Today's Scripture Readings
Genesis 1: 1-5 (NRSV)
Mark 1: 4-11 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
What will it take to get Christians to consider what it takes to be authentic?
As I hear the small tidbits of news about the Republican debate in New Hampshire, I am most disturbed by the news that there was an all out attack on LGBT people in the debate exchange. I am equally concerned that the State of New Hampshire is considering a bill to repeal marriage equality there.
This whole past year as the debates have unfolded, we have heard rousing cheers at the thought that we just might have to let an unemployed sick person die because they have no health insurance. "Sometimes that's just how life is" replied one of the candidates.
When Christians become too comfortable with being uncharitable and empathetic towards those who are less fortunate and underprivileged, the Gospel of Jesus Christ becomes a dead story. No wonder Bibles get so dusty.
Last year after Creating Change 2011 I chose the description of this blog. I wanted to connect us to our Baptismal Covenant that we renew on this Baptism of Christ. I wanted us to think about the last request about striving for justice and peace and respecting the dignity of every human person. It is so interesting how the word "every" becomes "not you."
While I cannot explain how God reveals God's Self in Christ what I can say with conviction is that I believe it. I also believe that in the very Person of Jesus Christ is all of humankind interacting with us and God in both prayer and community. What Christians need to understand is that every human person is represented in the Divine God head and the humanity of Jesus the Christ. There is no such thing to God as a worthless and unloved person. Humans and Christians might make it appear that God plays favorites. That is far from how God sees things.
When Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptized, Matthew's Gospel tells us that John said: "It is I who need baptism from you." John recognizes that standing before him is the one he prophesied about. Yet, Jesus in his humility recognizes his responsibility to fulfill what God requires of him and that is to be baptized as one who is like all humankind. In Matthew's Gospel and in Mark, Jesus emerges from the waters of his baptism with the words: "Behold, my beloved in whom I am well pleased."
We are God's beloved and with us God is well pleased. I have been writing that every year on this Baptism of the Lord and I will continue to write it. It has to sink in that all of us are God's beloved and with us God is well pleased.
All of us are broken. Wounded. Marginalized in one way or another. We all miss the mark and do not quite get it. On this day everything we are and are not is recognized by God through our Baptism into Christ. Everything about us both good and not so good is so important to God. God sees in us God's beloved with whom God is well pleased.
In his letter to the Galatians Paul wrote:
Does this knowledge of our being beloved of God give us any right or privilege to look down on anyone else who is not quite like us? No. Jesus who is God's Incarnate Word through whom all things were made (see John 1: 2,3), humbled himself rather than sought equality with God (see Philippians 2: 5-11). Jesus saw the beauty and wonder of God's creation in the hearts and souls of all who came to him.
There is no justification for taking away the marriage equality of LGBT people, nor seeking to pass constitutional amendments.
There is no excuse for being happy about someone dying because they cannot afford health care.
There is no righteousness in targeting Muslims and Jews and other religions or those who are of no religion at all.
There is no witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in taking away a woman's options for reproductive health care.
If all of us could only stop for a brief period and remember that all of us are God's beloved with whom God is well pleased; perhaps we would respect and take care of one another better than we do. The dead Gospel would truly come alive in the world if Christians were to make justice and equality for all people the purpose and mission of our prayers and life. All of us are connected to each other in God's beloved with whom God is well pleased. As each of us are God's beloved with whom God is well pleased, so are those without equality, justice and full inclusion in the Church and society.
Prayers
Genesis 1: 1-5 (NRSV)
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Mark 1: 4-11 (NRSV)
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
Blog Reflection
What will it take to get Christians to consider what it takes to be authentic?
As I hear the small tidbits of news about the Republican debate in New Hampshire, I am most disturbed by the news that there was an all out attack on LGBT people in the debate exchange. I am equally concerned that the State of New Hampshire is considering a bill to repeal marriage equality there.
This whole past year as the debates have unfolded, we have heard rousing cheers at the thought that we just might have to let an unemployed sick person die because they have no health insurance. "Sometimes that's just how life is" replied one of the candidates.
When Christians become too comfortable with being uncharitable and empathetic towards those who are less fortunate and underprivileged, the Gospel of Jesus Christ becomes a dead story. No wonder Bibles get so dusty.
Last year after Creating Change 2011 I chose the description of this blog. I wanted to connect us to our Baptismal Covenant that we renew on this Baptism of Christ. I wanted us to think about the last request about striving for justice and peace and respecting the dignity of every human person. It is so interesting how the word "every" becomes "not you."
While I cannot explain how God reveals God's Self in Christ what I can say with conviction is that I believe it. I also believe that in the very Person of Jesus Christ is all of humankind interacting with us and God in both prayer and community. What Christians need to understand is that every human person is represented in the Divine God head and the humanity of Jesus the Christ. There is no such thing to God as a worthless and unloved person. Humans and Christians might make it appear that God plays favorites. That is far from how God sees things.
When Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptized, Matthew's Gospel tells us that John said: "It is I who need baptism from you." John recognizes that standing before him is the one he prophesied about. Yet, Jesus in his humility recognizes his responsibility to fulfill what God requires of him and that is to be baptized as one who is like all humankind. In Matthew's Gospel and in Mark, Jesus emerges from the waters of his baptism with the words: "Behold, my beloved in whom I am well pleased."
We are God's beloved and with us God is well pleased. I have been writing that every year on this Baptism of the Lord and I will continue to write it. It has to sink in that all of us are God's beloved and with us God is well pleased.
All of us are broken. Wounded. Marginalized in one way or another. We all miss the mark and do not quite get it. On this day everything we are and are not is recognized by God through our Baptism into Christ. Everything about us both good and not so good is so important to God. God sees in us God's beloved with whom God is well pleased.
In his letter to the Galatians Paul wrote:
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 27.28 NRSV).
Does this knowledge of our being beloved of God give us any right or privilege to look down on anyone else who is not quite like us? No. Jesus who is God's Incarnate Word through whom all things were made (see John 1: 2,3), humbled himself rather than sought equality with God (see Philippians 2: 5-11). Jesus saw the beauty and wonder of God's creation in the hearts and souls of all who came to him.
There is no justification for taking away the marriage equality of LGBT people, nor seeking to pass constitutional amendments.
There is no excuse for being happy about someone dying because they cannot afford health care.
There is no righteousness in targeting Muslims and Jews and other religions or those who are of no religion at all.
There is no witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in taking away a woman's options for reproductive health care.
If all of us could only stop for a brief period and remember that all of us are God's beloved with whom God is well pleased; perhaps we would respect and take care of one another better than we do. The dead Gospel would truly come alive in the world if Christians were to make justice and equality for all people the purpose and mission of our prayers and life. All of us are connected to each other in God's beloved with whom God is well pleased. As each of us are God's beloved with whom God is well pleased, so are those without equality, justice and full inclusion in the Church and society.
Prayers
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River
Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him
with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his
Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly
confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy
Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 214).
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, page 818).
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, page 823).
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