The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: God's Love in Christ has Arrived.

Today's Scripture Readings are a mixture from the various Liturgies for Christmas.  As with year's past, there are two Gospel Readings here.

Isaiah 9:2-7 (NRSV)

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.

You have multiplied the nation,

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

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.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Psalm 96 (BCP., p.725).


Titus 3:4-7 (NRSV)

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Luke 2:1-20 (NRSV)

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

Blog Reflection

Christmas is among the most difficult celebrations to write a good blog post.  Everyone who celebrates this day as the religious holy day that it is, is hearing a lot of what I may write here in their churches.   Others for whom this day is not a religious focus for them, might find my words here to be another Christian trying to ruin their day.  If you are a Christian that opposes the things I have been writing about in this blog for the past four years, this blog post is another opportunity for you to see just how off the left deep end I may have gone.  If you are a Christian who is not so sure of where you are, my blog may add to your confusion.

The Christmas mystery is so full of beauty, celebration, memories both good and bad, that to write about what the Scriptures are about today, seems almost unnecessary.   As usual, I beg to differ.  The mystery of the Word made flesh is always being born a new in us.  Being born again is not a matter of a once in a life time event, it occurs every time Jesus reveals more about Himself to us.  As He draws us closer to His Presence in each other, the Christian Faith becomes a renewed part of how we live, how we talk, and hopefully how we act.

There is little question that there is much darkness in our world.  It is not a darkness that is a matter of physical light vs. blackness of night.  It is an absence of solitude.  A denial of the need to understand one another.  A loneliness experienced because of an emptiness.  A desire to be fulfilled, but, not being validated.
 
I think Mary and Joseph must have felt that darkness, loneliness and desire as they wandered their way into Bethlehem.  A young girl in labor.  A husband, with the duty to protect her and to see the safe arrival of the baby ready to come out, ready or not.  There is no room in the local inn.  There was no telephone or email to search for the nearest hospital, doctor or Super 8 motel.  No grand ball room, or Cathedral church prepared to dance the Christmas night away, after the Child was born.   Those came after, and rightly so.  Returning to the Nativity event, Jesus was born in the midst of confusion, disarray and life's messy moments.  Whether it was a Manger stable or a cave, does not really matter as far as I am concerned.

Composer John Rutter, set to music the beautiful words that Christiana Rossetti wrote about the wonder that happened.

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Stars and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith the sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and Love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea, and gift and sign.

The Love of God was Incarnate right in the middle of our darkness, loneliness, unfulfilled desire.   The long awaited Messiah came not like a mighty warrior or a King leading armies into battle.  He came as one so small, helpless and vulnerable.  A Child born of a young, poor mother and carpenter of a father.  Into the midst of our human mess.  Yet, He was a King.  He was a ruler.  Yet, He was merciful, loving, accepting, inclusive and He changed the world for all time.

John Rutter set his own poem to beautiful music in the Christmas Lullaby with these words.

Where are His courtiers, and who are His people?
Why does he bear neither silver nor gold?
Shepherds His courtiers, the poor for His people,
with peace as His scepter, and love for His crown.

In our age of billionaires controlling everything from the initial roll out of the Affordable Care Act's web site, keeping back a vote for the thousands who will lose their unemployment benefits at the end of this month, and food stamps for those who are most vulnerable; Jesus Christ, God's perfect revelation of God's Self is born as one who gives Himself, vulnerable, helpless and yet at the will of His Father.   He comes not to end poverty, injustice or even oppression.  He comes to empower us to do these things, and to walk with us in our efforts. 

If there is one Scripture that I wish were included each year in the Christmas Liturgy it would be 2 Corinthians 8:9.  "For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich."   If I were to reword this to reflect our Christmas meditation, it would read something like this.  "For our generous Lord Jesus Christ though he was rich in that He had everything and could do anything, for our sakes became poor, without anything and could do nothing, so that we who think we can do nothing will know that through Him, we can do just about anything we set our mind to."  Including, but not limited to, bringing the light of truth, the hope of justice, liberty from prejudice and violence all because our Lord Jesus Christ loved us so much, He gave it all up for our salvation.

As we join our church communities, families and friends to celebrate the coming of Christ among us as one like us, let us pray and discern together how we might greet Him on this happy morning, in those who are poor, lonely, disenfranchised and in need of being included. 

May every daughter, son, grand daughter, grand son, step son, step daughter, sister, brother, father, mother, cousin, niece, nephew, etc. be welcomed to our dinner tables regardless of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. 

May every person find a place to receive the Incarnate Word in the Holy Eucharist, and praise God with their voices and lives.

May Christ truly bring peace on earth through our efforts this Christmas Season and all through out the New Year. 

A blessed and holy Christmas Season to you and those whom you love.   And may everyone, because of God's love, be loved today.

Amen.

Prayers

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth
of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully
receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence
behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the
brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known
the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him
perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he
lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to
take our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] of a pure
virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made
your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed
by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom
with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and
for ever. Amen.   (All Christmas Collects are from the Book of Common Prayer, p. 212, 213).

