Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice.
Joy reigns during the modern Christmas season. And, it seems as though this season gets longer and longer with each passing year. Christmas decorations seem to sprout from thin air in stores the day after Halloween!
Traditionally, though, the Christmas season begins at Christmas and is celebrated until the day of Epiphany. Prior to Christmas, as I’ve written before, is the season of Advent. This is a time of waiting, expecting, anticipating, and preparing for the arrival of the Messiah. It is traditional a solemn time of reflection and penitence. That is why liturgical churches use violet for vestments and coverings. Violet is a color of repentance.
The early Church, however, recognized that one of the defining characteristics of our life after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ is Joy. The verse at the beginning of this post is from Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi. He reminded the young church to stand firm in the faith, to work together in their struggle in the Gospel, and to Rejoice at all times.
The Church, therefore, chose to remember this during the season of Advent. In the midst of solemn preparation to receive the King of kings among them, as they sought to cleanse their hearts and make a place for the Blessed Child, they added a time for rejoicing.
The third Sunday in Advent is named Gaudete Sunday. (pron. Gow-deh-tay). The word is taken from the first word of the Latin mass for this Sunday. It is translated “Rejoice!”
So, on this Sunday instead of the violet of penitence, we celebrate by lighting a Rose colored candle.
Let our joy be made full as we join with the entire Communion of Saints to prepare ourselves to celebrate the Coming Messiah!
We speak of the Love that God has laser focused on us and the Cosmos. Jesus, we say, pursues us as a Lover. We are, in most of our imaginings, the object of God’s Love. God is the Subject from Whom that Love flows.
” Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine,” the Song says.
” How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”
These are words that we imagine come from the heart and mouth of the Lover of our souls. Passionate! Lustful! Erotic!
We see this Love as originating and flowing from Heart of God primarily in one direction. Yeah, we say that we love God. Why? Well, because God first loved us, of course. Then we try to explain how much work we do for God because we love God. Didn’t Jesus say that those who love Him would obey him? Our expression of love devolves into doing stuff.
What if we were to actually love God AS God loves us?
What if we take the place of Lover with God as our Beloved?
Then would we not chase God? Consciously? Passionately?
We would say to God,
Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.
Would we not be like the Beloved in the Song?
All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves.
Could we even imagine saying to God,
Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you… His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me… My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him…
This is the language of Love. This is the language of Relationship. Lustful? Yes! Erotic? Absolutely!
Let us shed our prim and proper sensibilities. We must not allow desire to be stuffed in a neat, little Victorian box where it lies stunted and impotent.
If God is indeed the Object of our Love, Express it! Live It! Embrace it!
This Sunday is the Second in Advent. Last week I shared a bit about this season here.
In that post I explained that the term Advent comes from that Latin, Adventus, which means “arrival” or “coming.”
And, that’s exactly what we celebrate at this time of year. It is a season of preparation, waiting, and anticipation for the “arrival” of the Messiah.
But, the Advent of Jesus 2,000 years ago isn’t the only way that the Church has understood this season.
The word Adventus is the Latin translation of a Greek word used in the New Testament. That word in Parousia. Parousia is translated in English using a few different terms. It is sometimes translated “Presence.” The Apostle Paul wrote about the times when he was “Present” with the Church at Corinth. So, it was not necessarily a religious word. It was a term that common, everyday folks would use and understand.
Another way to translate Parousia is, as mentioned above, the word “Arrival.” Again, it can be used to talk about someone’s “arrival” at a destination. Common word for common folks.
This time of year, though, provides us with the opportunity to understand the idea of “arrival” a little differently.
The Apostle James wrote, “
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (Jas. 5:7-8).
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s Parousia… Because the Lord’s Parousia is near…”
The Apostle was writing about the expected return of Jesus. According to the writer of the book of Acts, Jesus was taken up into the clouds at His ascension. In the same way, Jesus would return, (Acts 1:11).
