Get Woke, People! A Word for the 4th Sunday of Advent

Sunday, December 18: Advent 4

Isaiah 7:10-16; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

I know my kids love it when I’m hip and cool. And there’s nothing hipper or cooler than a grown adult using some “urban slang”---especially when that term is no longer used very often.  So I’m going to make my kids proud today and be totally hip and cool.

In today’s Gospel reading, man, that dude Joseph is totally “woke.”  Yeah, man, the dude got woke!

In the Urban dictionary, woke means: being aware. Knowing what’s going on in the community.  And even though it may seem strange that it happened with a dream, Joseph got woke today.

The angel in the dream woke Joseph to a spiritual reality that he is being called to live, and this spiritual reality is at complete odds with the worldly reality he finds himself living day to day.  Joseph and Mary have committed themselves to one another; there seems to be a marriage contract, arranged by the parents and including a bride price, which makes this couple legally bound to one another. All that would be left to finalize this contract is a ceremony, after which Mary will move in with Joseph.  But now, Mary finds herself pregnant, and Joseph is perfectly justified to dismiss her. It would even be perfectly acceptable (and somewhat expected) to shame her, and leave her without any further regard or concern.  After all, she’s made her bed, she should just lie in it…..right?

We already know Joseph is a different kind of guy because he chooses not to do the expected.  He sees no other way except to divorce Mary, but he refuses to shame or disgrace her. This will be a quiet leaving.  This simple act of compassion tells us, tells the world, signals to the Holy Spirit----there’s a God-shaped heart here in this Joseph.

So God goes to work via one of his special messengers, and taps on that God-shaped heart to a different possibility, an alternative reality---God’s vision and dream for Joseph.  And through Joseph, for the world. And Joseph gets woke.  Woke to an entirely different path that will have a completely different outcome.

First of all, let’s recognize that in order for Joseph to be “woke” to this divine reality, a predisposition is required---that God-shaped heart has had to be formed.  A predisposition means one is susceptible to something; one has a tendency or an inclination toward something.  Joseph is susceptible to God’s movement; Joseph has a tendency, an inclination, toward God’s message.  So when the messenger arrives to tell God’s tale, Joseph can see God’s movement, can hear God’s message, and is able to believe and trust—to take action and make choices---in favor of God’s movement and message.

Beloved, like Joseph, we need to get “woke.”  “Woke” to a whole different reality---the divine reality that we call the Gospel, the Good News. This divine reality that God is continually inviting us to live and reveal to the world, and beloved, it too is in utter conflict with the world’s reality.  Like Joseph, we are faced with a choice: will we be woke to God’s vision and reality or will we stay asleep to it by pretending it cannot happen, that it’s not our work, that we need not bother?  Which reality will we be woke to day after day, hour after hour, minute by minute?

The world’s reality proclaims that due to our National concerns and security, we don’t have to worry about the human carnage happening in Aleppo and the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.  That’s not our problem; we don’t owe them anything.

But the divine reality proclaims: For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe,  who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10)  

Other translations for the word “stranger” in this text are: alien, immigrant, refugee.  Beloved, it’s about time we get “woke” to this reality, and it is time that we commit our efforts to these our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, God’s own children for the hour is at hand.

Our worldly reality is doing its best to have us believe that some people, and their human rights, are not as worthy, as important, as others.  Swirling around us, fighting for our belief, our action, our support are the ideas that:

• ·      our environment, this fragile earth our island home, is expendable if it means bigger corporation profits

• ·      not all our children are worthy of an exceptional education

• ·      if people can’t afford healthcare, that’s their problem

• ·      we are supposed to build walls instead of bridges

• ·      women do not deserve equal pay for equal work and

• ·      our national citizenship should take priority over our citizenship in God’s Kingdom

People, it’s time to be “woke,” Woke to this Gospel we proclaim each Sunday, this Good News that we express in our liturgy, our creeds, our Lord’s Prayer week in and week out.  Time to get woke to God’s command to love God’s people as God does---sacrificially, steadfastly, without exception, and with a love that takes action; action that insures that all God’s people have enough:  water, food, shelter, healthcare, clothes, security, dignity, safety, hope, and love.  Because in this alternative reality, in this Kingdom of God’s, all are worthy of having enough….all.

