photo credit: Ohio ~ Dover via photopin (license)

Reading for Second Sunday after Epiphany: John 2:1-11

Peace be with you!

Time measures our moments, our achievements, our failures, and everything in-between. Time indicates where we should be and what we should be doing by organizing our days, weeks, months, and decades into intervals. As children, we attend school and learn about meeting deadlines, making goals, and meeting the expectations of others. Upon graduating from high school, we enter college and/or the workforce. By our mid-20s and early 30s, most individuals settle down into a career, get married, and/or start families. Into our 50s and 60s, we begin caring for our elderly parents and maybe become grandparents. Of course, this timeline is ideal and presents the ordinary progression of life, which does not account for extraordinary life circumstances. I find myself about a decade ahead of my generation since I already help care for my stepdad and have settled into my own home. Time is different for each individual based on his or her own life circumstances, though there is also a natural progression of what should happen next.

In the Gospel of John, we jump right into Jesus’s ministry. In the first chapter, Jesus is baptized and calls his disciples. In the reading for today, Mary and Jesus are attending a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee when the hosts run out of wine. Mary goes to Jesus and tells him to do something about it (John 2:3). She knows Jesus is meant to do wondrous things for the world, and surely he can spare the host the embarrassment of running out of wine. We are led to assume Mary is helping in the kitchen and has authority over the servants, especially when she instructs them to do whatever Jesus says (John 2:5).

However, Jesus’s responses to Mary’s plead for help, “Women, what concern is that to you and to me?” (John 2:4a NRSV). To the reader, it seems like a harsh response for a son to say to his mother. Yet Jesus is creating distance between his mother and himself, because yes, he is human, but he is also divine—meaning only God the Father has ultimate authority over his actions. It does not mean Jesus is not affectionate to his mother for later he asks his beloved disciple to watch over her when he dies on the cross. In this instance, we see Jesus creating a boundary between his humanity and his divinity.[i]

Everyone experiences moments in their lives when they have to distance themselves from an individual who does not act according to their faith or moral codes. It does not mean we do not care about the individual anymore, but we simply have to create healthy boundaries between ourselves and those individuals and/or things that try to separate us from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I find myself easily influenced by people around me. I will pick up behaviors and talk like others. Over the past year, I have learned to “check” myself and be more true to my faith and to myself. When I find myself acting like someone else, I find myself stopping myself and saying, “No, this is not me. I need to act like myself.” Sometimes it takes a talk with my mom to see my fault, but yet it feels good to come back into my own skin and be true to I am as an individual and child of God—not that I am perfect by any means but I have to live according to my faith and my calling. Here we hear Jesus proclaiming his true identity and calling—only God the Father has authority over him.

Jesus goes on say, “My hour has not yet come” (Luke 2:4b NRSV). Jesus is commenting on the fact that his time has not come to reveal God’s full glory to the world. In the Gospel of John, Jesus’s time (hōra in Greek) refers to his crucifixion, death, and resurrection. At this time, Jesus will be lifted up and be manifested in God. The current moment does not allow Jesus to bring about God’s glory and would be self-serving to do so publically.[ii] Jesus is conscious about his role in the world and what it means to be the Son of God.

Yet Jesus works behind the scenes by instructing the servants what to do. Jesus tells them to fill six large, empty jars to the brim with water (John 2:6-7), and then he says to draw some out and give it to the chief steward (John 2:8). When the servants take the wine to the chief steward to taste, he raves at how the bridegroom saved the best wine for last (John 2:9-10). Although he does what his mother asks, Jesus does it on his own terms: in secret, without a big show-and-tell. This first sign is for his disciples to come to believe Jesus has authority from God and reveals God’s glory through his humanity.

There are times when we reveal God’s glory through our actions toward others. When we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick and disabled, and truly love our neighbor, we sharing God’s love with the world. Through Jesus Christ, God gives us a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God will be like—no one will be hungry, naked, sick, disabled, or excluded. We will all experience the love of God, if we believe.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for revealing your glory through Jesus’s humanity. Help us to be true to our identity as your children. Call upon us to express your love for and in the world. Be with us as we go out into the world to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick and disabled, and truly love our neighbors. Thank you for loving us as your children. Amen.

[i] Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, vol. 4 of Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 94-95.

[ii] Ibid., 95.

photo credit: Project 365/50 In Search of Color, part III via photopin (license)

Reading for Baptism of Our Lord: Isaiah 43:1-7 & Luke 3:15-22

Peace be with you!

Fear drives us to worry about what the darkness tries to hide from us. Worrying drives us to fear what is hidden. Will I have enough money to pay my bills this month? Will I be able to eat tonight? When and where will the next terrorist attack take place? Will my child make it home safety tonight? Who will take care of me when I get older? The darkness of the world tries to swallow us up.

In our reading today, people have been traveling to see John the Baptist in the wilderness for some time now. They are beginning to wonder if he may be the Messiah (Luke 3:15) that is promised in Isaiah. The individuals are filled with expectation for the Messiah who will set them free from the oppression of the Roman government. The Jews hope they will be freed to rule themselves.

However, John the Baptist renounces being the Messiah by stating:

“I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:16-17 NRSV).

