New Year's Eve, 2017, Coming Toward Me

John 1: 1-18

 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God. 
He was in the beginning with God. 
All things came into being through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 
And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not [has not overcome it]. 
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 
The same came [as] for a witness, to bear witness to the light, that through him all might believe. 
He was not the light, but a witness of the light, for the true light that enlightens every man, was to come into the world. 
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, and the world knew him not. 
He came to men as individuals but individual men received him not.           
But those who received him could reveal themselves as children of God. 
Those who trusted in his name were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 
And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory (as) of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 
John bore witness of him and proclaimed clearly: this was he of whom I said: He will come after me who was before me, for he was the first. 
For out of his fullness have we all received grace upon grace. 
For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. 
Hitherto no man has beheld God with his eyes. The only begotten Son (God) who was within the Father Ground of the World, he has become the leader of men into this seeing.
 
New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2017
John 1:1-18
 
Stepping across a threshold into a brightly lighted space temporarily blinds us. Overwhelmed at first, we are only painfully aware of the change. But slowly our eyes adjust. Objects begin to emerge out of the dazzling brightness. Then we can begin to navigate in this lighted space. We can begin to become active participants there.
 
In this gospel reading, we are presented at first with an overwhelming grandiosity. The Word sounds forth out of the silence, creating. A light of lightning brightness, the light of life, radiates out into the darkness. At first, we human beings are uncomprehending, dazzled perhaps by too much light. But gradually details begin to emerge. There comes a man called John who bears witness, who talks to us about what we can barely make out. He is a guide. He helps us to make sense of the overpowering brightness coming toward us from across the threshold. He helps our eyes to see by reporting to us how things are related. He

shows us that all the numerous graces of our lives, our privileges, our richness, our inner wealth, comes from this light-filled fullness beyond. He encourages us to look around at this light-filled space. And to notice that once inside it, there will be a guide. That once we cross over into the realm of light, the One who created the light will guide us in apprehending what we see. Under His leadership, we will navigate the space. With His help, we will find our place and our task. For the Creator Spirit is also the Revealer. As we cross the threshold into a new time, we can say:
 
The hour is striking so close above me,
so clear and sharp,
that all my senses ring with it.
I feel it now: there’s a power in me
to grasp and give shape to my world.
 
I know that nothing has ever been real
without my beholding it.
All becoming has needed me.
My looking ripens things
and they come toward me, to meet and be met.*
 
Yea, so be it.
* Rilke’s Book of Hours, Macy and Barrows, page 47

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4th Advent 2017, Often, Often, Often

Ravenna

Matthew 25, 31-45

When the Son of Man comes, illumined by the light of revelation, surrounded by all angels, then he will ascend the throne of the kingdom of his revelation. He will gather before his countenance all the peoples of the world and he will cause a division among them, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, the sheep on his right, and the goats on his left. Then, as king, he will say to those on his right, “Come here, you who are blessed by my Father, you shall receive as your own the kingdom which has been intended for you from the creation of the world. I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was ill, and you looked after me; I was in prison and you came to me.”

Then those who are devoted to God will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you starving and we fed you, or saw you thirsty and gave you to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or see you naked and clothe you? When did we visit you when you were you ailing or in prison?

And the king will say to them, “Yes, I say to you, what you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, that you did for me.”

Christ of the Breadline, Fritz Eichenberg

Then he will say to those standing on his left, “You will not remain near me. You are subject to the burning fire in which the aeon is consumed, and in which dwells the Adversary and his messengers! I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me to drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe me; I was ill and in prison and you did not visit me.”

Then they will also answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and did not give you to eat, or thirsty and did not give you to drink, or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison and did not help you?”

Then he will answer, “Yes, I say to you, what you neglected to do for the least of my brethren, you failed to do for me.” And thy will become subject to the aeon of anguish, while those devoted to God shall find the aeon of life.

4^th Advent

December 24, 2017

Matthew 25, 31-45

This is the time of the year when we are inspired to be charitable. A mood of generosity descends on most of us. Yet it can be short-lived. We often lack the inner and outer resources to continue in this way all year.

