflected on the Christmas story told in Luke’s gospel, many things meandered through my mind. A census to find out how many people lived in the country. A census demanded by the then thought of savior of the world, Emperor Augustus. It was during his reign that true peace came to the Roman Empire. His leadership brought prosperity and happiness. During his reign, people's wealth began to burgeon. “Praise be to Caesar Augustus! He has brought new life to the world” would be on the lips of the people, but not on the lips of the oppressed whose hands did most of the work. For on them there was nothing but despair. On them, there was nothing but hard work and an early death. Caesar Augustus was nothing more than a tyrant who made them travel to a distant land to be registered. But “to you is born this day in the City of David a savior, who is the messiah, the Lord” is the message. Not Augustus. Not a political dynasty. Not a governor or a warrior or . . .you get the meaning. A savior born today for you. A savior is born, born a descendant of David the great king with earmarks of his great story. David, you know the one. He is the one taken out of the sheepfold to be the king, but now a king is born in the sheepfold who is more than a king, he is Messiah, Christ, the anointed one of God. David who brought the nation together will have another who will bring the cosmos together. There is another who will bring the divine and the creation together at last. He is born for you.
Like the shepherds, I am afraid. I am afraid of many things. The world is full of terrible disasters. Wars and rumors of wars. Hamas and Fatah fight for control of Palestine. In the region of Darfur, genocide. In my own country, Republicans and Democrats fight over control of the government and the distribution of power. I am afraid. Fear immobilizes me at times. How can I feed my family on my meager earnings while trying to keep the bill mongers off my steps? How can I build a nest egg for retirement when costs of living are skyrocketing out of sight? How can I take care of my sick child with no health insurance? These fears right true, but for me, a savior is born today.
What does it mean for me today in 21st century North Dakota that a savior, the Messiah, is born today? What difference can this make for me today? I am an alcoholic. I drank myself into a stupor for years. One beer led to 15 beers a day, and one day led to everyday and I am afraid that I might slip into another drunken haze, but not today. Because for me, today a savior is born who has resurrected me into sobriety. Today, a Messiah who is king has given me grace enough for this day to say no to a demon that tormented me for many days trying to tell me that alcohol was king.
In 21st century North Dakota, it means that my good friend can plant a crop and know that something will come up and a harvest will be had in the fall. Maybe not the biggest, but enough to put food on the table for another year. For him is born this day a savior who gives him courage to plant each year with faith to know that God will provide. Or for my wife who teaches, she can know that each year more young people will come and learn how to write. Or for my mother who decorates cakes, she will know that someone will have another birthday where her cakes will make them smile. Or for my father who saves lives on the ambulance. He will know that his skills, God given skills, will be used by God to help people in distress.
For us, today, where ever we are, who ever we are, a savior is born to give us hope. Hope enough for today. Enough to see us through these days of wars and rumors of wars, and enough hope to see us through until the end of time. For us, a babe wrapped in bands of cloth will give us enough hope to get up out of bed each day and do our best to make his world a better place. To that I can say, thanks be to God.
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