1st Epiphany 2021, Uses of the Stars

1^st Epiphany

Matthew 2:1-12

Tissot

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea—during the time of King Herod—
behold: wise priest-kings from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the one born here, King of the Jews? We have seen his star rise in the east and have come to worship him."

When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. And he assembled all the high priests and scribes of the people and inquired of them in what place the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it was written by the prophet: 

And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come forth the ruler

Who will be shepherd over my people, the true Israel." 

Then Herod, secretly calling the Magi together again, inquired from them the exact time when the star had appeared. He directed them to Bethlehem and said, "Go there and search carefully for the child, and when you find him, report to me, that I too may go and bow down before him."

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and behold, the star that they had seen rising went before them and led them in its course over the cities until it stood over the place where the child was. Seeing the star, they were filled with [or, there awakened in them] an exceedingly great and holy joy. 

Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother; they fell down before him and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him their gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh. 

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country by another way.

1st Epiphany

January 10, 2021

Matthew 2:1–12 

"In the beginning,. . . darkness was on the face of the deep. . . and God said, 'Let there be light.' " Thus the very pattern of the world was stamped with one of the primal pairings—light and dark—like day and night, life and death.

It lives on in us as the pattern of our souls, which swing between love and hate, hope and fear, good and evil. Herod represents that dark capacity in all of us, which fears a loss of position, a darkness that instigates our capacity for calculating secretiveness and destructiveness. 

Yet, we also have the Three Wise Kings in us to balance out our inner darkness. They are the soul's capacity to see the starlight of higher wisdom; to be devoted to God's guidance; to willingly acknowledge the necessity of sacrifice.

The wise guidance of the star leads the Kings first to Herod, then to the Christ Child. It prompts the gift of gold.

Their devotion to God's guidance, sent to them also through the words of their warning dream, accompanies the gift of frankincense.

Their willingness to recognize the Child's coming sacrifice prompts the gift of myrrh.

The darkness of fear contends with God's light in all of us. Darkness leads us to destruction. But God's light leads to a great and holy joy. In the words of the poet Max Ehrmann we pray:

Lift up my eyes

from the earth, and let me not

forget the uses of the stars.

….Let me not follow the clamor of

the world, but walk calmly

in my path.*

 

*Max Ehrmann, "A Prayer," in The Desiderata of Happiness

Holy Nights January 3, 2020 God Pours Light

 

Holy Nights

Luke 2:25–35, 39–40

And see, there was in Jerusalem a man named Simeon. He was devout, entirely dedicated to the 

Good, and lived in expectation of him who was to bring the consolation of the Spirit to the people of God. The Holy Spirit was upon him, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, it had been revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Inspired by the Spirit, he went into the Temple court, just as the parents brought in the child to fulfill for him the custom of the Law. And Simeon took the child in his arms, praising the divine Ground of the World, 

and said:

de Gelder

Now you dismiss your servant in peace, O Master, according to your word.

For my eyes have seen your healing deed,

which you have prepared before all peoples:

A light that leads the peoples of the world to revelation and makes your own people shine in the Spirit.

And his father and mother were amazed that such words were spoken about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:

See, he will cause the fall of many among his people,

But he will also let them rise again.

He is a being who will call up dissent.

A sword will pierce your soul, too.

Through him, the thoughts and ponderings of many hearts will be revealed.

. . . .

And when they had completed everything that the Law of the Lord demands, they returned home to Galilee, to their own town Nazareth. And the child grew strong, wise in his spirit-filled soul; divine grace was upon him.

Holy Nights

January 3, 2021

Luke 2:25–35, 39–40

A small light can light up a small space; a large light, such as the sun, can illuminate the world. And the light of the sun not only illuminates; it creates and sustains life.

Simeon is in the presence of the Child who will grow to call himself the Light of the World. And the intense light of this Child illuminates not only space but also time—the past and the future. In this light, Simeon recognizes the fulfillment of a long-waited and long-prepared promise made to the folk Israel.

And to the Mary soul, he reveals the future—a dynamic falling and rising of individuals, hints of future suffering, but also resurrection. And he intimates that the inner workings of souls will one day become transparent.

