Home and Family in The Christmas Gospels

As Christians we see God’s actions in the birth of Jesus and the love and protection extended to him from Mary and Joseph. After the visit of the Magi, recorded in Matthew 2:13-23, we see God’s guidance and Joseph’s actions in protecting Jesus and Mary. In this I also see an example for all of us that families are one of God’s greatest gifts to us and how we are to care for and protect one another.

“After the Magi had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. . .’

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, Joseph was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth. . .”

In this scripture I see God’s message to us as well as to Joseph: a message of home, finding home, coming home, and of finding home in God.

 Throughout the Bible, we see this message over and over. The eighth century B.C. Prophet, Jeremiah proclaims: “For thus says the Lord: See the remnant of Israel, I am going to bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth and they shall return here. With weeping they shall come and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble. (Jeremiah 31:7-14) The Psalmist also proclaims, “How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. . .  For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84) 

As I read about Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and their journey home, I am reminded that we are fellow travelers with them and with all the Saints, as we journey together to find our true home as sons and daughters of God and sisters & brothers of Jesus Christ.

 

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord who destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a)

 

 

Nativity of Our Lord, 2021

 

 

The world in Jesus Day was very much like ours, except, access to whole world was not in our pockets or our purses, something I consider a blessing.

 

Like our lives today there were many good things: families, friends, the birth of children, faith in God. These and many other glimmers of light.

 

But there was also much darkness, again not unlike our world can have at times: wars, empires that ruled other nations, leaders who took advantage of their own people, disease, hunger, outcasts, and despised peoples: shepherds, prostitutes, tax collectors and others. In short, plenty of darkness to go around.

 

In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the eighth century BC prophet of Israel shares a Coronation Anthem sung at the enthronement of kings of the Davidic dynasty. While this anthem was not written about Jesus, our Christian faith finds that same hope in Jesus and it is appropriate that we celebrate his nativity with this hymn, reminding ourselves of why Jesus came into the world,

 

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--on them light has shined. . . For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. (Isaiah 9:2-7)

 

I am sure that the Israelites hoped and believed that each new king would truly bring them out of war and into peace, out of hunger and oppression and poverty and into freedom and opportunity.

 

At Jesus’ Birth, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds must have believed that within this baby’s lifetime light would overcome darkness. During Jesus’ adult life many people saw him as the one who would bring God’s light into the world, bringing justice for the poor, freedom to the oppressed, and peace to the nations. 

 

The Miracle of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection is that while the light is often dimmed, it never goes out.

 

The Christian Church, as the body of Christ is charged to blow on that light, to add wood to the fire and the carry that light into the world by proclaiming by word and deed Jesus’ message of light that destroys darkness, of peace which eliminates war, and of justice for the poor.

 

The writer of the epistle of Titus explains it this way: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. Jesus Christ it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14)

 

As followers of Jesus redeemed and purified by Jesus, we are called to be his own and we are called to be zealous for good deeds.

 

We are called and blessed to work for “peace on earth among all those whom God favors!" I believe all, means all, all means everyone: red and yellow, black and white we are all precious in God’s sight. Christian, Moslem, Jew, Hindu, Baha’i, Atheist, and others. All those groups contain people whom God favors, and all can work together for Justice and peace. 

But what if I am afraid, what if people speak unkindly of me, or put my name in the newspaper as a troublemaker. Then, like the shepherds, God calls us to trust the words of the angel: “Do not be afraid; for see, I am bringing good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2) 

On Christmas we celebrate the brightness of the true light of God: the birth of Jesus as a Message of Peace, as a message of hope for the oppressed, as a command for us to help spread that light and as a promise that God will be with us always.

I want to Walk as a Child of the Light

 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. (Prayer for First Sunday in Advent) 

This prayer is the foundation of what we do today in this place, and in Christian Churches around the world. This is our New Year, totally out of sync with the rest of the world. Last week we celebrated Christ the King, an ending foreshadowing a new beginning, foreshadowing a darkness leading to light, foreshadowing a baptism of being buried with Christ in his death and being raised with him in his resurrection! Light coming into a world of darkness, a New Beginning proclaiming the new beginning God gives us every day. 