John the Baptist makes an extreme case to separate his role from the Messiah. John claims his role as the precursor to the coming Messiah for whom who he is preparing the way (Luke 3:3-4). John differentiates between his baptism and Jesus’s baptism. John’s baptism is a call to repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’s baptism is with the Holy Spirit, and Jesus will separate those who believe from those who do not believe. Jesus will test everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike, and he will divide the unbelievers and the believers through God’s judgment (Luke 3:17-18; 12:10, 49-53; 17:29-30). In Luke 12:10, Jesus says those who speak again the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. In Luke 12:49-53, Jesus says families will be divided over his name. In Luke 17:29-30, Jesus claims he will cause a divide between believers and non-believers on the day of wrecking.[i] The image of fire illustrates how Jesus will consume and purify the unholy allowing them to sprout in new life, just as a forest fire consumes the dead trees and allows dormant seeds to sprout.[ii] John the Baptist directs us to what is to come—divine judgment.

In Luke 3:18-20, Herod puts John the Baptist in prison for speaking the truth about the good news because of his jealousies. Herod’s jealousy becomes one of the reasons why Jesus will be crucified and killed. There cannot be two King of the Jews, and Herod came first. Jesus being called the Messiah, meaning the anointed one, poses a threat to Herod’s kingship.

When Jesus comes to be baptized in the wilderness, the heavens open up and a voice says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 NRSV). Based on the fact that John the Baptist is prison, who baptizes Jesus? The other three gospels have John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River, but in Luke no one appears to be baptizing Jesus. However it occurs, God the Father claims and confirms Jesus Christ as his only begotten Son by pouring out the Holy Spirit on him—an action that can be done by God the Father alone. Jesus begins his ministry by spreading the good news and releasing the captives from sin. From this moment forward, Jesus tends to the poor, the homeless, the naked, the disabled, and the sick, until he goes to the cross. In his baptism, Jesus answers God’s call to reveal the truth in the world.

When we are baptized, God calls us by name, and we become his children. By claiming and confirming us as his children, the world cannot argue that we do not belong to God the Father. In the face of life’s struggles, God promises to keep us safe, to care for us, and to never abandon us, even in the darkest parts of the world. God takes away our need to worry or to fear the unknown. God sends us into to world with the Holy Spirit to lead us and to comfort in times of trial. We belong to God no matter what happens. We are claimed and confirmed as children of God.

Come, O Lord, come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for claiming and confirming Jesus as your only begotten son and us as your children. Help us to understand that you claim us at our baptism. It is your loving action that welcomes us into the fellowship of disciples. Thank you for providing us with your love, forgiveness, and grace. Amen.

[i] Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1-9:50 (vol. 3A of Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994), 323.

[ii] Sundays and Seasons: Preaching; Year C 2016 (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2015), 64-65.

Reading for Epiphany: Matthew 2:1-12

Peace be with you!

We have two choices in life: 1) to be frightened by the unknown and by God’s power in the world or 2) to accept God’s embrace and love. For those of us who accept God’s embrace and love, we embark on a journey without many clear directions or a clear purpose other than going where God calls us to be. God does not promise the safest path or the most cushioned lifestyle; he sends us into the darkness and the wilderness to find his lost sheep. However, there are individuals who are scared of God’s power in the world, a power which threatens their own power over others. To accept God means to let go of the things of this world and to follow a path that we may not know or understand, whose ultimate direction is unknown. God takes us on an alternative journey in order to lead others to his good news in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 2:1-15 juxtaposes these two ways of thinking. First, King Herod is introduced as someone who feels threatened by the Messiah—a toddler King of the Jews. King Herod will do anything in his power—even killing innocent little boys—to prevent this “king” from having any authority. Second, the wise men avoid going back to King Herod in order to protect the child. The wise men change their routes to go home and embrace a new journey through the Messiah.

King Herod hears about three visitors in Judea who are inquiring about the Messiah: who is he? (Matthew 2:2). The three visitors are called magi or wise men and may have been scientists who study the stars. The wise men have observed a new star in the sky and have followed it to Jerusalem. Based on their question, the wise men had some knowledge of Numbers 24:17, which predicts a king rising out of the line of Jacob. Of course, King Herod has no idea who they are talking about and calls upon the chief priests and scribes to find out about the Messiah (Matthew 2:4). The chief priests and scribes tell King Herod what the scripture says:

“In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who is to shepherd my people Israel’” (Matthew 2:5-6 NRSV).

This information poses a threat to King Herod, because the Messiah is the true king of the Jews. The Messiah is posing a real threat to King Herod who has authority from the Roman Empire to rule over Judea. If this Messiah is king, how will King Herod keep order? King Herod lords over his subjects rather than serving their interests. King Herod is a cruel and jealous king who will do anything to protect his reign. By contrast, Jesus is a king who will eat with sinners, heal the sick and disabled, feed the poor, and comfort the needy. Jesus will reveal God’s mystery over his lifetime. In Matthew 20:25, Jesus denounces kings such as Herod. These two kings are juxtaposed against each other, setting the stage for what is to come.

King Herod sends the three wise men to find the Messiah to pay their respect and asks them to come back to tell him where they found the baby boy so he can do the same (Matthew 2:8).

photo credit: Los tres Reyes Magos adorando al niño via photopin (license)

The wise men go on their way to find and pay respect to the Messiah by following the star (Matthew 2:7, 9). When they find Mary with toddler Jesus, the wise men are overcome with joy and give him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11). As they prepare to leave, the wise men are warned through a dream not to go back to King Herod and to go back home a different way (Matthew 2:12). Although the wise men practice a different faith tradition, God leads them by a star to Jesus, which changes their course in the future. It is no longer about astronomy or science for the wise men. The journey changes their directions and leads the wise men to a new understanding of life and the knowledge of in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, though they may have not understood the impact he would have on the world.

