Happy New Year--Advent 1

The Rev. John A. Baldwin
November 27, 2011
ADVENT 1 Year B

This morning, the first Sunday of Advent, marks the beginning of the Christian year. Our New Year begins not with toasts of champagne, watching a huge ball descend in Times Square, or the singing of Auld Lang Syne, but with Advent wreaths and purple hangings; scripture readings with themes of longing, anticipation and expectation; and above all, a mounting excitement as we move forward toward the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Advent may not have the glitter and pizzazz of New Year's Eve, but it lasts for four weeks, not just a single night. It moves us spiritually deep down inside, rather than the surface fluff we experience on December 31st. Unlike the media's penchant for getting nostalgic and looking back over the significant events of the past year on January 1st, Advent is forward-looking - not simply to the event coming up in four week's time, Christmas Day, but far beyond that to the fulfillment of human history, the Second Coming of Christ, the reign of the Kingdom of God.

It may have startled you a bit this morning, if you were listening closely to the scripture readings, to hear such vivid and powerful images of chaos and turmoil. Isaiah implores God to tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains might quake and the nations tremble at his presence. In our Gospel reading from Mark 13, Jesus seems uncharacteristically dark, somber, even scary in his portrayal of the coming of the Son of Man. “in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”

Both Isaiah and Jesus are pointing towards the birth of something new. For Isaiah, God's intervention in history; for Jesus the coming of the reign of God.

Birth events are filled chaos and turmoil. Far out in the cosmos, the birth of stars in whirling storms of particles is beyond our capacity to fathom. The birth of an island in the eruption of a volcano scatters everything in its path. Closer to home, despite the very best medical practices we are capable of, there is always an element of uncertainty and breath-holding as a child comes into the world. So too, the passing of a human soul from this world into the next is filled with uncertainty and turmoil. Things that are new bring uncertainty to the human heart, which is perhaps why so often there is such great push-back and resistance to new ideas, and threats to the status quo.

It is appropriate, I believe, as we move into a new Christian year, and begin again the journey of faith that will lead us to the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, and beyond it to his life and ministry, culminating in his passion, death and resurrection, that the year begins with a warning: “Keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” Listen up folks...pay attention, things are about to happen.

Although the Christian faith asserts that the Creator of the universe is filled with love, forgiveness and grace, God is also awesome, powerful beyond our wildest imagination, and beyond our capacity to fully comprehend. While there is reassurance aplenty in the teachings and message of Jesus, there is also an element of uncertainty. “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.”

This heads-up and warning by Jesus has led through the centuries to myriads of religious leaders, mostly on the fringes of mainstream Christianity, to issue imminent predictions of his Second Coming. These go way back in time, but are also very much with us even today. We experienced this ourselves, for example, earlier in the year, when American Christian radio host Harold Camping stated "beyond the shadow of a doubt" that the Rapture and Judgment Day would take place on May 21, 2011, and that the end of the world would take place five months later on October 21, 2011. Camping, then president of the Family Radio Christian network, claimed the Bible as his source and said the Rapture would occur at 6 pm. local time on May 21st, with the rapture sweeping the globe time zone by time zone, while some of his supporters claimed that around 200 million people (approximately 3% of the world's population) would be 'raptured', that is taken up into the air to be with Jesus (while the other 97% would remain behind to suffer the agonies coming at the end of the world).

Kooky though this all seemed, some people at least breathed a sigh of relief when the day came and passed without incident. Following the failure of his prediction, media attention shifted to Camping's response. On May 23, he stated that May 21 had been a "spiritual" day of judgment, and that the physical Rapture would occur now on Oct. 21, 2011, simultaneously with the destruction of the universe by God. However, Oct. 21 also passed without Camping's predicted apocalypse. Whew....thank goodness for that!

I wish that someone in the media had gone up to Camping on May 22^nd or Oct. 22^nd and congratulated him, “You were absolutely right. The Rapture did occur on May 21^st and the redeemed were saved. But wait a minute. How very curious. You are still here!”

Most of those proclaiming the imminent second coming of Christ, are acting under the assumption they are one of the redeemed. “I will be saved, but you poor wretches will be lost.” How arrogant and judgmental, is that!

Lest we simply dismiss these folks as “Kooks”, let me point out that they at least have taken seriously an important part of Jesus' message that we all to often forget or take lightly, “keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come”.

What if we all kept awake, and lived as if today was indeed the last day of our life, no matter whether that be due to the Second Coming, or more likely our own physical death. How might your life and mine be very different if we lived as if today is our last day on Earth? We might choose to live in dread, fear and anxiety. But if we are people of faith, believing in life beyond life in the glory of God, might we not treat others around us with tenderness and compassion, savoring our moments with our loved ones, close friends, children and grandchildren? Might we not notice and drink in the beauty of the world around us that we so often rush past? Might we not remember with thankfulness all that we have been blessed with?