This means that whatever we do (or don’t do) to the least of God’s people: near or far, stranger or refugee, citizen or immigrant----is what we do or don’t do for God.

We proclaim: God’s Kingdom come, God’s will be done---some of us daily---but are we “woke” to what we are saying, what we are praying, what we are asking?  If we truly desire God’s will is to be done, then like Joseph, we require a disposition toward God’s vision.  If God’s Kingdom is to come---the completely different outcome we hear in the Christmas declaration: Let there be Peace on Earth and good will for all humanity----then we must be susceptible, we must be inclined to be moved into action by God’s movement, by God’s message, at God’s command.

Joseph and Mary were just regular folk like you and me. Maybe they weren’t the first couple God called on to do this scandalous, remarkable thing of giving birth to God’s love into the world. Maybe they were couple number 238.  But, we know their story, this story, our story---because they said “yes.”  Through the lives they led, they were predisposed to hear God speak and move in their lives…..and they said yes.

The day is at hand, the hour is here: will we allow the messenger of God to wake us from the all too-often nightmare of the world’s reality and get woke to God’s vision?  Are we willing to be susceptible to God’s movement and message? Like Joseph and Mary, are we saying yes?  Wake up! God is tapping on our hearts.

All Shall be Well? A Word for the Third Sunday of Advent

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Advent 3

Isaiah 25:1-10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

John the Baptist probably did not expect it to turn out this way.  As someone who lived for God, labored endlessly for the love of God, sought to do God’s will……and here he is…..in prison! His life is at risk. He doesn’t know what the future holds, but it does not look good.

So, of course, he begins to doubt….and to question….calling out to Jesus: Are you the One? Wondering if it has all gone wrong because he put his trust in the wrong person.

I can relate to John the Baptist today.  I have often found myself calling out to God and asking: God, why did you call me to the priesthood at this time, when Christianity finds itself at the edges of so many people’s lives?  Why me? Why now?  And I call out to Jesus:  Why, Lord, why did you call me here---to these wonderful people who have to face great change?  These wonderful, faithful people who are now being called to relocate so that generations to come will be able to be a part of this ongoing Intercession Episcopal community.  Surely, Jesus, a change like this requires a priest with years of experience, a priest with specialized leadership skills. Am I the One, Lord, the One to lead, to equip this blessed community to do this work?

Perhaps some of you can relate to John the Baptist today.  Our expectations of what is going to happen and what actually unfolds are often at complete odds with each other.  Listening to our national discourse, it is clear that many Americans are doubting and questioning our way forward as a people…….listening to people’s stories each week, I hear many tales of doubt, of questioning…. stories of a person’s health hanging in the balance due to illness or injury. Sometimes life hands us a situation where our way of life seems to be in danger of disappearing. We’ve lost a job. Or a loved one. Or a relationship.  Changes have taken place in ways and routines we know, and those changes discombobulate us and we can no longer see the way forward. We feel like life has lost meaning. 

We find ourselves wandering….in the wilderness….hungry and thirsty…..longing for something, we may not even be sure of the something, but we would certainly like it to be different than the reality that surrounds us.

Today Isaiah proclaims: “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God…A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way;…it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.”

We often think that if we are on the “Holy Way,” we will know it with certainty because it will feel “right and good.”  My experience is that often when I have taken the time to discern God’s will, when I have been patient and listened, the Holy Spirit does indeed provide a path, a highway, for me to take.  All too often, it is a path I do not want to take. And when I finally take those tremulous first steps and move forward onto the path in faith, I find it to be difficult, costly, and uncomfortable.  Usually it doesn’t feel “good;” it usually feels inconvenient and challenging.  And, like John, I begin to question and doubt.  Now, don’t get me wrong, the Spirit does send goodness along the way, as well, and affirmations, grace….but the going of it, the walking of the Way….is painful.