By contrast, King Herod refuses to embrace God’s light in the world and feels threatened by a baby/toddler king. Before he sends them on their way to find the Messiah, King Herod asks the wise men when they first observed the star in the sky (Matthew 2:7b). This tells King Herod approximately how old the Messiah is.

When the three wise men do not return to Jerusalem to inform him where the Messiah is, King Herod orders all boys under the age of two to be killed (Matthew 2:16). Because he is afraid, King Herod is cruel, and he attempts to aim his cruelty at the Messiah and at anybody else who gets in the way. King Herod views the Messiah as a threat who will be able to overthrow his kingship for he will be the true King of the Jews.

Massacre of the Innocents by Valerio Castello, Italy, 1656-1658, oil painting on canvas

Kingship means sometime different to God than it does to the kings of the world. To the kings in the world, kingship means political power and riches, while to God, kingship is the responsibility of tending to the needs of the people, his children who will follow Jesus.

Jesus escapes the cruelty of King Herod when Joseph, his father, gets a visit in a dream from angel who tells him to take his family to Egypt and to remain there until King Herod dies (Matthew 2:14-15). Jesus escapes death for the first time, because it is not yet his time.

God gives us an alternative route in life—a chance to believe in something bigger than ourselves. We can choose to live in fear or to embrace God’s love for us. Jesus does not enter the world with the promise of an easy life if we follow him. Mothers and fathers have and will always fear for the safety of their children, and they have and will question why God allows some children to die too soon. Jesus even says families will divide over the sake of his name (Luke 12:49-53). Jesus says the world will be at war with itself before the end times. Jesus, the Messiah, does not make the world a safer place. However, Jesus promises that the challenges of this world are only temporary. Through Jesus Christ, we are promised eternal life—entrance into the Kingdom of God. We are promised to see God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in heaven where there will be no pain and suffering. As long as we believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who comes from God the Father, we will see the Triune God in his glory and be welcomed home in his kingdom.

Come, O Lord, come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for protecting us from the cruelty in the world, like you saved Jesus from King Herod. Help us to follow the path that you are leading us to follow, even in our confusion and frustration. Guide us in the wilderness where the world plots against us. Remind us that you have a plan greater than us. Thank you for guiding and leading us through the wilderness. Amen.

Reading for Second Sunday after Pentecost: John 1:1-18

Peace be with you!

The Gospel of John holds a special place in my heart. John writes about Jesus being approachable by anyone—the sick, the lame, the sinner, the seeker, the doubter, and the poor. It is primarily about having a personal relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. However, John’s gospel opens in a wonderful literary, poetic way, introducing us to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and son of man—the Word (John 1:1-2, 14), the light of the world (John 1:5, 9), the life (John 1:4), and God’s Son (John 1:14, 18) who is full of glory, grace, and truth (John 1:14).

Imagine the opening credits of the story of Jesus Christ: The Movie with the narrator reading the first twenty verses of the Gospel of John.

photo credit: The Beginning via photopin (license)

Imagine the first scene being from the creation story when God (the Father and the Son) created the heavens and the world. The first few verses of John takes the reader back to the creation story, back to the beginning of time: “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2 NRSV). Jesus is the Word from God. God becomes flesh through Jesus Christ and is made known to us through him. No one can know God without first knowing Jesus. Yet it is God the Father who sends Jesus to us. You cannot know one without knowing the other. By knowing God the Father through Jesus, we become a part of an intricate relationship. The story of Jesus Christ, our Messiah, begins in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve brought sin, brokenness, and darkness into the world, which is why we need Jesus in the first place.

Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus Christ comes into the world to be our light and to overcome the darkness (John 1:4-5). Light vs. darkness is a central theme in the Gospel of John. The light represents the good news of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, while darkness represents evil. God sends Jesus Christ into the world to conquer the devil and to free us from his grip.

When an individual lives in darkness, he/she only feels despair, anger, and resentment. We all know an individual or two who fights darkness on a daily basis. The friend who never seems to land on his/her feet and feels engulfed by the darkness. It is as though every time they have something positive going for them, the darkness brings them down again.

But even if we feel like we are living in the darkness, Jesus is overcoming the darkness through his presence in our lives. All we need to do is allow Jesus to be active in our lives. We can do that by taking our problems, dilemmas, and despair to Jesus and by having conversations with him through prayer.

photo credit: Madonna Nativity 20 via photopin (license)

Now imagine the camera going to the nativity scene. Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem and find there are no rooms left at the inn—the innkeepers represent the dark forces in the world who do not want the light to enter. However, Mary and Joseph find an empty stable where Jesus enters the world, despite the wishes of the darkness.

Jesus brings life to those who come into a relationship with him. Not only that, Jesus offers us a chance to be in a relationship with God, if we only believe. By sending Jesus to do ministry, to be crucified, and to be resurrected, God is inviting us to live life through a relationship with him.

When we experience a spiritual healing, we are given the opportunity to experience life as God intended from the beginning. By having Jesus in our lives, we are invited to enjoy and have eternal life. Jesus conquered death through his crucifixion and resurrection, so we could enjoy eternal life with the Triune God.

photo credit: LE NAIN Brothers via photopin (license)

Imagine the scene changes to show the shepherds being visited by a host of angels. The shepherds find Mary and Joseph with Baby Jesus. The shepherds spend time with the holy family and tell them about the host of angels. Mary tears up with all that she hears as Joseph comforts her and Jesus sleeps in the hay. Then two years or so later three wise men follow a star to find the toddler Jesus with Mary and give then gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Even as a small child, Jesus begins having relationships with ordinary individuals in the world.

photo credit: Los tres Reyes Magos adorando al niño via photopin (license)

Jesus is God’s only begotten Son. God sent us his only Son, so he could die for our sins, a debt we cannot repay. Even at Christmas, there is the promise of the resurrection and eternal life for all who believe.

