Christmas Eve

By The Rev. Martha Frances+

Christmas Eve (Christmas Day 1)

24 December 2008

 

Text: Luke 2: 1-20

Others: Isaiah 9: 2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2: 11-14

 

Only the angels & the shepherds speak.  First, the angel of the Lord appears to the shepherds & has to tell them first not to be afraid.  The angel assures the shepherds that it is good news he brings:  that a baby who will be a Savior is born to them, to the shepherds, which is their 2^nd big surprise.  Who, us?  But we don't matter!  We're not important enough!  they might say.  Clearly, the angel expects them to go find the child since he gives directions:  a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes & lying in a manger.  But with the influx of people into Bethlehem for the census, there just might be several of these babies. 

Undaunted, the shepherds respond that they'll find the baby & his parents, & they take off into town to do just that & to share their incredible story.  What more might the shepherds say to their neighbors once they have found the Christ Child in that stable designed for housing animals?  Looking back over 2000 years, our habit is to glamorize the scene with clean, middle-classed shepherds visiting in a cozy barn with clean-smelling hay to Mary & Joseph who are just a bit inconvenienced by their trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  But who would really listen to mangy shepherds considered the scum-bags of society tell about this homeless couple housed in a cave with the smelly animals because Bethlehem was over-crowded due to the census?  Yet don't you know those shepherds had a story to tell their grandkids for years to come?

Joseph was a much older man than Mary, but he must have been befuddled despite the angel's explanation, for his family must start life in a city he scarcely knew tho it was his ancestor David's city.  What might he say?  Here I am a hard-working carpenter now displaced from home, & these shepherds tell me angels sang to THEM about my son's miraculous birth.  Here the angels are interfering with our lives once again, & I've heard that we may have to flee to Egypt to protect the boy.  What about my business interests back in Nazareth? 

The innkeeper is probably really sweating now.  After all, I gave this couple the only place I had, not knowing they were going to have all these guests.  Maybe they are important people, but you can't trust folks whom shiftless shepherds visit.  However, last night, some kings knocked on my door asking for the location of a newborn king.  King?  That's a pretty baby, but he's far from a king, in my opinion.  Still, it's been a most curious night!

And then there is Mary, the teenaged mother exhausted from childbirth.  Such a long journey, & then the birth of my baby boy Jesus without even my mother's aid.  Joseph was attentive as was possible, but this is the closest he's ever been to childbirth, & I know he wanted better for us.  I had hardly gotten cleaned up from the night's activities when a whole group of shepherds appeared to see our baby, telling a tale of angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, & on earth peace among those whom he favors!"  "On earth, peace. . . ."  I must treasure these words, pondering them in my heart during my prayer time.

From Isaiah we heard tonight that the child born would be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Our epistle promises that Jesus Christ might redeem us from all iniquity. 

Surely God became man in Jesus Christ so that we earthly beings might be with him—that we might begin our divinization just as he became human.   The danger of the wonder of this night is that it may be all too precious, & we might go away from here believing it is enough to have worshipped tonight.  Yet the incarnation radically transforms the history of the world so that we may be personally transformed & be agents of transformation. 

This year we've had one of the longest & most rancorous presidential campaigns ever, an amazing number of political debacles & scandals, an ever-worsening recession that couldn't even be named such for a long time into it, & more terrorism in the world.  And still there are wars, even as there were in Jesus' day. 

Yet we Christians are to be agents of hope, & to put that hope to work.  Two stories might stimulate your pondering this Christmas as to how you might be an agent of transformation:

On Christmas Eve 1914, on the WWI battlefield of Flanders, German, British & French troops facing each other were settling in for the night when a young German soldier began to sing, "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht."  Others joined in, & then Brits & French responded with other Christmas carols.  Folksinger John McCutcheon wrote about that night from the viewpoint of a young British soldier:

"The next they sang was 'Stille Nacht,' 'Tis 'Silent Night'," says I.  And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.

"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried.

All sights were fixed on one lone figure coming from their side.  His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright

As he bravely strode unarmed into the night.

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's land.

With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.

We shared some secret brandy & we wished each other well

And in a flare-lit soccer game, we gave 'em hell.