I suspect that if we lived as if today is our last day on Earth, we would find to our utter surprise that we are, in fact, actually living as if it is the first day of our life....our senses heightened and acute, our capacity for love and compassion immeasurably increased, our appreciation of every moment richly treasured.

The season of Advent calls us into a new beginning. It looks forward one to the celebratation of God entering into humanity in the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus Christ. It also points ahead to the future for which "all creation is groaning” filled with justice, peace and mercy, in which we fully love the Lord our God with all our heart, and our neighbors as ourselves.

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First Sunday of Advent
Year B RCL

Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37

GOD, PRAYER, and our BLOG: Thou shalt know him

Thou shalt know him

Thou shalt know him

When he comes,

Not by any din of drums

Nor the vantage of his airs

Nor by any thing he wears

Neither by his crown

Nor his gown

For his presence known shall be

By the holy harmony

That his coming makes in me

Source: Unknown (15^th Century)

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It was later put to music. You can find video’s on youtube that have some wonderful choirs performing this piece. Here is a children’s choir singing “Thou shalt know him when he comes.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDvsyI6CmGE&feature=related

GOD, PRAYER, and our BLOG: Prayer by Carol Ann Duffy

Prayer

Some days, although we cannot pray, a prayer
utters itself. So, a woman will lift
her head from the sieve of her hands and stare
at the minims sung by a tree, a sudden gift.

Some nights, although we are faithless, the truth
enters our hearts, that small familiar pain;
then a man will stand stock-still, hearing his youth
in the distant Latin chanting of a train.

Pray for us now. 2 Grade I piano scales
console the lodger looking out across
a Midlands town. Then dusk, and someone calls
a child's name as though they named their loss.

Darkness outside. Inside, the radio's prayer -
Rockall. Malin. Dogger. Finisterre.

Carol Ann Duffy (1955-)

The last line of this poem might be confusing "Rockall. Malin. etc" Here is what a good commentary writes (which can be found at http://www.squidoo.com/carolannduffy )
The final couplet is our epigram - the shipping forecast. The Shipping Forecast is seen by some as comforting and a daily ritual that happens every night before bed time, just like a prayer. It is also a navigation aid for the traveler - a traveler on the ocean, which conjures up images of solitude and vastness rather like human existence in the universe.

GOD, PRAYER, and our BLOG: CS Lewis on Evening Prayer

The Apologist’s Evening Prayer

C.S. Lewis, Poems (1964).

From all my lame defeats and oh! much more
From all the victories that I seemed to score;
From cleverness shot forth on They behalf
At which, while angels weep, the audience laugh;
From all my proofs of They divinity,
Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me.

Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead
of Thee, their thin-worn image of They head.
From all my thoughts,
even from my thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle’s eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.

      

Footnote to All Prayers
C.S.Lewis (1898-1963)

He whom I bow to only knows to whom I bow
When I attempt the ineffable Name, murmuring Thou,
And dream of Pheidian fancies and embrace in heart
Symbols (I know) which cannot be the thing Thou art.
Thus always, taken at their word, all prayers blaspheme
Worshipping with frail images a folk-lore dream,
And all men in their praying, self-deceived, address
The coinage of their own unquiet thoughts, unless
Thou in magnetic mercy to Thyself divert
Our arrows, aimed unskilfully, beyond desert;
And all men are idolators, crying unheard
To a deaf idol, if Thou take them at their word.

Take not, O Lord, our literal sense.  Lord, in thy great
Unbroken speech our limping metaphor translate.

GOD, PRAYER, and our BLOG: Answered Prayer

 Answered Prayer

In the dark

I stubbed my toe on an interruption

stumbled almost tumbled in the awkward three step trundle

to recover balance 

cursed the moment as impediment

mumbled harm to whoever left the trip hazard in my path

and stood

suddenly in light

confronted by harm

had I continued as before

Humbled  

I gave thanks for the blessing

disguised as interloper 

and for someone’s answered prayer

offered for my wellbeing

           

                        R. Martin Basden, 10/19/11

GOD, PRAYER, and our BLOG: Kneeling

Kneeling
By R.S. Thomas (1913-2000)

Moments of great calm,

Kneeling before an altar

Of wood in a stone church

In summer, waiting for the God   

To speak; the air a staircase   

For silence; the sun’s light   

Ringing me, as though I acted   

A great rôle. And the audiences   

Still; all that close throng

Of spirits waiting, as I,

For the message.

                         Prompt me, God;

But not yet. When I speak,   

Though it be you who speak   

Through me, something is lost.   

The meaning is in the waiting.