 The Baptism of Elsey Joan today, is a living example of light from darkness in this mortal life and the continuation of that light of Christ into life eternal. 

Elsey’s baptism and our re-affirmation of our own baptismal covenant is a confirmation of our inclusion in God’s promise to Israel and Judah through the Hebrew Prophet Jeremiah!

“The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness." (Jeremiah 33:14-16)

The Lord is our righteousness! W0W. What a mystery, what a blessing!

We enter a new Christian year, as the days become shorter and colder, with the promise that our God, “The Lord is our Righteousness,” will be with us through this year and all the years to come; will be with us on the mountain tops and in the valleys; in our joys and in our sorrows; through the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of our lives.

God’s promise: “The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want, The Lord makes us to lie down in Green pastures, he leads us beside the still waters. He restores our souls and leads us in the paths of righteousness for his Name’s sake. Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil; for the Lord is with us; his rod and staff comfort us. The Lord our God prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies; and anoints us with oil; our cups run over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23)

Jesus said, "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:25-36)

St. Paul leaves us with his blessing for this New Year: “Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 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. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:9-13)

As Elsey Joan Watwood is baptized today, she along with the rest of us, continue our walk as Children of Light. What better way to celebrate the light of Christ coming into the world.

 

“I want to walk as a Child of the Light.”

 

I want to walk as a child of the light, I want to follow Jesus. God sent the stars to give light to the world, the star of my life is Jesus. In Him there is no darkness at all, the night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God, Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

 

 

 

 

Nation Shall not Lift up Sword against Nation

             Some Reflections on Veterans’ Day 

God shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4) 

As I write this column it is November 11, Veterans’ Day in the in the United States, the day when we remember and give thanks for our military veterans and their families, as well as our current military men and women, and their families, who serve and protect our nation and the world. As we give thanks to them for their service, it seems appropriate that we also turn to Isaiah, the eighth century B.C. Prophet of Israel. As most of us know and believe, it is God’s will that His people live in peace. Jesus is often referred to as the Prince of Peace, and the Prophet Isaiah proclaims that the temple in Jerusalem should be a “House of Prayer for all People.” (Isaiah 56:7) In the above proclamation, the Prophet Isaiah, gives to us the will of God for all people. 

Isaiah knows, as do we, that this is not always the case, but he also knows, as do we, that it is truly the will of God for us and that we are to pray fervently for this time of peace in our world. We, as God’s people, are also called to be co-creators with God in working for “justice and peace among all people and respect for the dignity of every human being.” (Baptismal Covenant, Book of Common Prayer) 

This is not an easy task and may never be completely accomplished this side of heaven. However, according to the Lord’s Prayer, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven,” we are all called to be God’s hands, feet, and heart in working and praying for the “Peace that passes all understanding.” 

AS we do this, we also know that there is evil in the world and that at times we need brave men and women who are willing to put country and the peace of the world above themselves and their families. Many of these men and women join the Armed Forces of the United States and serve, often at grave danger to themselves, to protect our country and to bring about peace and justice throughout the world. It is therefore appropriate today that we pray for them, their safety, their families and for God’s peace in the world, so that “God’s will may be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

A Prayer for Veterans’ Day 

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be. 

We also commend to your gracious care all the men and women who have served in the past. We give you thanks for their courage and their willingness to serve our country, and for the sacrifices they and their families willingly undertake. Gracious God, we pray that you will

give wisdom and knowledge to all who help to heal those who are injured physically and emotionally. Restore those who are so wounded to health and wholeness. 

We pray that their efforts and sacrifices will help bring peace to our country and to a world that is often broken. 

May we the people of this “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” remember and thank them for their service, not only on this day of remembrance, but every day. 

May you bless them and keep them, make your light to shine upon them and be gracious to them, lift up your countenance upon them and give them peace. Amen

 

 

 

Creation, Creatures, Creator

 All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing,

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou burning sun with golden beam,

Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

O praise Him! O praise Him!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

The above hymn verse is based on the first stanza of a poem, Canticle of the Sun, written by St. Francis of Assisi who died in 1226 at the age of 45. Francis is best known as Patron Saint of animals. His feast day is celebrated on October 3 every year, often with the blessing of animals and pets. This entire poem, all of which I will use to close this column demonstrates that he was certainly all of this and more. 