Jesus will return, the New Testament writers agree. When? No one knows except the Father who is in Heaven.
We humans do like things to be done in a neat and orderly fashion, don’t we? I mean, look at how we’ve developed mathematics and theoretical physics and our sock drawer. A place for everything; everything in its place. Our minds and bodies respond to order and rhythm. Contrary to some popular ideas, we don’t really like things that are linear. Yeah, we try to draw timelines and straight line graphs and such. But, we are far more comfortable with things that are cyclical. Seasons, for instance. Winter is followed by Spring. Summer joins in the cycle with Autumn grabbing on to Winter’s coat tail to begin the circle again. We talk about the Circle of Life, not the Straight Line of Life. Medical folks speak about Circadian rhythms that follow a cycle. They don’t move from point to point to point. Rather, they follow the circular motion of the Earth’s rotation.
Cycles and rhythms are good for us. They provide for good order and allow us to function with a degree of confidence that today will in many ways be much like what we experienced yesterday.
One such measure of cycles begins this Sunday for those of us who follow the traditions of the Christian Church.
A brand, spanking new liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent.
Advent is the season that prepares us for the birth of Jesus. The word derives from the Latin adventus. That word means “coming,” or “arrival.” So, the season of Advent is that time of the yearly cycle when we look forward to the arrival of Jesus the Messiah.
In recent times, though, Advent has become little more than that time of year when we rush around finishing the shopping. We dig through the attic or basement to pull out all of the decorations which need to be dusted off so they can be hung on trees, (or, reasonable facsimiles of trees), or placed on mantles and coffee tables. Don’t forget the holiday table ware and dish towels! All of the local radio stations pull out their Christmas collections of music. (How many times can a person really listen to “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” before going completely mad?)
What if we actually stopped for a second and considered the Season? Perhaps, we could feel the rhythm. Let the Spirit of the Season rap out a cadence that our heart could match and join with.
Rhythms are part of who we are as Living Beings.
Let this Sunday be the beginning of a new cycle of life in which we gaze expectantly toward the Arrival of God’s Messiah in our lives.
May your day be filled with joy and peace. May those around you bring you comfort. And, in these things may we be thankful.
Also…
May you be safe. If the stress and pressure mounts, May you find a peaceful place where your heart may be quiet. For soon enough the day will pass. Then, we may be thankful.
Yesterday I shared a bit about the stress and anxiety that I experience during the holiday season. Like I said, I try to take steps to mitigate those things. I try to get necessary rest, take vitamins and other meds, use a Happy Light, and try to focus my thoughts and energy on things that may redeem this season and create a positive from the negative.
I have to admit, Advent and Christmas are much easier for me to grasp the redemption stories. They are all about Christ and the preparation for us to receive Him.
Thanksgiving, however, poses a bit of a conundrum.
After all, the holiday seems to be an homage to gluttony and self-serving individualism. A far cry from the ideal that we say we celebrate. And, I think we may be hard pressed to find too many Native Americans who are thankful that their land and cultures were invaded and destroyed as a result of that first meal.
What, then, can we take from this particular holiday that brings life and blessing for everyone.
Let’s take a look at what we consider the first celebration with the Wampanoag and the Puritans. Maybe there are a couple take aways that can help make this holiday more meaningful.
One of the first things that jumps out at me is the contrast of how that feast was celebrated. Today, we usually gather with our own family. When I was growing up that included the extended family on my Mom’s side. We usually had about 20 or so. That is, until we kids grew up and started adding to the count with kids of our own. The point, though, was that we were isolated in our own, comfortable familial cocoon. Contrast that to how our forebears celebrated. Theirs was a community feast where everyone gathered to celebrate a successful harvest. They shared whatever they had with the everyone in both the Puritan community and the Native American community. Theirs reached beyond the doors of their houses and touched the lives of everyone. Each brought to the table what they had. There were most likely the Three Sisters of Maize, Squash, and Beans. The hunters supplied meat. Those who plied the waters brought fish.
