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

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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.

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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

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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.”

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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!

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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).

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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.

Reading for Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: James 5:13-20

Peace be with you!

Erin M Diericx with ladies at Shepherd of the Hill
© Copyright 2015 Original Photo take by Margaret Schrantz

I am blessed with a close-knit congregation. During announcements, individuals are welcomed to voice their prayer requests, such as for God’s strength and healing in illness or difficult life experiences. One lady periodically gives us updates regarding her granddaughter who was born with a heart defect and other health issues. Over the past three years, we have shared in rejoicing and lamenting as the granddaughter has grown stronger as well as experienced a few setbacks. People ask the grandmother how the little girl is doing before and after the church service when they have not been informed for a few weeks.

James opens this section with three questions: 1) “Are any among you suffering?” 2) “Are any cheerful?” and 3) “Are any among you sick?” (James 5:13-14a NRSV). These questions highlight the human experience, because at any given time there is always someone who is suffering, someone who is cheerful, and someone who is sick. It is not always the same people who are suffering, cheerful, and sick each time—the roles rotate among the members of the community. James asks these questions to direct our attention to the needs within the community and away from our own personal dilemmas. In my Episcopal church, we give thanks for the individuals who have birthdays in the coming week, and during the prayers the deacon or priest names the people who are sick or who have died the previous week. This weekly practice emphasizes the important role each person has in the community and helps each of us focus on the needs of the community.

After each question, James encourages Christians to do something. James asks, “Are any among you suffering?” (James 5:13a NRSV). The question requires us to name the individuals who are experiencing difficult situations. The members of the community have to look beyond themselves and look into the eyes of those who are suffering. And when you are the one who is suffering, the question allows you room to share your story and to ask for help. James directs us to pray when we are suffering individually and as a community (James 5:13b). The simple act of praying gives us the chance to lift up and support one another. One of amazing things about asking for prayers is that it welcomes a conversation with and support from others who have had similar past experiences. The community becomes a resource and a support group for individuals who are suffering.

James asks, “Are any cheerful?” (James 5:13c NRSV). James encourages such people to rejoice and praise God” (James 5:13d). Everyone does not suffer at the same time, and those who are cheerful should rejoice and praise God for blessing them. As a community, James invites us to share in the life experiences that get us excited and in the many ways God blesses us. By celebrating others’ happiness, people who are suffering are reminded that [whatever “it” is] they are struggling with will eventually pass.[i] It also breathes life into the community where there would otherwise be despair and bitterness. Rejoicing and praising God shines his light into the world and reminds us there is hope in the Lord.

James asks, “Are any among you sick?” (James 5:14a NRSV). James tells us to have the elders to pray over the sick and to anoint them with oil (James 5:14b). When someone has a physical ailment, they are often times isolated from others for a number of reasons, including germ control, being physically too weak to be out and about, or being hospitalized. Being isolated causes depression and anxiety and can even lead a person to be suicidal. Surrounding someone, physically or spiritually, lifts them up and lets them know they are not alone in their struggle. Even if you cannot physically be with the person who is sick, letting them know you are thinking and praying for them gives them comfort in knowing they are not alone and are being missed. This helps the person to focus on getting better, resting in the assurance that he or she is a valuable member of the community.

James continues by saying we need to confess our sins and to pray for and with one another as a community (James 5:16). Confessing our sins is intimating, especially when we as community have to admit [whatever “it” is] we did was wrong. Yet if we admit our faults, we are able to seek forgiveness from others and to repair relationships with other communities. When different communities have mutual respect for one another, a corporative healing happens in which they work together to make the world a better place. When communities unite to spread the good news, they mend the brokenness of and in the world, lifting up each person and their call in God’s greater plan. By forgiving one another, communities extend the power of the resurrection and the invitation into the kingdom of God. What an extraordinary gift!