________________

To learn more about this poem and author checkout: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178866

Growing Together IN COMMITMENT Faithfully

The Rev. John A. Baldwin
October 30, 2011

Year A Proper 26 RCL

Growing Together In Commitment Faithfully

A chicken and a pig decided to go out to breakfast one morning at Joe's Diner. After looking over the menu, the chicken said to the pig, "Look they're offering a special on bacon and eggs for breakfast. How does that sound to you?" The pig replied, "No thanks. For you eggs are a contribution. For me, bacon is a total commitment".

Our theme for this morning, as we come to the culmination of our 4 week Every Member Commitment campaign, is this: Growing together in commitment faithfully". This morning I'm going to address the topic of commitment, which has both healthy, life-giving & vital aspects, as well as unhealthy, depleting & even, at times, addictive aspects.

We have only to look at our Epistle this morning from Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians to glimpse the kind of commitment Paul had in preaching the Good news of the Gospel.....namely that Jesus has been raised to life, and the world has changed dramatically as a result. Paul writes, "We worked night and day....while we preached to you the gospel of God. We exhorted each one of you & encouraged you & charged you to lead a life worthy of God." Paul is an example of commitment at its best: internal, focused, clear, energetic & purpose-driven. He is committed to encouraging others to lead a life worthy of God.

Jesus, in this morning's Gospel, gives us an example of commitment that is not so healthy, in his depiction of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were very committed in their interpretation of the Law, and in demanding its observance. They were righteously indignant at anyone, such as Jesus, who violated the Law of Moses (as they interpreted it), even if by so doing love & mercy were effected....such as healing on the Sabbath. The problem, as Jesus shrewdly observes, however, is this: "The Pharisees preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders. They do all their deeds to be seen by men." Their commitment doesn't come from the heart, but from externals. Obedience is far more important than compassion.

Every one of us has commitments, some very clear, and others quite subtle. Here are a few of them - commitments to family members (our parents, spouse, or children); to serving our country in the military; to earning a living; to being people of integrity, faithful to our values and beliefs; to using our leisure time for enjoyment and refreshment; to keeping informed and in touch with others; to improving ourselves through study and action. Many of these commitments are healthy & bring meaning and purpose to our lives. Other commitments are less healthy, such as commitment to substances which are detrimental to our well-being; commitment to political & societal viewpoints that demean others; commitment to cherished beliefs which fly in the face of common sense and the changing world around us; commitment to old wounds, slights & bitterness we won't let go of; commitment to fear or disengagement from the suffering of others.

Some or our commitments we take very seriously. Others we take lightly, or don't think about much at all. Some of us are under-committed, skating along on the surface of life without making much of an impact on anyone or anything. Others of us are over-committed and perhaps experiencing stress & anxiety because of it.

If we have the courage to look closely at where our greatest commitments in life lie, a good place to look is at our credit card statement or check book entries. There will be reflected the commitment we have made to a bank when we purchased a car or house; the commitment we have made to the well-being of our family in our utility, clothing, food, education & insurance bills; as well as the commitments we make to our own fun and enjoyment. Sometimes what's very telling, is in looking carefully at what may be missing. Is giving beyond ourselves reflected in our check book entries?: to our faith community; to those in need or suffering; to advocacy groups who are addressing our concerns and values; to our youth and the future of our world?

As a faith community, it is vitally important that we examine our commitments and ask ourselves the question: Are we more like the chicken or the pig? Do we make contributions like the chicken which don't demand a whole lot of us? or are we perhaps called like the pig, when we give of ourselves, to make a total commitment?

Jesus lays out some very challenging calls to action from his disciples that involve far more than occasional contributions. In fact, his whole Sermon on the Mount is a call to total commitment: to God; to mercy, justice and peace; to forgiveness and truthfulness; to integrity and faithfulness. Anyone who believes you can live an authentic Christian life by half-measures simply doesn't get it. It takes commitment.

No where, I believe, is it clearer as to what is required in the way of Christian commitment in order to be a loyal and devoted follower of Jesus Christ than in those 5 questions asked in our Baptismal Covenant: Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? Will you persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

Our task as a faith community is to grow day by day, week by week, year by year in commitment to God as expressed in our Baptismal Covenant - worshiping faithfully; resisting evil in its many disguises; proclaiming the good news of God's love & grace; seeing Jesus Christ in every person we meet; and striving with our hearts, souls and minds that justice & peace may flourish in our lives & in our community.

May God grant us the strength to commit ourselves to the growth of God's Kingdom in ourselves, our family, our church, our community, and our world. Amen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Joshua 3:7-17 -

Micah 3:5-12 -

Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37

Psalm 43

1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13 - we worked night and day....while we preached to you the gospel of God. We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to lead a life worthy of God.

Matthew 23: 1-12 - The Pharisees preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders. They do all their deeds to be seen by men. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

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Lectionary:  1 Thessalonians 2:9-13   Matthew 23:1-12