The point is, it was a communal celebration, not a private one. Perhaps we may find something redemptive in that kind of sharing.
The were welcoming of the “Other.” This may be the biggest redemptive act of the entire holiday. As I was looking for something to help me wrap my head around this holiday, I got out my Book of Common Prayer and read the prayer for Thanksgiving. Part of that prayer is,
” Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name.”
Notice that the prayer asks God to make us Faithful Stewards in order to provide for our own needs as well as those of All Who Are In Need. The Native Americans did that very thing. For reasons of their own, they chose to help these “Others” who had sailed across the sea and landed in their backyard. The Native Americans were Faithful Stewards of Creator’s bounty. Note that the reason for this stewardship and sharing is to bring Glory to the Name of God.
Perhaps we, too, can not only be mindful of our stewardship of the resources we have been graced with, but can find ways to welcome and support those people who are looked upon as “Other” in our culture.
Maybe, just maybe, this holiday has some merit besides over-eating and falling asleep with a football game on the tube. Perhaps there is hope that God’s Good Grace may use this day for God’s Glory and our continued metamorphosis into the Image of God in Christ.
Well, it’s official. I am now a confirmed Episcopalian.
Yesterday I was one of 10 adults who stood in front of the Church where a bishop laid hands on us and welcomed us.
It was a bit weird. Part of the Confirmation was that we state our intent to take Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Well, that’s something that I did nearly 50 years ago. So, I guess this was more like a re-commitment to follow Jesus within the context of the Anglican Church. Ok, I’m good with that.
What is significant for me, though, is that I am now accepted into a tradition that is ancient, yet modern. It is larger than me, yet as small as my faith.
I have searched for nearly a decade for a Church community that I could embrace, and would embrace me. A Church Home that is welcoming and inclusive. A place where the Spirit of God lives and gives life. Somewhere that diversity is sought and celebrated.
I have found that, and more, at St. Barnabas.
So, here I am, old and feeble, with yet another new beginning.
What will the future hold?
I haven’t a clue.
But, in this moment I am glad to be walking with these people, at this place, in this hour.
In just under two weeks I, and nine others, will be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church at St. Barnabas. This will be the next step for me in a long journey as I searched for a community of people with whom to share life in Christ. The past few weeks we have been meeting for Episcopalian lessons, better known as confirmation classes. Last night we spent the entire two hour class going through, and celebrating, the Eucharistic Liturgy. I want to share a bit about that.
Those of you who know me understand that I hold traditional liturgy in high esteem. Attending St. Barnabas was initially my attempt to find a liturgical church where I could fit in. I’m not entirely sure what was the draw to liturgy for me. Was it the history of the tradition? Perhaps, some. Was it the ceremony and symbolism? Yeah, probably. Nothing really, though, stood out as my Must See Moment.
I have studied the liturgy ever since I was in seminary. I learned all about the theology behind the ceremonies. I delved into the history of the various actions and found out the reasons that certain words were used and when to use them. As a student, I was enamored by all of these things.
That is, until last night.
Last night our priest walked us through the entire process from preparation and vestments all the way to the dismissal. And, my eyes were opened to something that I had probably heard before. But, it had never really taken root in my heart.
Many people think that liturgy means some kind of ritual or tradition that people simply follow. However, the word “Liturgy” comes from the Greek word “leitourgia.” That word literally means “work of the people.” For the Liturgy truly is a group effort. It is not a spectator sport.
I saw during our class the substance behind the actions. These words, prayers, and actions were put into the Liturgy with Intent. They aren’t there just because some guy 5oo years ago thought it would be cool to bow here or cross yourself there. Each movement is a neatly choreographed piece of an intentionally constructed whole.
To be sure, the Liturgies that we now have are not prescribed by the Bible. The only parts of it that are found in Scripture are the Eucharist, which Jesus instituted, and Baptism. The prayers and readings and actions are extra-biblical and are not essential for either faith or salvation. The Liturgy is, however, an effective help for the Church. It is a means by which a diverse group of people can gather with one voice and one objective.