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for bringing us together as a community. Unite us in your name to spread your forgiveness, grace, and love in the world. Comfort the sick and the suffering, forgive the sinner, and lift us up to new life. Thank you for inviting us into your kingdom. Amen.

[i] However, it should be noted the individuals who are rejoicing need to allow those who are suffering the room they need to work through their current situation and vice-versa. A mutual respect should be kept.

Reading for Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: James 4:1-17

Peace be with you!

The devil and the Lord have been at odds with each other shortly after the beginning of time when the devil fell from God’s graces.[i] Unfortunately we get caught up in the middle of their battle. The devil wants us to fulfill our desires by living according to our own plans, while the Lord wants us to live according to his plans in order to be in a relationship with him and to receive his forgiveness, grace, and love. Both the devil and the Lord want what they think is best for us, but the devil has evil motives and does not have our best interests at heart.

The devil stirs up the conflicts and disputes that we then fuel among ourselves. When we want what is not ours to have, the devil tempts us with actions that go against God’s wishes, like committing murder and causing conflicts (James 4:2). We may be tempted to ask God for [whatever “it” is] that we do not really need, but it only satisfies a desire of the moment. Or we may be tempted to take what we have no rights to, because again it satisfies a desire of the moment (James 4:3). The devil does not care that fulfilling these desires will wrongfully ultimately cause more pain and suffering. The devil asks, “Why do you want pain and suffering now when you can be rich and happy instead? It makes no sense, right? If you can satisfy your desires in the here and now, why shouldn’t you take the opportunity? Why should you care about the welfare of others? Do others care about you?” The devil is only concerned about the here and now and providing a way for us to obtain our present desires, even if it comes at the expense of others. If we go after our desires for the wrong reasons, we are giving into the ways (envy, jealously, murder, fighting, and war) of the devil.[ii]

However, satisfying the desires of the moment does not satisfy our desire to be in a relationship with the Triune God, to know the love of Jesus Christ, and to have eternal life in order to enter the Kingdom of God. God answers, “It is not about you as individuals getting what you want in the moment. It is not about what others can do for you. It is about living in community and taking care of one another. It is about a bigger plan that I will fulfill in time with your help, but you have to be patient and put your trust in me.”

God wants us to allow his Spirit to dwell within us (James 4:5b). God’s presence is all around us; he goes wherever we go; he feels our pain, fear, sadness, joy, happiness, and contentment. By always being present, God shares his wisdom and understanding with us regarding his plan for us. If we allow God’s Spirit to lead us, we will see our riches in heaven when we come to understand his prefect plan.

God asks us to resist the devil (James 4:7) by washing our hands and purifying our hearts (James 4:8b). When we remorseful and repent our sins (James 4:9a), we can draw God close to us and he can draw us close to him (James 4:8a), which is how he shares his wisdom with us. Therefore, God asks us to speak with love, not hate, by not judging one another one or enforcing the law according to our ways of thinking (James 4:11). There can only be one Judge: God who is the only one with the authority to “save and destroy” by carrying out the sanctions of the divine law.[iii] God alone is the judge. Our job is to love and care for one another.

Furthermore, James says, “Stop leading double lives, and starting living for God—the one who created you and has the power to forgive when you humbly repent. Give your life back to him. God is a gracious God who offers his love, mercy, and grace. God will provide you with what you need as long as you live for him—and only him.”

It is a message of grace in the face of fear, of love in the face of hate, of joy in the face of pain, and of forgiveness and mercy in the face of confusion. God sends us to the places and people who need us the most. Sometimes God gives us a job description, but most of the time we just have to trust God will reveal his plan over time. Even if we do not understand where we are heading or why we must go to places we have never been to before, we can go in confidence that God will always be with us.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for calling upon us to do your work in the world. Help us to only want what you deem we need. Lead us to the places where we are needed the most. Remind us it is your will, not our will, to be done. Forgive us when we get sidetracked, and redeem us as your children. Thank you for always being with us. Amen.