We traded chocolates, cigarettes, & photographs from home,

These sons & fathers far away from families of their own.

Young Sanders played his squeeze box & they had a violin

This curious & unlikely band of men.

Soon daylight stole upon us & France was France once more

With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war.

But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night

"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"

'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung,

The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.

For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war

Had been crumbled & were gone for evermore.

 

Secondly, Diana Butler Bass writes of a conversation with her husband after the almost-incomprehensible actions of the Amish toward the family of the man who shot up a schoolhouse full of young girls.  She had responded, "It is an amazing witness to the peace tradition," to the reports that their practice of forgiveness had been borne out in their elders' visiting the widow of the gunman to offer forgiveness, their inviting the widow to their own children's funerals, their sharing all relief monies intended for Amish families with the widow & her family, & then 30 members of the Amish community attending the funeral of the killer.

Bass's husband declared passionately, "Witness?  I don't think so.  This went well past witnessing.  They weren't witnessing to anything.  They were actively making peace."  Not only did the actions of the Amish witness to God's being a god of forgiveness, but they actively created the conditions where forgiveness could happen.  During my sabbatical this summer as I read the book Amish Grace based on this amazing outpouring of forgiveness, I realized that the Amish take absolutely seriously the petition in the Lord's Prayer "Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us."  I'll never again say the Lord's Prayer without giving homage to the depth of forgiveness the Amish offer.  Bass continues, "In acting as Christs, they did not speculate on forgiveness.  They forgave.  And forgiveness is, as Christianity teaches, the prerequisite to peace.  We forgive because God forgave us; in forgiving, we participate in God's dream of reconciliation & shalom."

Then Bass suggests an absolute ludicrous course of action:  what if the Amish were in charge of the war on terror?  "What if," she continues, "after 9/11, instead of seeking vengeance, we had stood together in human pain, looking honestly at the shared sin & sadness we suffered?  What if we had tried to make peace?  So this is my modest proposal.  We're 5 years too late for an Amish response to 9/11.  But maybe we should ask them to take over the Department of Homeland Security.  After all, actively practicing forgiveness & making peace are the only real alternatives to perpetual fear & a multi-generational global religious war.  I can't imagine any other path to true security.  And nobody else can figure out what to do to end this insane war.  Why not try the Christian practice of forgiveness?"

Regardless of your political stance on the present war, we are called to follow the Prince of Peace & to be peace-makers.  Tonight, as we once again open our hearts to the Christ Child who comes again & again to us in our life's journey, may we ponder Christ's deepest desire for our hearts, & may we take seriously our becoming more like Jesus just as he became like us.

Advent IV

Sermon for Hope Episcopal Church
Worshipping with St. James Lutheran and St. Brendan's Celtic Community

The Reverend Martha Frances
Year B, Advent IV - 21 December 2008

Text:  Luke 1: 26-38
Other: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55); Romans 16:25-27

 

        Barbara Cawthorne Crafton, one of my favorite authors, has used an ancient Jewish practice of Midrash in retelling today's gospel, expanding it to what might-have-been.  Join me in re-imagining from her Mary and her Miracle published just last year:

        The sun was nearer to the horizon now, & it slanted through the leaves of the tamarind tree, making pools of golden light on the stone floor.  The tamarinds hung from the branches all over the tree, plump & tempting.  Late afternoon was a beautiful time.

          You don't have to get married, you know, a voice said.

          Mary looked around.  Nobody was there.

          Who's there?

          I'm up here.  The voice was coming from the tree.  Mary looked up.  Something glowing was perched in the spot where Mary usually sat when she climbed the tamarind.

          Who are you?

          My name is Gabriel.

          I'm Mary.

          I know.

          How do you know about me?  And that I'm getting married?

          I just know.  The glow settled itself in the notch between the 2 branches.  You don't have to, you know.  You can just say no.

          I can?

          Sure.  Nobody ever has to do anything.  They can always say no.

          But my parents chose Joseph for me.  They know me.  They do what's best for me.

          Yes, they do.

          Mary was silent for a moment.  The glowing thing in the tree was hard to see;  she couldn't tell if it was a person who had a body like hers.