Jesus is full of glory, grace, and truth. Jesus comes into our lives to give glory to God the Father. Who else can give God the Father the glory he deserves? God’s perfect Son gives glory to his Father. We can learn a thing or two from Jesus about giving God the Father glory by lifting him up in everything we do. Imagine the scene of King Herod being angry with the wise men who tricked him and sending his soldiers to kill all of the boys two years old or younger. An angel visits Joseph in a dream, and he takes Mary and toddler Jesus to Egypt to escape King Herod’s ruthless decree. Even as a small child, Jewish authorities felt threatened by Jesus and his kingship over the Jews.

Massacre of the Innocents by Valerio Castello, Italy, 1656-1658, oil painting on canvas

Jesus brings us grace from God the Father. Through his crucifixion and resurrection, we are given grace to be in a relationship with the Triune God, even with all of our imperfections and our sinful nature. Without the grace God gives us through Jesus, we would not be able to be in a relationship with the Triune God.

Jesus brings us truth from God the Father. Jesus is constantly battling the Pharisees over what God truly wants for his children and the devil over what it truly means to be a king. Jesus is constantly showing us what it means to be loved by God the Father. In his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus proves all of these things to those who are willing to believe.

Jesus is also constantly battling rejection and acceptance (John 1:11-13). His own people would not accept Jesus because he was constantly going against the teaching of the Pharisees. Jesus goes against the grain and challenges us to seek truth. Since his own people would not accept him, Jesus reaches out to the Gentiles, non-Jews, and invites them to be children of God. Anyone, Jews and Gentiles alike, who chooses to believe in his name is given the power to be a child of God. What an awesome power to be given!

Preaching of St John the Baptist  1486-90
Fresco, width 450 cm
Cappella Tornabuoni, Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Now the movie begins with John the Baptist on the Jordan River. The crowd has its attention on John as he shouts, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me” (John 1:15c NRSV). Soon John will baptize Jesus, and we will follow Jesus as he travels throughout Galilee and to Jerusalem where he will face the Pharisees and be led to the cross. The author of the Gospel of John connects the story of Jesus with the creation story and invites us on the Jesus’s journey as the story unfolds.

On this third day of 2016, I challenge you to make a resolution to grow closer to God. Welcome this (re)introduction to Jesus Christ as a way to (re)connect with the Triune God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for (re)introducing Jesus to us. Help us to accept his teachings this coming year and to welcome him into our lives. Thank you for the awesome power to be your children. Amen.

Reading for First Sunday after Christmas: Luke 2:41-52

Peace be with you!

Being a parent is tough. My friends tell me that at times, it can be overwhelming, especially for new parents. There is no handbook detailing what to do in each and every situation. As parents, you do your

photo credit: DSC_8561 via photopin (license)

best to teach your children not to talk to strangers and to come home at a given time. Yet the worst-case scenario occasionally happens: children go missing, Amber Alerts go out, and frightened parents wait for news. Sometimes the worst-case scenario is an unforeseen event like a mass shooting or a potential threat, causing chaos where order and procedures are kept and for a time you do not know what is happening or if your children are safe. As parents, you try your best to protect your children and to prevent the worst-case scenarios.

As a child (older or younger), have you ever tried to explain something to your parents and find them missing the point? You try to explain why you chose to be [whatever “it” is you decided to do with your life] over [whatever “it” is they thought you should do], and they still call you foolish. Or maybe you chose a field your parents know little or nothing about, so when you tell them about your work, your words fall on deaf ears; the language you speak every day is a foreign language to them. Or maybe your parent are extremely proud of you and brag about you because you have more education than they ever dreamed of and you are doing important work, but they still do not understand completely what you do or why you do it. Or maybe you are just trying to teach them how to use their cellphone and/or tablet, and they just give you blank stares.

Mary and Joseph are good Jewish parents. Each year Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover (Luke 2:41-42) and teach him the Torah. Since Jerusalem is central to the Jewish traditions—the temple is there and is where God dwells, Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Jerusalem every year.

photo credit: U-Bahn Theresienwiese via photopin (license)

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph travel as a community with their friends and family members to and from Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph leave Jerusalem with the group and are heading home when they realize Jesus is not with the group as they had assumed (Luke 2:43-44a). With haste, Mary and Joseph search desperately among their friends and family members for Jesus, and when he is nowhere to be found, they turn around for Jerusalem (Luke 2:44b-45). I am sure any parent can relate to Mary and Joseph’s panic. As parents, it is your job to keep track of your children, to protect them, to feed and clothe them, and so much more. It is a tough job. If that is not enough pressure, Mary and Joseph just happen to be raising God’s only begotten son. So when Jesus goes missing, it is a big deal.

Mary and Joseph rush back to Jerusalem as if their lives depend on it. I mean what would God do to them

photo credit: Saint Martin’s Underpass via photopin (license)

for losing his son? Or is he laughing because they think Jesus is missing?

For three days, Mary and Joseph panic about their missing son as they travel back. The worst-case scenario is happening, despite Mary and Joseph’s best attempts to keep it from happening.