[i] God created the devil as an angel who fall from God’s grace and fell to earth as a subordinate to God.

[ii] Dan G. McCartney, James, vol. of Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 208-209.

[iii] Ibid., 221.

Reading for Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: James 3:1-18

Peace be with you!

You have probably heard the quote: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”[i] We might claim this is true, but James understood the true effect words can have on their audience. Words can be a blessing or a curse. Individuals who have been mentally abused often battle depression and low self-esteem, because someone said they were not good enough. A positive role model can lift people up and lead them to have great success, because someone saw something in them and gave them the courage to achieve their dreams.

James says, “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. … With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so” (James 3:5a, 9-10 NRSV).

The way you speak to others says a lot about who you are as a person and as a Christian. If you have negative views about yourself and/or the world, you will complain and bring others down with you. Someone who mentally abuse others are depressed and have low self-esteem of their own, and they need to feel like they have power someone or something. As an individual who was mentally abused, I know how helpless you feel when you under someone’s thumb and how exploitative the person who mentally abuses another person can be. The person who is mentally abusive will use their words to be in control of someone. This is one example of what James means when he says, “the tongue is a fire” (James 3:6a NRSV). Words can tear people down and make them feel unworthy of forgiveness, grace, and love. They can lead people astray from what is most important—God and his love for them.

With cyberbullying on the rise, we have begun to understand the effect words have on individuals—and words do hurt. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics in their 2007 “Indicators of School Crime and Safety Report,” 28% of youth between twelve and eighteen report being bullied in the last six months at their school, with about one-fifth of the 28% reporting that the bullying occurred once or twice a week.[ii] A study done by Yale University reported 7% to 9% of the individuals who are bullied are more likely to think about suicide. About 69% of teenagers have regular access to their own computer and cell phone and use social media, and 42% of these teenagers reported being cyberbullied.[iii] Words have just as much effect as being physically attacked.

Bullying and cyberbullying can even lead individuals who have been bullied to kill themselves—to end the very life God gave them. James warns us against speaking out of envy and selfish ambition by being boastful or lying, because it results in disorder and wickedness, which are the work of the devil (James 3:14-16). James appeals to us to speak with wisdom and mercy (James 3:17).

Like a horse with a bridle, you can control what you say and do (James 3:2-3). A handler can control the whole body of a horse with a bridle. What you say controls what the rest of your body says. If you speak words of anger, you may yell, turn red in the face, and stomp off. If you speak happy words, you may shout with joy, be giggly, and jump up and down. When we control our words, we speak with wisdom and love, which yields mercy and good fruits without partiality and hypocrisy (James 3:17).

In his interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 14, 2015 (minute 15:28), Vice President Joe Biden said, “My mom always said, ‘Remember no one is better than you, and you are better than no one. Remember everyone is equal.’” When we speak with wisdom, we are forced to treat everyone with love and as an equal, because Jesus commands us to love our God with our whole being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. By doing this, we bring heaven into the world. God’s grace and love can then spread in the world, and our words become a blessing to whoever hears them.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us your wisdom. Help us to speak with wisdom and love to bring heaven to earth. Lead us to be your disciples and to do your will in the world. Thank you for giving us your love and grace. Amen.

[i] The earliest citation was in The Christian Recorder in March of 1862, though it was coined before that according to The Phrase Finder.

[ii] Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin, “Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide,” Suicide Research: Official Journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research 14 (July 2010): 206-221, http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Patchin/publication/45289246_Bullying_cyberbullying_and_suicide/links/55098f1f0cf26ff55f85eaa2.pdf.

[iii] “Bullying Suicide Statistics,” http://nobullying.com/bullying-suicide-statistics/.

Reading for Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: James 2:1-17

Peace be with you!