          Even Elizabeth's parents chose for her.  And she was old.  Mary just barely remembered her cousin Elizabeth's wedding.

          Yes.  By the way, I have a secret about Elizabeth.

          A secret?

          Yes.  She's going to have a baby.

          Elizabeth?  But she can't have babies!  She's been married for so long & no baby ever came.

          Well, she's having one now.  I have another secret.

          You do?

          Yes.

          Well, what is it?

          You're going to have one, too.

          Well, I hope so!  At least one!  More than that, I hope.  I always tell people I'm going to have 37.

          Well, I only know about the One.

          Really?  Mary wasn't sure whether or not to believe Gabriel, but she daydreamed about babies all the time.  Boy or girl?

          Boy.

          Oh.  Mary wanted a girl, but that was all right.  She could have a girl next time.  Surely a few of the 37 babies would be girls.  Besides, where Mary lived, people always wanted to have a boy first.  Probably Joseph would want a boy.

          Do you know Joseph, too?

          Yes, I come to him in dreams.

          Not trees?

          I come to you in trees.

          You're pretty funny.  Mary leaned closer to the glow.  What is Joseph like?

          He is a good man.  He is quiet & gentle.  He is strong.  He will be good to you.

          Well, is he handsome?

          I think you're all beautiful.  But I came to talk about the baby.

          What baby?

          The one you're going to have.  This is happening soon, Mary.  Not years from now, but now.

          Now?  I'm 13!

          Your little boy is going to be like other little boys, but also not like them.  You will know this as soon as he is born, although you won't understand what it means for years.  Things will happen throughout his life that will let you know that he is different.

          Like what?

          You will know.  Stay alert & you will see.

          But I don't see.  Different how?

          You're all God's children.  But this baby will be the Son of God.  And you will be His mother.

          The Son of God?

          He'll be the king.

          Like King Herod?  No, thanks.  King Herod was a terrible king.

          Nothing like King Herod.  Your baby will be like no other person who has ever lived.

          So this is why I'm getting married now?  But you said I didn't have to get married.  If I'm going to have a baby, hadn't I'd better hurry up?

          You don't have to do any of this, Mary, Gabriel said.  You can always say no.  Or . . . you can be part of God's adventure.

        What an amazing choice Mary was given---to be part of God's adventure!  Sometimes we forget that she really DID have a choice.  Gabriel was right: we always have a choice. 

And Mary wasn't the first person given a choice to participate in God's adventure.  Noah didn't have to build the ark.  Abram could have said, No thank you.  I'm perfectly happy in Ur, & God knows where God will send me.  Samuel could have assumed he just had indigestion when he heard the voice in the temple.  And David was a perfectly fine shepherd boy.  Would he have said Yes if he'd known how complicated his life would be as King?  We'll return to David in a minute.

The point to ponder is the enormity of Mary's Yes, when she opened herself to the coming of the Holy Spirit to o'ershadow her with God become a baby born to this peasant woman & reared just like one of us—human, an earthling, God who can truly live among us as one of us so that we may learn to live more like God.  Perhaps it was only a 13-year-old who could be accepting & believing enough to say Yes to such an awesome & awful responsibility.  This year once again we're called to take moments out of the busyness of our holiday preparations to ponder Christmas come again to you & to me.

The medieval mystic Meister Eckhart challenges us all when he tells us "We are all meant to be mothers of God. . . .  What good is it to me if this eternal birth of the divine Son takes place unceasingly but does not take place within myself?  And what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace & if I am not also full of grace?   What good is it to me for the Creator to give birth to His Son if I do not also give birth to him in my time & my culture?"   

Mary the mother provides a model as she balances between "pondering what is happening in her heart" & moving to action.  The next verses in Luke's gospel recount her trip to visit this same cousin Elizabeth who is also great with child.  When this child whom we've heard about the 2 Sundays previous, John the Baptizer, leaps in Elizabeth's womb, & Elizabeth acknowledges the uniqueness of Mary's babe-aborning, Mary's poetic response is the Magnificat, the canticle we recited this morning instead of a psalm. 