Mary and Joseph get to the temple in Jerusalem and see Jesus listening to the teachers and asking them questions (Luke 2:46). Mary, like any mother in her situation, is beside herself. She has been traveling for three days in sheer panic, and he turns out to be fine. And when she asks why he stayed behind, Jesus answers, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know I that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). As the child, Jesus says, “Mom, you are missing the point. I am where I am supposed to be.”

photo credit: Pure Soul . . . via photopin (license)

Mary and Jesus have different definitions of what it means to be missing. For Mary, Jesus was missing because he was not physically where she thought he should be—among their friends and family going back to Nazareth. He was not with the group, so he was missing. For Jesus, Mary and Joseph are missing the point: he was where he was supposed to be—in the temple where his heavenly Father dwells. Mary and Joseph do not understand that their family now includes the heavenly Father who calls Jesus as his own.

Jesus is true to his calling, even at a young age. He understands his place in the world is with God the Father, the one true Lord. According to the Gospel of Luke, the temple is where God dwells and is where you go to be with him. So if Jesus wants to spend time with his heavenly Father, he has go to the temple. Mary did not understand the significance of Jesus’s question back to her. Mary and Joseph forget Jesus is God’s answer to our prayers to rescue us from the darkness of the world. Jesus has a difficult and stressful job ahead of him, so he goes to the temple early and often to gain clarity and understanding concerning something far bigger than what Mary and Joseph could imagine.

photo credit: Lao Kids via photopin (license)

We often forget that children are also called to serve the Lord. We think children are too young to serve an important role in the Church and the world. Yet, it is the children who beg a visiting friend or family member to come see them in the Christmas pageant at church. It is the children who run to altar to be blessed during Communion. It is the children who go forward for children’s sermons to hear the good news. It is the children who remind us to pray before meals. We, adults, have a lot to learn. Where does our excitement go? Are we too conservative? Are we too polite? Are we too afraid of what others think? Are we too self-conscious? Are we missing our callings? Are we missing the point of the Christmas story?

God calls each one of us differently to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. Our ministries may look different and have different goals, but they all point to the same thing: the forgiveness and grace of Jesus. Maybe we should start answering our calls as Jesus does and stop worrying what others think. You may not understand the grand scheme of the objective, but that will be worked out in the end. Be eager, like Jesus, to serve God the Father.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us what is missing in our lives. Call upon us to do your work in the world—to shine the light in the darkness. Help us to come to answer our call to spread the good news of Jesus Christ with eagerness and without fear. Remind us that what is missing is not always lost—it just may not be where we expect it to be. Thank you for calling us to spread the good news. Amen.

Reading for Christmas: Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

Peace be with you!

Each year the world seems a little darker. Mass shootings seem to be at an all-time high. The country is polarized in how to respond; either people are buying guns and ammo, or they are petitioning

photo credit: IMG_4938 via photopin (license)

Congress for stricter gun control laws. There is also the growing threat of ISIS, which has supporters around the world—even in the United States. Now, as odd as it sounds, Americans are debating if it is safe to allow refugees into our country. Based on our heritage, all Americans can trace their lineage to a refugee or immigrant coming to the United States to escape a threat of some kind. However, the current threats are worldwide, and there is no longer a safe place to hide.

The world is a dangerous place. In this darkness, Isaiah promises a child will be born who will rescue us from the oppressors in the world with authority and will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:4, 6). God promises to rescue the Israelites from the Assyrian army at a time when they needed a word of hope and grace.

photo credit: 42-53013873 via photopin (license)

The Israelites are not perfect and fell into the trap of trusting their human counterparts rather thanGod, which led them into their current situation. Yet God promises to save the Israelites from their transgressions as he has in the past and will continue to do in the future. Today we need the same word of hope and the promise of being rescued from the darkness. It is the promise of the light entering the darkness of the world. It is the promise of something better beyond the darkness and the world as we know it. It is the promise of being saved from our transgressions. It is the promise of eternal life in the risen Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

In this darkness, baby Jesus enters the world when the Jews are under the rule of the Roman government, which will ultimately kill Jesus on the cross. The same government has Mary and Joseph traveling from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea to be registered (Luke 2:4) for the census, which puts Mary and Jesus even more at risk. The Roman government is front and center in Luke’s birth narrative of Jesus’s birth. Luke’s readers recognize the Roman government as a threat to Christianity and the Messiah.

In this darkness, Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem in Judea just when Mary is expecting to deliver her child. When they get to Bethlehem, there is no room in the inn, and they are left to stay in a stable (Luke 2:7). Mary is probably beside herself when she gives birth to her son in a barn, without a midwife or a female relative.

Far from home, Mary and Joseph are homeless, seeking refuge as they have travelled to Bethlehem to fulfill Emperor Augustus’s decree. Jesus is born homeless in a barn and laid in a manger; he is born where animals live, eat, and relieve themselves. It must be a far stretch from where Mary imagined having God’s son, the Messiah.

However, in this darkness, the manger aligns the Messiah with those who suffer and go unnoticed. The manger is warm with fresh hay, and the animals are feasting elsewhere. The

photo credit: Madonna Nativity 20 via photopin (license)

manger is far from home for Mary and Joseph, yet it is where they become family. The manger is not the place where a king should be born; yet this is where Jesus enters the world. The harsh reality is what greets Jesus when he is born. Jesus is born into a world where hunger, homelessness, jobless, little opportunity, and [whatever “it” is] you face on a daily basis are the reality.

Yet Jesus’s birth does not go unnoticed. The angels sing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2:14 NRSV). When sweet baby Jesus is born, God sends angels to sing praises and to tell the shepherds (Luke 2:13-15). The shepherds, who are ordinary people, are the first individuals to greet Jesus into the world. The people who Jesus will dwell with and will lift up in his final days come to lift him up at his birth.