Francis was born in Assisi in Italy, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant, whose father desired that Francis follow in his footsteps. Francis had other ideas. He joined the army to fight against Perugia and was captured in battle and held in prison for ransom by his wealthy father. While in prison, he had a vision that God was calling him to build his church and to work among the poor and needy, helping them to live a better life, both spiritually and physically. He left his father’s business and founded the Franciscan Order of Friars who vowed to live in poverty to share what worldly goods they had or earned with the poor. 

Francis preached to the common people, inviting them to live as Christ lived and serve there fellow human beings. It is also said that he preached to “brother and sister birds,” and other animals, recognizing the interconnection of all creation. In 1979 Pope John Paul II proclaimed him patron saint of ecology because of his understanding of the intersection of all life and all of God’s creation. Francis is also considered the Patron of animals, merchants, and against dying alone. 

In recognition of God’s call on St. Francis, and to us to care for our brothers and sisters and all of creation, and as a form of meditation and prayer, I leave you with “Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon” by St. Francis of Assisi

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, all praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings. To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name. Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, Of You Most High, he bears the likeness. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, In the heavens you have made them bright, precious, and fair. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and fair and stormy, all weather's moods, by which You cherish all that You have made. Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water, So useful, humble, precious and pure. Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong. 

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us, producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned. Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no-one living can escape. . . Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will. No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks, And serve Him with great humility. Amen 

May God bless us with the joy God gave to St. Francis.

Faith, if it has no works, is Dead.

My Mother’s least favorite book of the Bible is the Letter of James. She said he had quit preaching and started meddling. He implies that it is wrong to talk about other people (gossip), that it could damage their reputations. “That the tongue, like the rudder of a ship is small but can turn the ship completely around. A rudder can turn a ship in a positive direction, or if used incorrectly, it can run the ship upon a rock, causing tremendous damage and perhaps the lose of life. James’ says, the tongue can do the same: it can be used for good, or it can cause irreparable damage and even death. 

Reading today’s scripture from James Chapter two, I can see how some churches may feel the same about him as did my mother: “For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please,’ while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there,’ or, ‘Sit at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?” 

I am thankful that Christ Church, Albertville, has always welcomed all who want to come and worship God and love their neighbor as they love themselves. I believe we are truly a church that not only sings “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world: red and yellow, black and white,” and I would add, rich and poor and everyone in between. When I look around Christ Church I see not “God’s frozen chosen” as we are sometimes called, but God’s sons and daughters of all shapes and sizes and races and incomes and beliefs and political persuasions, gathered together to worship God and to serve one another and the world around us. 

James continues, “God has chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him.” I do not believe that God has chosen only the poor, but all of us who love God, or struggle to love God, and that James is reminding us that we all have something to learn from each other as well as a responsibility to one another. He is reminding us that we are to work for justice and peace for all people, rich or poor,  and as God’s people to fight oppression wherever we find it. 

James is reminding us that Christianity is not a Jesus and me, everyone person for him or herself kind of religion, but a community joined together by Christ, called to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Then to make sure we understand, he writes: 

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” 

I have been so excited to see that Christ Church has added “a little food bank” to its caring and justice ministry: the Beans and Rice Ministry, and the Little Free Library. 

Everything James tells us looks good on paper and I know no churches who in theory would disagree. The challenge comes when we face the “person with fine clothes and rings and the other with rags, “live and joining us for worship. I share one such experience with its challenges, failures, and blessings, and invite you to reflect on your own experiences. 

For twelve years, I was the Pastor of St. George’s Episcopal Church in the middle of New Orleans, Louisiana, a city with a tremendous diversity of people. The church is on St. Charles Avenue, a boulevard with mansions under the trees as for as one can see. Four blocks away we enter neighborhoods with much smaller homes and in some cases very poor families inhabiting them. The church is also just a streetcar ride from the French Quarter and therefore easily reached by street people, beggars, and those who dance in bars and sometimes moonlight as prostitutes. 