Mary's pondering has already borne fruit as her song celebrates God's intentions so different from the ambitions of most humans.  With amazement that she has been chosen to bear & rear & cherish this Son, she recognizes God's preferential option for those who are considered no-bodies in society:  mercy upon those who are full of faith, while the conceited ones are scattered & their pride shattered (Wall Street comes to mind this year); the mighty cast down from their thrones—do governors have thrones?; & who are the lowly who might be lifted up this year?  Mary prays that the hungry be filled with good things, & perhaps we who are more able can remember to support such organizations as the End Hunger Network throughout the year & not be content with Christmas baskets during the holiday. 

Certainly, some of the rich are being sent away empty this year, but it will be up to the rest of us to insist that those who are most vulnerable not take the brunt of the current economic upheaval.  Perhaps our prayers need to take the form of political activism so our elected officials focus on health care for all & not just for bailing out those whose greed & self-aggrandizement has encouraged all of us to overspend as we fulfill desires as well as needs.  Even now, we're being encouraged to continue our compulsive spending habits when it might be more fruitful in the long run to find new ways of making a living rather than depending upon desire for new gadgets gone amok.  Yesterday's Chronicle reports that some of our Jewish brothers & sisters commemorate Hanakkah by recognizing the "green" possibilities in their one night of temple oil's expanding to 8 nights.  Might we actually learn something this Christmas from those of other faith traditions?  A pregnant idea indeed!  As we ponder Mary's Magnificat, may our minds & hearts be open to explore many different opportunities we have to align ourselves with God's ways which are certainly not the usual ways of human beings.

Our story from Hebrew scripture this morning reinforces a fresh look at our own desires to please God with what WE think is important regardless of how God's values might be different.  King David seemed to get himself in trouble when he wasn't out fighting wars, & at a time of peace, he looked around his new cedar palace & decided he needed to build God a house of worship.  Enter Nathan the prophet who doesn't have any better idea until he sleeps on it, perhaps his version of pondering, & God speaks to him, telling him that David doesn't need to build a temple but that indeed, God intends a very different "house" for David—that of a dynasty which God will always favor.  God's ongoing presence is promised to David & to his progeny which the Gospel writers take pains to declare includes Jesus as a descendant of David. 

As we enter the last few days before the Feast of the Incarnation, may we, too, ponder our response to God's dwelling within us this most inauspicious year.  May we enter 2009 aware of the glistening in our tamarind trees when Gabriel might get out attention to offer new ways we may fulfill God's Word in our lives.  And as Mary was the meeting place between God & humanity at the time of God's coming among us in Jesus' time, may we join with one another from all three faith communities in the Eucharist where the Incarnate Word still meets believers.

Advent III

By The Rev. Martha Frances+
Yr. B, Advent III - 14 December 2008

Text: John 1: 6-8, 19-28
Other: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; I Thessalonians 5: 16-24

 

          Since I would imagine you're not sitting in the congregation with your Bible from home—after all, we're Episcopalians, not Baptists—you may not remember unless I remind you that the Gospel passage I read just a moment ago begins in the midst of the "Prologue" to the Gospel of John which begins "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  Most of the first 18 verses of John the Evangelist's Gospel is a poetic revisiting of the original Genesis creation story, an announcement of the re-creation which the birth of Jesus the Christ becomes in the world.   I've always thought the introduction of John the Baptist into such a poetic prologue sort of an unwelcome earthly interruption of a cosmic story.  In addition, in this gospel, John is called neither "the Baptist" nor "the Baptizer," so it's hard to discuss John the gospel-writer's depiction of John the witness to the light without getting pretty confused.

        As I prepared this sermon, however, I acquired a whole new view of the Evangelist's "interruption" as the rest of the prologue sees the world in macrocosm & God as transcendent—larger than life.  Here in verse 6, John the very earthy wilderness man appears, reminding us that God enters into the world not just as the creator of the universe but also in the midst of ordinary human lives, in microcosm, if you will, with Cousin John from Tim- Buck-Two preparing the way for Jesus as the new creation.  John hangs around out with the cactus and tumbleweeds, wearing clothing made from camel—the only animal who can survive in such arid surroundings, eating locusts which—by the way—are still eaten by poor people in some parts of the world, & people flock out to see him & hear what he has to say. 