It may be worth noting that today’s reading is addressed to groups of people, to the collective, not to individuals. These groups will arise naturally, out of themselves, at the end of the aeon. On the one side are those in whom good will dwells. This good will toward everyone arises out of the ability to put aside self-centeredness and fear.  It arises out a habit of generosity and great-heartedness. On the other side are those who are perhaps themselves locked down, ill in spirit, trying to satisfy their own hungers and thirsts.  

As individuals, we may be able to help a few. It is not possible for one individual to care for all in need. Our strength is in numbers; it takes a group, many people dedicating themselves to helping those in need. Our strength is in making generosity a cultural habit, year in and year out.

Interestingly, the king does not chide either group for not recognizing the

William Holman Hunt

connection between himself and those in need. Recognizing Christ behind everyone in need would be too easy. In our blindness lies our freedom of choice and the test of our character. Apparently, in the end, the quality of good will is more important here than a capacity for conscious knowledge. It is the quality of our will, our good deeds, our love, which will be revealed at the end of the aeon, not only individually, but collectively.

At the same time, the question arises: in what way is Christ is connected with those in need? The reading suggests that he is identical with them. In descending from the heavens, Christ has taken on all of humankind, and all of its weaknesses and sufferings, in all humility. Amazing to think that He needs something from us. He needs us to be his hands, his feet, to help all in need, to nourish and comfort them. An old Celtic rune sums it up:

I saw a stranger yesterday

I put food in the eating place

Drink in the drinking place

Music in the listening place

And in the blessed name of the Triune

He blessed myself and my house

My cattle and my dear ones.

And the lark said in her song

”Often, often, often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise.”

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3rd Advent Sunday, 2017, Guardians of His Beauty

Stephen B. Whatley

Advent (2nd, 3rd or 4th)

Philippians 4:1, 4:4-9

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown of glory, stand firm in the power of the Lord.

Rejoice in the nearness of the Lord at all times! And I say it again: Rejoice!

Let a gentle kindliness be evident toward all human beings you encounter. The Lord is near! Let not worry have power over you; let your concerns in all things be known to God by sending your supplication and prayer upward in thankful thoughts. And the peace of God, which transcends anything that the intellect can grasp, will keep your hearts and thoughts safe in the Being of Christ….

And lastly dear brothers I say to you:

all that is true,

all that is worthy of reverence,

all that is good and holy,

all that is lovely to look at and beautiful to hear,

all that has virtue and deserves praise:

let these be the content of your conversations and thoughts. All that you have had handed on to you, what you have heard from me and seen in me—put all this into practice; then the God of Peace will be with you!

Fra Angelico

3^rd Advent Sunday

December 17, 2017 

Philippians 4.1 and 4.4-9

If you were about to receive an important guest, you would probably want to prepare your home. You would probably first de-clutter and clean, rid the space of the debris of everyday life. Then you could proceed to add elements of beauty: arrange fresh flowers, light a warm fire or fragrant candles, set the table and prepare refreshments.

On this our third Advent Sunday, we continue our inner preparations for Christ’s coming. We are preparing the house of the soul for the coming of the Guest.

In the reading, Paul suggests first that we clear out the debris of worries by sending them to God. And when that inner de-cluttering is done, we can proceed with positive additions to our own soul space. Paul encourages us to fill our inner space with the aroma of gratitude and the warmth of loving-kindness. He suggests that we beautify the soul with thoughts that celebrate truth; with good and wholesome things to contemplate that evoke reverence; with lovely and praiseworthy virtue.

In this way we truly ready the soul’s house for the coming of Christ, by making our hearts a beautiful and worthy place for the Great Guest, the Prince of Peace.

For in the words of the poet:

We are the guardians of His Beauty.

We are the protectors of the Sun.

There is only one reason

We have followed God into this world:

To encourage laughter, freedom, dance

And love….

We are the companions of His Beauty.

We are the guardians

Of Truth.

Every man, plant and creature in Existence…

Is a servant of our Beloved—

A harbinger of joy,

A harbinger of

Light.*

* Hafiz “Guardians of His Beauty,” in The Subject Tonight is Love, by Daniel Ladinsky, p.46.

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