The Liturgy is constructed in such a way that it focuses the intention of the community on the only worthy Object of our worship: God. This isn’t a social gathering where we are obligated to maintain relationships with the other people. It is far more significant than that. We gather as a community for the expressed purpose of worshiping God: Father; Son; Holy Spirit.
I came out of a tradition that does things quite a bit differently. In that tradition, the leaders were routinely called Shepherds. We, the faithful, were called the ‘flock,’ or ‘sheep.’ All apt metaphors found in the Bible. But, therein also lies a distinction that many folks seem to overlook. In my old tradition we were treated like sheep. We were herded into our sheep pen on Sundays where the shepherds would dutifully feed us whatever the sheep food of the week was. The form that this took was, we got together to sing some songs so that we could feel good. Then, we got to sit and listen to a lecture telling us how to live and vote and stuff like that. All of this was done so that we could grow and mature as good church members.
Am I harsh? You bet. And, with good reasons. But, that’s a topic for another post.
The main difference that I see between these traditions is that the one from which I came out all of the emphasis was on Me. Was I fed? Did I get anything out of it? Was I touched by the Spirit? Me; My; Mine. This could all be done in any motivational setting with similar results. Were MY needs met? Does this help ME grow as a person?
In a liturgical setting, like I mentioned above, the Only Object is God. Everything about the Liturgy points to God. From start to finish; front to back, it’s all about God. Period. Whereas the place I came from was always searching, searching to find a way to build Community, in the Liturgy we ARE community. We gather with one heart and one voice to come into the Presence of God and bow before the Divinity and Worship.
That’s it.
That’s plenty.
I have much to learn, yet, about the Liturgy and how it can be a real way to experience God’s Presence and Grace. I have much to learn about how to set my intention, coordinated with the intentions of all who gather with me, on the only Object worthy of our Intention…God.
Let Renewing waters, like Breath of God, Flow through you! All of the dust and grime that has caked itself to your Soul? Washed away! Standing naked in the Sun, You are changed. A Metamorphosis! A New Creature is Born!
The Apostle wrote that we all must be Metamorphosed As our Minds are Made New.
Our Head revealed Metamorphosis to His faithful Friends. He seemed to reveal to them, “This is how you will be!”
Ok, I know! It’s November 1st, not January 1st. But, today is an anniversary of sorts for me that marks a rather significant milestone. Before I get to that, though, there is another milestone I want to share.
THIS IS MY 400TH BLOG POST! (And, the crowd goes wild!)
I went back and checked. My first post was written using Blogspot on December 12, 2009. Considering that it’s been a decade in the making, maybe 400 posts doesn’t seem like a lot. But, it is. Trust me.
The other reason that this is a significant date for me is that one year ago today I started my first NaNoWriMo. And, that ushered in a year of pretty substantial creativity from me.
I finished NaNo at the end of November with a novel of just over 50,000 words. During that month I learned a lot about the process of writing. I learned that to create anything takes hard work and showing up Every. Single. Day. I had to average almost 2,000 words per day in order to achieve the goal.
And, I did it!
One of the results of that experience was an increase in content output for me. Yeah, I didn’t show up a lot on this here blog thingy. Not nearly as much as I would have liked. But, I began what has now been a nearly year long process of introspection. I primarily use Journaling for that work. Right now I’m on my third journal since Jan. 1 and will be going out to buy a fourth this weekend. And, yes, Journaling is creative writing. It enables me to tap into the Creative River that courses through the Cosmos. Writing this way opens my Heart to the internal Pulse of Life that animates me as I walk through the fields of this life. I also continue to develop the discipline of showing up every day to think, create, and write.
So, yeah! It’s New Years for me!
Tonight I will begin the task that is NaNoWriMo 2019. In 30 days I hope to have another 50,000+ words completed. As near as I can tell, this is the Best Way to ring in a New Year!