        By golly, that's what the Incarnation, Jesus' birth for which we prepare this time of year, is all about anyway, isn't it?  Into the midst of wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, terrorism in Mumbai, political scandal in Illinois, economic chaos throughout the world, fluctuating oil prices, twin babies burned to death in East Houston, and the senseless killing of a police officer less than a mile from my home, God chose to enter into the world in the form of a particular man, Jesus of Nazareth, & God continues to choose to enter into our world & our lives, this & every year. 

        The Evangelist's telling of the story moves quickly from the ethereal to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry with his debut prepared by his cousin John.  The prophet John is causing quite a stir out in the desert, so members of the religious establishment of the day go to try to pin down just who this enigmatic figure is.  Elijah?  The prophet?  The Messiah?  John is a curiosity partially because he doesn't fulfill the expectations Jewish people have.

        How many times have you missed out on opportunities because they didn't fulfill the expectations you had for them? Several years ago, our son Michael had to work on Christmas Day, & Ken planned to spend the early part of that day with his girlfriend.  I pouted for several days before I realized their other plans allowed their father & me several hours of much-needed sleep after Christmas Eve services before our evening Christmas dinner.  I was so disappointed that we could not have the usual Christmas lunch that I almost spoiled the joy of a leisurely Christmas dinner in the evening.  Especially around holiday time, how much wasted energy is expended because of misplaced expectations?

        So who is this John?  We talked a lot about John last week, but in this passage, he not only refuses any of the labels the establishment places on him but emphasizes his own subordinance to the one who will follow him:  "Make straight the way of the Lord;" and then later, "I baptize with water.  Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."    John is a perfect symbol for Advent because he prepares the way, he urges the people to wait expectantly, he reminds people to clean up their personal acts & he asks his followers to follow the one whose baptism is truly new & transformative.  In so doing, he joins the long line of prophets who called the people of Israel back to behavior which honors Yhwh by caring for those who are most needy. 

        Our first lesson for today was first a prophetic call to the Hebrew people to change their behavior in order to reestablish a community back in Judea after the Babylonian captivity.  In Jesus' first public appearance back home in Nazareth after he began preaching, Jesus takes this same passage as his Mission Statement of sorts, letting the people from his hometown know that behavior matters, that they already have the guidelines for faithful service to God:  bringing good news to the oppressed, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to captives & release to prisoners, and proclaiming Jubilee to those who need a break & comfort to mourners. 

        If there ever was a time when our world needs the light of Christ shining in the darkness, when such behaviors outlined by Isaiah & adopted by Jesus need to be our own mission in the world, then now seems to be the time.  Our own Bishop Don Wimberly points out in his December column in The Texas Episcopalian that rather than "fitting in" to the "way things are," we need repentance so that we may be reborn. 

Our Presiding Bishop The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori also uses the image of light shining in darkness from the gospel of John in her Christmas message for 2008.  She says, "The world settles into winter, at least in the northern hemisphere, & life to many seems increasingly bleak.  Foreclosures, layoffs, government bailouts & financial failures, continuing war on 2 fronts, terrorist attacks, murders of some identified only by their faith—this world is in abundant need of light.  Born in poverty to a homeless couple, to a people long under occupation, Jesus is human & divine evidence that God is with us in the midst of the world's darkness.  Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Divine Counselor is come among us to remind, re-member, & re-create.  A new mind & heart is birthed in us as we turn to follow Jesus on the way.  The body of God's creation is re-membered & put back together in ways intended from the beginning.  And a new creation becomes reality through Jesus' healing work.  Christians tell the story again each Christmastide, & the telling & remembering invites us once again into being made whole.  Our task in every year is to hear the story with new ears, & seeing light in the darkness of this season's woes, then to tell it abroad with gladsome hearts to those who wait in darkness.  Where will you share the joyous tale of light in the darkness?"