In order to follow God’s call to the priesthood, Murray and I had to leave our jobs, which we had both held for over 15 years, and we sold the house our children grew up in, and we left behind the community who knew and loved us……all to get on that “highway,” that “Holy Way,” and let me tell you……it felt quite horrible.

Even though I was pretty certain (probably more certain than Murray) that we were doing what God was asking of us, that we were choosing a path that would lead us to living more fully as the people God was calling us to be, the leaving of the world as we knew it was heart-wrenching.  I was excited to go to seminary at Sewanee, excited to begin my studies, and I could envision possibilities with hope, but I bawled like a baby when I left the school and auditorium where I had been a teacher and director for 16 years.  Our last night in our house was spent with my heart aching and uncertainty that I, that we, could really do this.

The three years at Sewanee held many new relationships and joys and graces, but we knew it wasn’t lasting.  That at the end of the three years we would move again, and here it is, just over 8 years since we left De Pere, and there are still elements of our life before seminary that I mourn:

·      My friends with whom I taught and laughed and shared life with for 16 years

·      Our St. Anne’s faith family and the spaces in that church building which brought me peace

·      Our neighborhood, our neighbors, the grocery store I loved

·      Going to high school football games where I knew most of the people, including the players

We were so blessed, we Johnsons.  We had a lovely home, a great church, wonderful jobs; our kids were loved and supported by so many people. So much goodness.  It was the whole of our lives---all the rich wonderfulness of it.

And we left it all. We sold, gave away, packed up all our history together and moved out.  To follow God’s lead, to answer God’s call.  But at great cost. With tremendous loss that is sometimes still felt as a pinprick of sorrow.

And we have survived. And flourished. And grown. And have been so, so very blessed.  With new relationships, a lovely home, an incredible faith community, new spaces and places which bring us peace and joy.  The path before us often unfolded step by step---neither Murray nor I could see the end at the beginning.  Well, honestly, we do not see the end now either.  We do not even necessarily see the next rest stop before we leave this rest stop.  But we have learned that we do not need to see more than the next step.  We know God goes before us, determining the path, laying each next step. And we know we do not go alone.  We walk with other pilgrims, and God is here.  If we are willing to call out, reach out, and trust that God keeps God’s promise to be here, go with us, then we cannot be lost.  We cannot go too far astray, not if we take heart, believe, have faith, and respond to the call.

Right now when the Christian church is struggling and recognizing it must forge a new way forward if it wants to remain a Holy Way for people to come for generations, right now when so many people in our nation are feeling doubt and questioning and fear and responding with divisive words and actions, right now when this beautiful faith community of Intercession Episcopal is being called to relocate—to join with other pilgrims who are the same and yet different---- I hear God answering some of my questions: Why me? Why the priesthood? Why here—to these people? 

I may not have years and years of experience of being a priest; I may not have highly specialized leadership skills.  But I do have the experience to say to you with confidence and faith, trust and joy:  We can leave, we can move forward, we can let go and make sacrifices---great sacrifices, and survive. Not only survive, but thrive, flourish, and strengthen.  Oh, it will change us, of that there is no doubt.  But as we walk with God on this journey, inviting the Holy Spirit onto every brick of the path, God’s job is to restore, to redeem, to realign our steps so that we are not lost nor go astray.  God’s promise is that even on this wilderness pilgrimage we will taste everlasting joy.  That even in the desert, our thirst will be quenched and we are being restored.

A priest’s role is to empower and equip God’s people to do God’s work in the world. Doing God’s work in the world is a pretty hard gig sometimes.  Laying aside your life for others---which is the Holy Way, the highway we are called to walk----may indeed be holy, but it is also just plain hard. And challenging. And uncomfortable. 