Fourth Sunday of Advent: Emmanuel's Non-Traditional Holy Family

Today's Scripture Readings

Isaiah 7:10-16 (NRSV)

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted."

Psalm 80 (BCP., p.702)


Romans 1:1-7 (NRSV)

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,"

which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Blog Reflection

In this Year of 2013 we have seen an amazing transformation.   As of this past week there are now 18 States where the freedom to marry for same-gender couples is the law.  Even if the Governor and Attorney General of Utah are seeking a stay, at the moment their same-sex marriage ban has been struck down as unconstitutional.

At the heart of the ongoing debate about whether or not marriage equality is a good idea is the claim that same-gender marriage will contribute to the downfall of society, because it changes the make up of the family.  It is believed by many Christians that the "nuclear" family is one man, one woman with children coming out of the mother, supported by a well employed father, who go to church every Sunday and Holy Day.  The children are educated, sent off to college, meet their girl and/or boyfriend, get married and the whole process begins over again.  In the discussion about why same-gender marriage is so "dangerous" is that this is not how God intended the family to be.  They go back to Genesis about how God created male and female, etc, etc, etc.    Next Weekend, the Roman Catholic Church will celebrate Holy Family Sunday, during which many of their Priests and Bishops will say that the family is in imminent danger because of abortion, same-gender marriages, the media that seems to have one agenda, to destroy the most basic and sacred institution of society.

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent in the Year of the Gospel according to Matthew, we appear to have a very non-traditional family.   A young girl who is sixteen years old, expecting a child.  A man of the Royal House of David.  He is a poor carpenter.  He is betrothed to this young girl with child, who could face shame if she is believed to have been with a man she is not betrothed or married to.   In his dismay, he considers divorcing here quietly.  What's this?  The foster father of Jesus, considers divorcing his betrothed?   Wow. In the Angelic vision that Joseph experiences, he is told that the child who will be born of Mary, was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is believed to be the feminine nature of God.  Is it possible that we have a female to female gender relationship that results in a male child?   A pretty non-traditional holy family we have here.  

If this non-traditional family shows us anything, it is how God uses the unusual and not so neatly put together of situations, to bring about the perfection of God's will.   The lives of Mary and Joseph are anything, but neat and well organized.  Yet, through them God-with-us becomes a visible and physical reality.  God makes use of this travesty of human tradition, to break into our human history to achieve the unthinkable.  The Word becomes flesh, and God has a human face.  His Name is Jesus the Christ.

There is yet another surprise for white Christians.  This is a family in the Middle East. They were not Caucasian.  They did not speak English.  Nor did they vote Republican or Democrat. They lived under tremendous oppression.  Later this week on December 28th, we will remember the slaughter of the Holy Innocents.  The non-traditional holy family will become refugees in Egypt to flee the massacre of a tyrant and fearful king.

It makes you wonder that if this holy family came here to these United States, would we delay their immigration, by suggesting that they are seeking amnesty?

What would they think of a TV host who lost his job because of both racist and homophobic statements?

Given what they have lived through, you think they would really support a United Methodist Minister named Frank Schaffer being defrocked because he performed a same-sex wedding ceremony for his own son?

If they were to support reformed gun laws in the wake of last years shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT and last week in Colorado, would the "God fearing" extremists call Mary, Joseph and Jesus a family of socialists trying to take away their 2nd Amendment rights?

During these past three weeks of Advent, we have been preparing to remember the first coming of Christ to help us to look into our hearts, as we prepare for His second coming.  We would like to think that the world Jesus was born into was economically secure, free of racism, sexism, heterosexism, injustice and oppression.   The Gospel accounts of Jesus suggest that He was born and lived in a society not much unlike our own.  There were non-traditional families, individuals and communities in Jesus' very own community.  Yet, Jesus came and welcomed them all.  Those who thought they had their religious and spiritual lives all figured out by following the rules, were pretty much told to look and think again.   Those who were already marked as outcasts, because they were so non-traditional found in Jesus a new home in God's unconditional love.

Here we are at the end of 2013.  Life for so many is anything but peaceful.  Just yesterday, the same day that a judge in Utah declared the constitutional ban against same-sex marriage as unconstitutional, the "kill the gays" bill in Uganda was passed by their parliament.  LGBT people continue to face untold acts of violence in Russia and other places in the world.   The Gospel of Jesus Christ gets a bad name as Christ followers turn a blind eye to the number of Americans who face the loss of their unemployment benefits at the end of this month.  Millions of Americans have lost their food stamp money.  Homelessness, poverty, violence towards women, minorities, Muslims, Jews and many others continue right in our own communities.   This is the world that Jesus Christ, born of a non-traditional holy family wants to be begin a new life in today.   A poor carpenter named Joseph and a sixteen year old girl named Mary, come with their bundle of joy in the womb of Mary, who will be born into our world of oppression, violence, darkness and in desperate need of healing.

Will we welcome Him in each other?

Here's hoping that in two days that answer is yes.

Amen.


Prayers

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation,
that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a
mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen. (Fourth Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer, p.212).

Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.816).

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for the Oppressed, Book of Common Prayer, p.826).