I, too, ask you to ponder this next week where you will share Christ's light in the darkness?  Several of us are gathering Christmas decorations & toys to take to St. Vincent's House in Galveston where many people lost everything to Ike.  Adults on my gift-giving list will receive again this year chickens & pigs & seedlings & mosquito netting—or they will receive cards thanking them for these gifts distributed by the Episcopal Relief & Development throughout vulnerable parts of the world.  Who will you bring with you to Joys of Christmas next Sunday evening?  To one of the Christmas Eve services?  Many homeless people will receive Christmas dinner at one of many service providers like Lord of the Streets this year.  What about the hungry or those who need clothes in February?  Have you turned in a pledge for Hope Church for 2009 so that we can stay open & continue to do the ministry God is calling us to do?  Have you paid your 2008 pledge in full?  The specifics of your willingness to be made new, to be reborn, to have Jesus' light enter your life once again this Christmas is a matter between you & God.  May you carry these scriptures in your hearts (& even in your pockets or pocketbooks) throughout the rest of this season so you can continue to be reminded of the mission statement which Jesus chose for us.

Advent II

By The Rev. Martha Frances+
Yr. B, Advent II - 7 December 2008

Text: Mark 1:1-8
Other: Isaiah 40: 1-11; Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3: 8-15a


What did Mark the evangelist think he was doing, starting out his whole gospel with a sentence fragment?  Listen once again: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."  No verb; it's all subject.  These few words tell us a lot about this book we'll be reading on Sundays in Year B.  It's the 1st gospel written &, in fact, the 1st time this genre, this kind of literature, has been written down.  Mark uses the word "gospel" to let the readers know this is not a biography of Jesus.  There's not even a birth story like Matthew & Luke give us. 

Mark is in a big hurry to put the gospel of salvation down on paper, these stories about Jesus' ministry which had been circulating orally for several years.  In fact, Mark uses Jesus Christ only here; generally, Mark uses the term "Christ" only after his death & resurrection.  Some manuscripts omit the term "Son of God," but this phrase is pivotal in Mark.  He wants to shout to the entire world the good news of God's love has come to humans in the form of God's son Jesus.

Mark says the quote is from Isaiah, but it's actually a combination of Isaiah, Malachi, & Exodus.  Regardless, it assures us that God's new revelation of love to the people comes from the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament covenant with Israel.  Isaiah was the original prophet to cry in the wilderness, & we read part of that prophecy today, with God comforting the Hebrew people as they return from the Babylonian exile.  In fact, in the Hebrew scriptures, salvation traditionally comes out of the wilderness.  Remember Moses, Elijah, & David all spent their time in the desert?  Now, Mark looks back to Isaiah's prophecy to show John the Baptist as the last of a long line of prophets. 

        Mark shows this peculiar John the baptizer emerging in the wilderness, in strange dress & with an even weirder diet, preparing the way for Jesus to come into the lives of the Jewish people.  John offers hope to the people, since in their present wilderness of occupation by the Romans, they are totally dependent upon God just as the Hebrew people had been with Moses in the desert. 

Like those whom John originally called to prepare for salvation, we 21st Century folk might be called from the wilderness of shopping malls where many practice the addiction of consumerism.  Because we've fallen so victim to the adage that it is more blessed to give than to receive, we can begin to believe that our worth is measured by the cost of the gifts we give.  A strange consequence of our present economic crisis is that this season, we may have the opportunity to find creative ways to show our love to others rather than with expensive gifts.

In yesterday's On a Journey meditation, Tom Ehrich suggested that a forced exercise in values clarification isn't fun, but just as the CEOs of the big 3 American automobile companies drove back to Washington this week, they might just learn why Americans aren't buying their products.  For a moment, I envisioned their car-pooling to DC, listening to their Sony radio on the way.  Tom continues, "The manic phase of the Roaring 1920s led inexorably to the Great Depression, as often happens in manic-depressive systems.  Our hope isn't that the manic phase of recent years will resume soon, but that we swing the pendulum to the middle, not the opposite extreme."  My hope is that our eventual recovering prosperity will allow us to be more generous to those who perpetually end up at the bottom economically & will suffer the most by this recent downturn.