Photo Credit: Amber Sue Photography, www.ambersuephotography.com

Think of all of your friends—the people who you associate yourself with on a regular basis. Are your friends your colleagues who you grab a beer after work with? Are your friends the same race and/or in the same social class? Do you share a similar life experience, such as a specific disability or a tragedy? Do you share the same belief system with your friends? Do your friends dress and act like you? Who you include in your network says a lot about you as a person and as a Christian according to James.

Everyone has a few people they connect with and share their every move with. The titles of these individuals vary: best friends, favorite people, “besties,” sisters and brothers, and husband and wife. You call them when something exciting happens as well as when something upsetting happens. As a group, you act like a gatekeeper by deciding who will be included in your group. If someone dresses, acts, or talks differently than the your group they are not allowed into the inner circle. As a group, you judge others for not being like you.

On the other hand, people are attracted to others who appear similar to them. A few days ago I was leaving a restaurant when an older lady asked my personal caregiver if we were associated with Crest, a local school for kids with cognitive disabilities and behavioral issues. She went on to say her nine-year-old grandson goes there, and her daughter is very involved in the fundraising. My personal caregiver said no as we continued getting into my car. The old lady saw me as someone who had similar movements and speech patterns as her grandson and assumed I must have the same disability.

As a society, we judge others by their appearance—by how they groom and dress themselves before we even meet them. Based on their appearance, we decide if we will approach them or how close we will allow them to get. We stick up our noses at individuals who dress, act, and talk differently than us.

One day I was in the mall’s parking lot with a friend when I asked, “Why are they doing [whatever “it” was we disapproved of]?” My friend quickly answered, “They are not us,” as we drove away.

This interaction with my friend demonstrates society’s us-versus-them mentality. We continually judge people based on how they appear to be similar to or different from us.

James writes, “Stop it. Stop choosing favorites. Stop favoring one group of people over another. When Jesus said, ‘love your neighbor,’ he did not say you could pick and choose your neighbors. Jesus just said, ‘love your neighbor.’ So when you favor one group over another, you dishonor the other group and God” (see James 2:1-8).

James is not saying we have to be best friends with everyone we meet. However, we need to have respect and honor for everyone we come into contact with. We need to care about those less fortunate than us just as much as we care about those who are just like us, because even they are equal in God’s eyes. No one should be put in a corner, because they are different. As Christians, we are called to share God’s forgiveness, grace, and love with everyone we meet, not just a select few.

James goes on to write, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12-13 NRSV). We must show mercy to those who sin against us in order to receive mercy ourselves from God the Father. We are not without sin; therefore, we have no right to judge or to pick favorites. Dan G. McCartney writes, “Since both justice and mercy are traits of God, the one who has faith in Jesus (2:1) must also evince both justice (by showing no favoritism) and mercy (by refraining from judgment [4:11-12], by restoring a wandering [5:19-20], and by providing for the needy [1:26-27]).”[i] Therefore, we are called to fight for justice by not judging each other and by treating each other as equals.

With that said, James challenges us to live out our faith through our actions and not just with our words. James explains you would not tell the hungry to go have a nice meal without first making sure they had access to food (2:15-16), because faith without works is dead (2:17). James is not contradicting Paul by saying we have to do works to enter the Kingdom of God, but rather he is saying that our faith should be the reason we do good works. Instead of relating to those who appear to be similar to us, James challenges us to relate to those who appear to be different than us and to have a conversation—to find what struggles they face and how we can work together.

God’s love shows no partiality or favoritism. God’s love is for everyone, not a select few. Therefore, God calls us to go out and share the good news with anyone who will listen, even those different from us, because the Kingdom of God is for everyone.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for forgiving us and showing us mercy when we fall. Help us to have open conversation with each other, even those different from us. Create ways for social justice to be possible in the world. Lead us to love our neighbor as you love us. Give us mercy when we fall and forgiveness when we stand and repent. Thank you for having no favorites but for loving us all as we are. Amen.

[i] Dan G. McCartney, James, vol. of Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 151.