In this darkness, Jesus enters the world to shine God’s light. God understands our fear and our anguish as we face the threats of the world. He understands the dangers we face as refugees, the homeless, children, individuals with disabilities, and faithful disciples. He understands how the world tries to engulf us in its darkness. Therefore, God promises refuge in the form of a Messiah. He promises to always be present in our lives, even when we are lost and blind. He promises to rescue us from the darkness and the current threats of the world one day. In this darkness, we welcome the Messiah into our lives and into our hearts to be our Savior.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for having Jesus come to us quietly, meeting us in ordinary places. Help us to see how Christmas enters our ordinary lives too. Remind us to sing praises to you, for you have sent the Messiah into the world to lift us, the ordinary people, up. Thank you for allowing us to welcome Jesus, the Messiah, into the world in our everyday lives. Amen.

Readings: Micah 5:2-5a, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:26-55

Peace be with you!

photo credit: Life from Above via photopin (license)

Take a moment and think about a person who society (or you) view as insignificant. It could be the person with whom you have the least in common. It could be the person who represents everything you are against. It could be the person who grew up in a different country. It could be the person who society recommends staying away from. It could be the person who has no power to influence politicians. It could be the person who has a disability. It could be the person who has a different lifestyle. It could be the person who is from the wrong neighborhood. There are various reasons why we overlook people; most of the reasons stem from what the world says about these people—they are not good enough, not like us, or are useless.

In an ordinary place, Micah predicts the coming of God’s power from “one of the little clans of Judah” (Micah 5:2b NRSV). Although we may be quick to think of the promise of the Messiah, it’s easy to miss the ongoing promise of the restoration of God’s people. God continues to promise to lift people up in their suffering and to restore them to new life. As a prophet, Micah rebukes the ethical code the wealthy are living by—taking away land and inheritances away from the poor (2:1-5), evicting widows (2:9), cheating their customers (6:10-11), and taking bribes (7:3). Micah also challenges the religious authorities for only speaking to their own needs: “who cry ‘Peace’ when they have something to eat, but declare war against those who put nothing into their mouths” (3:5).[i] Micah proclaimed the promise of restoration to the Israelites when the northern kingdom and Jerusalem were being threatened by the Assyrian nation. Melinda Quivik writes, “It was a call for the Israelites to put their trust in God and to remain faithful to him. The great rhetorical summation of Micah’s preaching—‘[W]hat does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ (6:8)—permeates both Micah’s prophetic word, and in truth, the teachings of Jesus.”[ii] Micah calls the Israelites to care for the needy—the poor, the disabled, the homeless, and the powerless. Mary’s song and Jesus’s coming echo this message, because the needs of God’s people never go away.

In a humble way, God chooses a virgin to give birth to his son (Luke 1:26, 31). The angel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her she has found favor with God and will be pregnant with God’s son by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:30-31, 35). The angel goes on to say how her son will reign over the house of Jacob from the throne of David and will be called the son of the Most High (Luke 1:32-33). Mary accepts God’s calling, as a faithful servant, and acknowledges God’s power to make the impossible possible (Luke 1:37-38). Before leaving, the angel tells Mary her relative who was barren is now pregnant (Luke 1:36).

photo credit: 1A7_DSC6040 via photopin (license)

In a humble fashion, Mary rushes to visit her relative, Elizabeth (Luke 1:39). Upon Mary arrival, Elizabeth’s child kicks in her belly, and she is overwhelmed with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41).  The unborn child alerts Elizabeth to Mary’s condition and the identity of her unborn child, therefore confirming what the angel told Mary. Elizabeth exclaims,

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord” (Luke 1:42-45 NRSV).

Even before he is born, Elizabeth becomes the first faithful servant of Jesus and the first faithful role model for Mary. Elizabeth allows the Holy Spirit to lead her to bless Mary and to rejoice with her about the news of her unborn son. Mary proclaims,

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever” (Luke 1:46–55 NRSV).

God calls upon ordinary women who are overlooked by society. Elizabeth has been barren, which was a disgrace to her family, and now she is too old to have a child; in fact, even her husband second-guessed the angel’s announcement (Luke 1:18). Mary is a poor girl who is pregnant out of wedlock—an offense that could get her stoned. In biblical times, women did not get much of a voice. However, both Elizabeth and Mary have lengthy monologues, express their faith in the Mighty One, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. God empowers these women with the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news to the world. Despite their youth and old age, he blesses these women with being mothers to his agents in the world.

God uses ordinary women to reverse social standards. Elizabeth is pregnant in her advanced age after being barren and disgraced her whole life. Now, she is honorable with being pregnant with her husband’s son. Elizabeth continues to challenge social standards when she welcomes Mary, an unmarried pregnant girl, with open arms into her home, even with the threat of social judgment and shame. Elizabeth blesses Mary as the mother of the Mighty One who will be praised by present and future generations (Luke 1:42). Elizabeth blesses Mary, because she is glad and faithfully accepts the calling. With his divine power, God overturns the social standard that would bring Mary pain and disgrace and causes her to be honored by future generations.

God blesses individuals who are deemed by society to be insignificant. Both Elizabeth and Mary have no significant roles in society. Elizabeth has even been a disgrace to her husband by being barren. Mary has disgraced her future husband by being pregnant before their wedding. However, God calls upon Elizabeth and Mary to bring him honor and praise by making them mothers of his agents. God gives Elizabeth and Mary a role in his bigger plan.