But, oh, beloved---the richness of it. The wonderfulness of it as God empowers us to do what we once thought was impossible or improbable.  We cannot wait until it feels “right” or until we can see the whole of the path before us or until we want to do it.  God calls us now.  There is work to be done, the work of building and creating new relationships, new beloved communities of God, of healing the broken and the wounded.  Joining with fellow pilgrims so that many others can taste and see God’s love and grace. As the first verse of the ninth chapter of the book of Judith reads: “For your strength does not depend on numbers, nor your might on the powerful. But you are the God of the lowly, helper of the oppressed, upholder of the weak, protector of the forsaken, Savior of those without hope.

“Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God;”  “All shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well.”

Sunday, December 4: Kingdom Narrative

• Isaiah 11:1-10: Romans 15:4-13: Matthew 3:1-12; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

This is a diptych; two icons put together with a hinge in the middle so they can close like a book.  Usually, the two images share meaning or a connection meant to enhance the viewing of the two icons as one piece.

Our Old Testament reading from Isaiah is a diptych of sorts. The first five verses paint the image of Justice and the last five verses paint a scene of Peace---in fact, this is often referred to as the Peaceable Kingdom.

It begins with a sign of hope: from what seems to be just a dead stump that once was the royal tree of King David, there now shoots forth something new.  This new something is not only growing, it will have descendents. This is a bit hard to hear in our translation, but the Hebrew reads: “And a branch comes from the slip of Jesse and a scion from the roots of him and he shall be fruitful.”  So first there’s a branch that comes forth from the seemingly dead tree, but also referred to as a scion—a living portion of a plant that is grafted on to another plant---and there will be fruitfulness. More generations to come.

It brings to my mind Chapter 15 of the Gospel of John—Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.   Through baptism we are grafted into the life of Jesus.

But back to the diptych---starting with a sign of hope---a new something, a new life where once there was just a dead thing. And not just a new something---but a very unusual something---from the once royal tree of David comes forth a new kind of king.  A King of Justice. 

The Spirit of the Lord---referred to as a “she” in the Hebrew---rests on this new growth, this new life, this new King.  And the Spirit gives gifts.  It’s all about giving in this Kingdom, and it begins here.  The King is given “wisdom and understanding,” two characteristics often put together. In Scripture, we see this wisdom and understanding to mean at least one particular thing: the ability to face reality and deal with reality fairly and justly. Like Solomon, who in the first book of Kings prays for the wisdom to lead for the good of the people---not just for his own good.  Solomon prays for the ability to lead as God would have him lead.  With righteousness.

Righteousness in Scripture means to be aligned with God. Too often we let ourselves believe there are varieties of “righteousness.”  We ask ourselves: what is right? There are different opinions out there.”  True, there may be different opinions, but we have been been given Jesus. Scripture makes it clear: righteousness is being right with God. Jesus is righteousness. If we want to know what is right, what is good, we must know Jesus. How does Jesus live, choose, act? This is righteousness.  Righteousness is integral to Justice.

A second gift given by the Spirit of the Lord is one of “counsel and might.” We might refer to this as diplomacy.  Might comes second; counsel comes first.  This also incorporates how one uses authority. Is it used for one’s own good or for a greater good? 

And then we have the gift of the knowledge and fear of the Lord. This is not fear that is about fright or terror. This is awe; this is reverence; this is recognizing that God is God---knowing one’s place in the scheme of things, and our place is not the throne. Knowledge of the Lord; this is an intimacy, not just head knowledge. This is knowing the divine as family, the kind of knowledge that comes from time spent together, history shared, like dance partners who know one another’s steps.  And this King with these characteristics of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and reverence---this King acts with righteousness, in alignment with God; this King acts with equity in order to put an end to wickedness. We see Jesus in this King---even though Isaiah never met Jesus in this lifetime, from this prophet’s mouths and in these prophet’s words, we see and hear our Lord and Saviour, our Messiah, our King. The embodiment of Justice.