For several years we had a wonderful midweek book study held in the homes of various members who lived near the church. The studies were open to all, usually involved a light lunch, and were an important and enjoyable part of our life together. And then they were not. Two of our French Quarter members, a man who sold books on the street and his friend, a bar dancer and sometimes prostitute showed up for the study at the home of one of our wonderful uptown ladies. And she truly was a wonderful person. The two “new” people were also wonderful, if somewhat dirty and smelly and, to say the least, different from most of the people in attendance. This woman, came to me and said that she did not want these two people in her home. I understood, so we moved the book study to church, which I believed would be an acceptable solution for all. As in so many situations in which theory and even scripture become practice, the simple solution was not as simple as we believed it would be 

The woman quit the church, she truly wanted to host the Book Study in her home, but with restrictions. She later returned, remained a friend, thanks be to God (my wife and I have several of her paintings in our home) but it was touchy and ugly for a while. This is what happens when we commit to live a Gospel without favoritism: it is not easy, but worth it. It is what I believe Jesus would do. 

Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with your God

 

“Take your Bible and take your newspaper and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible”

“Take your Bible and take your newspaper and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible”

 Every Good Gift is From God; How we use them is up to us 

Theologian, Karl Barth is quoted as saying, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible. (Time Magazine, 1961) Today we might add, “and take your hand-held device, your television, your online news services and even social media and watch and read them. But interpret them from your Bible." 

As I look at and read, in one form or another, the news of this past week relating to Afghanistan, especially the accounts of the bombings at the Kabul airport and those killed and wounded there, I want to first read part of the Bible and then look at the news through the lens of Holy Scripture. 

I begin with Psalm 15, looking at an important question asked by the people of Israel between 1000 and 500 years before the birth of Jesus: “who are your people? How do I become one and live in your presence?” The question and response follow.

 “Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? who may abide upon your holy hill?

Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from his

heart. There is no guile upon his tongue; he does no evil to his friend; he does not

heap contempt upon his neighbor. In his sight the wicked is rejected, but he honors

those who fear the Lord. He has sworn to do no wrong and does not take back his

word. He does not give his money in hope of gain, nor does he take a bribe against

the innocent. Whoever does these things shall never be overthrown. “ (Psalm 15:1-7) 

The Psalmist gives answers that are just as important and valid for us today as they were 3000 years ago: those who abide in my presence are the ones who are truthful, who do not use their words to destroy the lives and reputation of other people, who do no evil to friend or neighbor or stranger. Those who love their neighbor because they have promised God to do so are included in that number, and those who do not base their decisions on “quid pro quo,” or sellout or destroy the innocent, ordinary people. This covers a lot of ground as will the next passage from James, the brother of Jesus, I want to read together before we look at the news from yesterday through these very important lenses. 

James writes, “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing. 

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:17-27) 

Now we look through the Bible at the news of bombings and killings and woundings, and just as important, we must look at our reactions toward this news and how we speak (myself included) to and about each other and the leaders of our nation and former leaders of our nation.

The news these past two weeks out of Afghanistan has has been truly horrible and frightening. The take over of the government by the Taliban, the airlifting of over 100,000 American citizens and the effort to bring home the rest of the Americans who want to return as well as many of the Afghan people who worked with and aided the United States over the past twenty years. 

Ending a war is never easy, emotions are high and climb higher as many of us express differing opinions as to what should have been done, or could have been done differently, or done differently by a different person or administration. Many of these questions can never be answered nor can the statements be proven. It is not unlike former New Orleans Saints football coach, Jim Mora said, “no more coulda, shoulda, woulda.” 

We start with what is and we work to be good enough to make it better. This is true in football; it is even more true in life. We don’t know what coulda happened with a different president, we all know what we believe shoulda happened, and we don’t know what woulda happened if we had used plan B or started sooner or from a different perspective. 

What we do know is what happened yesterday, and how horrible it was; how sad and angry it makes us. We cannot control, “coulda, shoulda, woulda.” What we can control is howe we communicate our feelings about what happened and what we believe could have happened. What we can do is listen to peoples’ opinions, knowledge and beliefs, about our relationship with Afghanistan, especially the people with whom we disagree, and do our best not to over react (sadly I have failed at this already), to realize that we are, in fact, on the same team. 

Going forward I want to suggest to all of us, myself included, that we look through the lenses of Psalm 15 described above, and James 1: 

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. . . If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” 

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: As we pray for all who have died in this tragedy, we ask that you graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works. Amen.