As Judith Jones writes, “May we, like Elizabeth and Mary, trust that God is coming to save and free us. May we, like them, give thanks that God has taken away our shame and then respond to God’s love by welcoming the shameful. May we, like them, become a community that supports each other as we hope and wait.”[iii]

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for taking away our shame and using us anyway. Help us to welcome the disgraced and insignificant into our lives and homes. Lead us to be blessings to others. Thank you for continuing to bless us. Amen.

[i] Melinda Quivik, “Commentary on Micah 5:2-5a,” Working Preacher, 7 December 2015, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1484.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Judith Jones, “Commentary on Luke 1:39-45, (46-55),” Working Preacher, 8 December 2015, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2723.

Readings: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18

Peace be with you!

Facebook even has a safety check notification when there is an international crisis.

As our national security heightens following ISIS’s attacks on Paris and around the world and their promise for similar attacks in Washington DC, one has to wonder where is God in all of this. Travelers have to watch the national security levels and be alert to their surroundings. Facebook even has a safety check notification when there is an international crisis, so individuals can let friends, colleagues, and family members know they are safe quickly if they are in the area. The Homeland Security Agency has a cybersecurity department, which is concerned with attacks on the national power grid causing blackouts across the nation. This kind of attack would shut down the government and make it difficult to communicate beyond the local community. Even if you do not pay close attention to the news, you cannot help but get a knot in the pit of your stomach. Teenagers have to worry about their peers bringing guns to school or being bullied by others. People are stealing packages from their neighbors’ front doors. When did the world become so dark?

Even though we romance about the past, like the 1930s or even the first century, the world was not any safer then than it is now. People still killed others over money or out of jealousy. There were international threats, like Nero and Hitler. There have always been the homeless, the poor, the naked, and the disabled. The world has always been a dangerous and scary place. It is in this darkness that John the Baptist, Zephaniah, and Paul enter the world as activists to bring about change.

Zephaniah was a prophet when Josiah was king over Judah. Zephaniah called for change in Judah by changing who and how the Israelites worshipped. In the book of Zephaniah, there is a call for the Israelites to stop worshipping idols and going against God’s commandments. In the opening verses, the prophet speaks about the Lord undoing the fifth and sixth days of creation by wiping out everything from the earth (Zephaniah 1: 2-3).[i] John the Baptist continues this message of the Lord’s work of undoing by calling us “brood of vipers” who are going to see the wrath of God (Luke 3:7-9). Both Zephaniah and John the Baptist have harsh messages for us to hear.

But despite the harsh judgments and messages, there is good news. Zephaniah sings praises when King Josiah repairs and renovates the temple where idols had been installed previously. In the temple, King Josiah finds the Deuteronomy scroll or something very similar, which sends him on a mission to purify the temple and tear down places where idols were worshipped (2 Kings 22:3-23:25; 2 Chronicles 34:3-35:19).[ii] Zephaniah was the strong activist who caused Josiah to reform Judah. After the reforms are in place, Zephaniah sings praises to the Israelites:

The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exalt over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17 NRSV).

The Israelites have once again found favor in the Lord’s sight by living accordingly to his commandments. However, it is impossible for us, the human race, to keep all of the Lord’s commandments. We are broken from the fall of humankind in the Garden of Eden. Watching the news at night shows how broken this world is, with its images of murder and terrorism. It is difficult not to be fearful of individuals who are different than us, especially those who look like those terrorizing us. Just like not every African American is a murderer, not every Muslin and Syrian Refugee is a terrorist and not every terrorist is Muslin or from Syria.

In the midst of a broken world like our own, John the Baptist enters the scene, bringing us good news and hope. John the Baptist points out our flaws—hoarding clothes and food, taking more than we deserve, lying, and making threats (Luke 3:10-14). No one is going to be able to avoid God’s judgment when he will judge the living and the dead (Luke 3:17). Although we are broken, there is hope through the baptism of repentance (Luke 3:8a, 16). John the Baptist calls us to repent and be baptized with water, because the Messiah is coming and he will baptize us with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16). We are given new identities through baptism when the Lord takes on our brokenness and makes us his children. God the Father makes a way for us to be in a relationship him, despite our brokenness, through the Messiah. Jesus Christ comes into the world to experience life in the darkness of the world, to feel our pain, sorrow, and joy, and to die for our sins in order to conquer the grave.

In order to spread the good news, we subject ourselves to pain and suffering, not because God abandons us but because we are faithful to our calling (Philippians 4:4-7). Out of our suffering, we are able to hang onto the hope and promise of salvation and eternal life. We are able to rejoice, because God loves us enough to forgive us for our brokenness. We are able to rejoice, because there is something more beyond this life and even this world. We are able to rejoice, because this is not the end but just the beginning.

There is hope in the baptism of repentance, because God the Father knows the world is scary place. He understands we feel hopeless, fearful, and lost. God the Father does not want us to grow accustomed to the dangers of this world. He does not want us stand up on our own. Our hope in the Messiah opens us up to the fear of disappointment, because no one has ever loved us that deeply in the past. But God really does care. God the Father wants us rely on his mercy and love for the world and for us, because he loves us unconditionally. He freely and willingly gives us a new identity through our baptisms. This is why God sends John the Baptist and ultimately Jesus Christ into the world to call us back to him. This is the way Jesus Christ comes into the world, to be crucified, die, and be resurrected from the grave. This is how we are able to share the good news that there is hope in the darkness.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Zephaniah, John the Baptist, and Paul as activists. Prepare us to accept your son into our hearts, so we may understand your gift of salvation and eternal life. Continue to challenge and shake our fundamentals. Remind us of your love for us when we get lost in the darkness. Lead us to the baptismal water to be made new again, and lift us up to new life. Thank you for our new identities in Jesus Christ. Amen.