The second image of the diptych is the Peaceable Kingdom---a consequence of the Justice enacted by our King.  The Peaceable Kingdom is a result of how the King lives, a consequence of the King’s actions.  A Kingdom where predator and prey—although still predator and prey---they find ways to live together without destroying one another. They lie side by side without enmity---making room for one another.  The hostility, the death, the despair that once marked these relationships has been wiped away.  A new Kingdom has been inaugurated.

We want that, don’t we? We long for it.

But, do we believe in it…..truly? Really believe?  I have a button, a pin,  that says “Imagine Peace.”  A teacher friend I once worked with and admired saw it one day when I was wearing it and said: “Never happen.”  This friend was a faithful Christian.  “Never happen.”  Do we believe?

Believe.  A word of faith.  Believe like John the Baptist who pointed to the New Something Kind of King and said: “This is the One.” Prepare the way within you and around you for this One to be King. John who understood that belief meant taking action, not just giving lip service.

Believe like St. Nicholas who lived a life of giving instead of getting. A life of giving instead of taking. He had riches; he had authority----one might say “counsel and might,” and St. Nicholas used it for the benefit of others---particularly for those who were weak or poor or who might have been considered “undeserving.”

Beloved, here’s the thing about this Peaceable Kingdom. It requires our participation.  You see I believe Jesus was the branch that came forth from Jesse’s stump. And we are that next generation, that scion that has been grafted onto the root of Jesus.  Jesus the Christ has left this earth, but Jesus the Christ called us----called us forth to keep the Kingdom growing, and blooming, and coming up in unexpected places.  None of us are particularly qualified for the job. But the spirit of the Lord rests upon us—as the Living Body of Christ---and she qualifies us, she sanctifies us, she gives us what is needed to do the job.  To face our reality and deal with it—and the people and situations in our reality---with justice and equity.  Meeting the needs of the poor, loving our enemies, healing the wounded, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving water to the thirsty, befriending the lonely, seeing the invisible, walking with the blind. 

The Peaceable Kingdom is a consequence of the Living Body of Christ living out the characteristics of the King.  Embracing these characteristics leads to the reshaping of our minds, our hearts, our hands and our feet so that we become doers, growers, and midwives of God’s Justice.  Justice leads to peace.  This is our narrative.

You know, on a diptych there is a hinge that holds the two images together.  In this diptych of Justice and Peace, Isaiah tells us the hinge is “knowledge of the Lord”---knowing the Divine.  Making room for God within our hearts, making room for God in our calendar and schedule, making room for God in our everyday lives, living a life of discipleship---gathering, growing, and going forth.  Not just with whatever time and energy we have left over—but as our first priority, our first commitment, our first loyalty.  Our primary identity is as a citizen of God’s Kingdom—this Kingdom of Justice leading to peace.  This is our narrative. This is the life we are called to live; this is the life we are to ask our legislators and leaders to strive for; this is the life that ends the warfare, the injustice, the oppression, and the inhumanity that often holds reign around us.

As citizens of God’s Kingdom, we shall not passively agree with the narrative of our media, our culture, or our demographics. The narrative we see in the news, hear from the mouths of our leaders, and that is blasted into our movies, our graphics, our music---the narrative that tells us some do not deserve our compassion, some are not worthy of having enough, that we are to be afraid of one another, wall out one another, label and register one another so we know who to keep out and who to let in. This is the narrative of an entirely different diptych.  The diptych of Hate and Violence whose hinge is Fear.  This shall not be our narrative. We can choose another.

In fact, we have promised to choose another---to believe a different storyline: 

This narrative of Justice that begets Peace.

This narrative of Hope that begets Joy.

This narrative of mercy and delight that begets Love.

It all hinges on Knowledge of the Lord.

So, Beloved: Prepare the Way; turn and re-turn to Jesus; Make room within.  Our Christ is drawing near.