        Sometimes John's message doesn't sound like very good news—all that talk of repentance & sins sounds like a bummer!  But then people must first be aware of & be convicted of their sins before they realize they need a savior.  A pre-condition of faith in God is our abandoning the notion that we can save ourselves & thus recognizing that God is able to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

        John's baptism was one calling the common people not only to recognize their sinfulness but also to be willing to let God remove their character defects & unhealthy behaviors.  Repentance means "to change one's mind," but it comes from an earlier Hebrew word meaning "to turn around."  When a person turns 180 degrees, he or she has a totally new perspective.  This "turning around" means a change of heart, but it also includes a change of will & conduct.  Here's where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.  John's call to repentance means a person is sorry enough for what he or she has done not to do it again.  John is offering people the opportunity to change behavior in order to be ready for the salvation that Jesus offers.

        If sin is a rupture in relationship, a separation, then forgiveness of sin makes way for a new relationship.  It may mean clearing the way to communion with God, feeling at peace with oneself, or living in a healthy relationship with our neighbors.  All of us have some relationship in our lives which isn't what we wish it were, or at least not what God wishes it to be.  Let's remember who does what here:  John preaches & baptizes, the people sin & repent, but God is the one who forgives.  We all know we will sin again, but when we're in the love & care of God & involved with a Christian community in becoming disciples, then we are more likely to live into the turning around which we call repentance.  This journey takes a lifetime, but someone once said that the longest journey begins with a single step.  John the Baptist invited his followers—& invites us—to begin, or recommit to, the faith journey to Jesus' feet.

        Mark perhaps exaggerates when he says that people from all the Judean countryside & indeed all the people of Jerusalem went out, confessed their sins, & were baptized by John.  However, the crowds who were fascinated with John were at least sizeable enough that Herod feared John enough to imprison & eventually behead him.  We all know what part Herod played in Jesus' death.  At any rate, John's call to repentance & baptism sounded a message of hope to the beleaguered people, especially the poor.

        At this Advent, we're called once again to take stock of our lives, to recognize our sins, acknowledge them in confession, be reconciled, & then move into Christmas open to whatever Christ has for us in the new creation.  That's why we encourage each of you to carve out for yourself during these next 3 weeks some quiet time for reflection & recollection, preparing to turn around & proceed to Jesus' feet for him to be Lord of your life.  No matter our age or how many years we've been practicing Christians, Advent provides time to revisit & reinforce our commitment to this Christian journey.

If the sins which trouble you are blocking your ability to experience God or God's reaching out to you, then I urge you to make an appointment for private confession.  It's nothing to be afraid of, & many of us have learned that our intent to live a new life is dependent upon our telling someone else the exact nature of our wrongs.  Just so you'll know, after the confession, I pronounce God's absolution & encourage you to make those changes in your life which reinforce your desire not to return to that sin.  Further, if there are those in this community who haven't been baptized, I encourage you to consider experiencing that ancient entrance rite into the Christian community on the 11th of January, our next baptismal Sunday.  Two young people are already planning for their baptisms, & we will have the opportunity to renew our Baptismal Vows with them, both for their sakes & for our own.  Even after baptism, most of us find that from time to time we continue to have to tell God & another human being the exact nature of our faults & get some spiritual guidance in leading turned-around lives.

        The point of new lives, of course, is to keep growing in Christ's light, which means changed behaviors.  It's a scary thing to change because it's new & we're often frightened of anything new, but it's necessary if we want to maintain a fit spiritual condition.  Lots has happened at Hope in the last 3½ years, & even within 2008, & we continue to explore what it means to be an intentionally-multicultural Christian community in relation to one another.  It's not business as usual this Advent, is it?  Acknowledging the discomfort which change brings allows our hearts to accept the new in our parish as well as the growth in ourselves.

        Finally, do you sometimes feel unworthy in your life?  Look at John's situation:  he doesn't feel worthy to baptize Jesus, yet he does so at Jesus' insistence.  He looks forward to Jesus in hope & not backward.  John recognizes his limitations yet refuses to give up because of them.  He realizes that Jesus' baptism with the Holy Spirit will afford people a new order, a new way of living in relationship with God.  And he graciously makes a path straight in the desert for the coming of the Messiah, preparing out of the rough places a plain.

        This 2nd Sunday in Advent is an excellent time to take stock, let go, be obedient to God's call, look for those places in our lives which need amendment, & go about preparing a way in our hearts for the coming of the baby Jesus as well as the risen Christ as the Lord of our lives.  Prepare ye the way of the Lord. . . .