[i] Christopher L. Webber, The Gift of New Hope: Advent 2015: An Advent Study of the Revised Common Lectionary (Nashville: Abingdon, 2015), 45.

[ii] Ibid, 45.

Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-10, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36

Peace be with you!

I wait … I wait for my personal caregiver to come in the morning. I wait for my muscles to start moving, so I can get out of bed and start my day. I wait for my personal caregiver to make my coffee and breakfast. I wait for my personal caregiver to feed me my breakfast—bite by bite. I wait for my personal caregiver to fill my water bottle, to tie my electric wheelchair, and to drive me to my appointments. I wait for someone to open the door at the gym or the doctor’s office. I wait for someone to have the patience understand what I am saying—what I need, my ideas, my opinion, or my witty sense of humor at that moment in time. I wait for my personal caregiver to come back and take me to run errands, if need be, before going home. I wait for my personal caregiver to make my lunch and to feed me—bite by bite. I wait for my personal caregiver to fill my water bottle again. I wait for my personal caregiver to help me—open mail, send letters, make phone calls, and [whatever “it” is] I need help doing. I wait for my personal caregiver to do my daily chores—make my bed, wash dishes, put dishes away, do my laundry, put my clothes away, feed the dogs, and [whatever “it” is] that needs to be done. I wait for my personal caregiver to leave for the day in order to have a few moments to myself. I wait for my second caregiver to come to make dinner and to feed me—again bite by bite. I wait for my personal caregiver to fill my water bottle again. I wait for my personal caregiver to do or help me with [whatever “it” is] that needs to be done. I wait for my personal caregiver to leave for the night, giving me a few hours alone with my pups before going to bed and waiting for tomorrow to begin.

I am waiting … I am waiting for society to understand I am more than my disability. I am waiting for society to understand I am willing and able to meet the next challenge—not because I aim to inspire others but because I aim to become a stronger and better-rounded individual. I am waiting for society to understand I have dreams, thoughts and opinions, grand ideas, a voice, and a personality. I am waiting for the day when society gives adequate services and help to children and adults with disabilities and their families.

To state the obvious, I am accustomed to waiting. Yet the older I get and the more friends and family members who go on before me, the harder it becomes to wait for Christ’s second coming. With ISIS’s attacks and other violent acts on the rise, one must wonder if the end is really near or if we have to endure more. How much more stress can the earth endure? How much more violence can we endure? The events of the world seem hopeless. We have all struggled with hopelessness. Some people are homeless, naked, and/or hungry, while others struggle with depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. Here we find ourselves waiting for the unknown—the fear of not knowing what is coming next.

In the first century, Jews were waiting for the Messiah—the one the Lord promised to send to execute justice and righteousness in the land (Jeremiah 33:15). The Jews were waiting for someone to free them from the oppression of the Romans. Like the Jews, as Christians, we are waiting … We are waiting for Jesus Christ to come again. We are waiting to see Jesus in all his glory. We are waiting for God the Father to have the last word with Satan in the final battle. We are waiting to enter the kingdom of God where there will be no more pain and suffering. Jesus tells his disciples he will come back to redeem them. Jesus gives the disciples signs to look for as a prequel to his second coming:

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 21:25-28 NRSV).

Jesus does not promise us that waiting is easy or safe. In fact, it sounds downright scary and difficult. However, there is also hope in knowing Jesus is coming to redeem us and we will enter the kingdom of God. Amy P. McCullough writes, “Hope knows failure. It admits to the vulnerability embedded in the human life. But it trusts God hopes alongside God’s creatures and dares to live under the promise that every part of creation will be gathered back into God’s fold.”[i] When we place our hope in the power of Christ’s resurrection, we can rest assured our biggest huddles will become God’s biggest achievements.

McCullough also writes, “The habit of hope develops as we train ourselves to see what God sees: a wolf lying with the lamb, the desert teaming with flowers, and old bodies bursting with new life.”[ii] I place my hope in God that he will find creative ways to provide for my needs and wants. The Psalmist reminds us to lift up our souls and to trust in God to teach us about his ways and to lead us by his truth (Psalm 25:1-2, 4-5). We are to put our eyes on the ways of God and to follow his paths. Instead of worrying about things of this world, Jesus calls us to be alert to what is promised to come:

Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36 NRSV).

In all of my waiting, it is easy to worry about the little things: will my personal caregiver show up today, will she help me get my stuff done without complaining, and so on. Instead of worrying, I try to focus on what truly matters. As I wait for my personal caregiver to come in the morning, I take time to pray and mentally organize my thoughts. As I wait to eat, I take time to catch up with what each personal caregiver has going on in her life. As I wait for my water bottle to be filled, I thank God I have access to clean water. As I wait for rides to appointments and to run errands, I appreciate the ability to be independent and the ability to direct my own care. As I wait for [whatever “it” is] to be resolved, I hang on to the hope that Jesus Christ will redeem me, despite my faults, in the last days. Hope does not mean failure is out of the question; however, hope means it will one day be better. As Christians, we place our hope in the Triune God who promises to come back and redeem us once and for all. Until that day, we need to hang onto our hope.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us the promise of Christ’s second coming. Help us to wait for Jesus to come again in his glory. Lead us to express your love to our neighbors. Call upon us to share the good news with anyone with an open heart. Keep us alert to be ready for Christ’s second coming. Thank you for sharing your forgiveness, grace, and love with us. Amen

[i] Amy P. McCullough, “Musings on Advent,” Journal for Preachers XXXIX (Advent 2015): 6.

[ii] Ibid.