As sweet and innocent and paradisally glorious as this Child is, his destiny nonetheless will arouse dissent. He will embrace all pain and suffering and will transform them into resurrection and ascension. He will wrestle with death, illuminate it and infuse it with Life so that souls in all the world and in times to come may live in his Life after their own deaths. Through his Light and Life, humankind's future will open, blossom, and bear fruit beyond death. For, as the poet Hafiz says,

God

pours light

into every cup,

quenching darkness.*

*Hafiz, Interpretive version of Ghazal 11 by Jose Orez

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New Year's Day 2021, The Middle of the Beginning

New Year's Day

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.

Friedrich Ogilvie, In the Beginning

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 human beings.
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 for [or, as] 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 everyone 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 humans as individuals, but individuals 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 human will, 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 one has beheld God with their eyes. The only begotten Son (God) who was within the Father Ground of the World has become the leader of human beings into this seeing.
 
New Year's Day
January 1, 2021
Cynthia Hindes
 

An apple tree follows the seasons. It blossoms in spring, fruits in the fall, rests in the winter. But citrus trees are different. On citrus trees, you will find blossoms among the fruit hanging in winter. The tree starts anew before the old is finished. As if to ensure continuity, new fruit is set before the old falls away.
 
The world of the angels is similar. They bring their new impulses for the future before the old is finished. We find the beginnings of things not at the end when things are winding down, but already amid the greatest activity.
 
Today, New Years' Day, is the 8^th day in the cycle of the twelve days of Christmas. It is the middle, the time for new beginnings to blossom. It is time for new impulses to set fruit. It is time for new inspirations.
 
In the beginning, was the Word. He was in the middle of God. He issued forth as an impulse to live. His will is to shine, step forth into the darkness, enlighten, enkindle, and enliven the dark.
 
And he was seen, perceived, witnessed by a human being—John; two Johns in fact: John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. They were like a pair of eyes that beheld the light of the Son God's life, He who came to earth in the middle of time.
 
Coming to earth at the midpoint in time, the Son God brought a new beginning. He brought the possibility that God could be seen with human eyes. The light of the Son God opened our eyes so that we could see not only Him but also the Great Father of All out of which He—and we—have come. It was a new beginning for all of humanity.
 
During the Holy Nights, he has come again. The Word is speaking. We, and time, blossom again. We have become gravid with possibility. Now at this high hour, we can see and become aware, discern that:
 
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.*
 
May we see and discern the beginning we are in the midst of. May we greet it in devotion, in faith, and love. May we bring it to birth and ripen it.
 
*Rilke, The Book of Hours, Macy and Barrows, page 47
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Holy Nights 2020, Light Without Shadow

Christmas Season

1 John 1:1-7

 
What was from the beginning,

what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have beheld, and touched with our hands: the Word of God which bears all Life within itself—that very Life revealed itself. We have seen it and so bear witness to it and proclaim it to you as the Life that is through all cycles of time. It was with the Father; now, it has revealed itself to us. We have seen it and heard it, and we proclaim to you so that you also can live in spiritual community with us; that is, our community with the Father and with Jesus Christ, his Son.
               
These things we are writing so that your joy may be full.
 
And this is the message we have received from Him and proclaim to you: that God is Light, and there is not any darkness in Him.
 
If we say that we have community with Him and yet conduct our lives in the darkness, what we say is a lie, and what we do is without reality.
 
Only when our Life is fully permeated by Light, as He Himself is in the Light, are we truly united in community, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us of all sin.

Holy Nights
December 27, 2020
Cynthia Hindes

The sun shining onto a lighted candle will naturally cast a shadow. The shadow of the solid candle. The shadow of the wick. But the light of the flame casts only the barest image of itself, outlined in white. We can see the heat shimmer and the faintest shadow of smoke. But the light itself casts no shadow.

We can liken ourselves to the candle. Our bodies are like the candle's solid wax. They cast shadows. But we can offer our inner substance to worlds, divine and earthly. The offering of self to God is reflected back from Him to generate in us a love that is creative. The warmth of our love and enthusiasm ignites an invisible flame. The purity of our living thinking generates a light that is clear and without shadow.

John announces to us that God is light; and that in Him, there is no darkness. What is it that casts shadows? Solid matter. But love and joining our lives with Christ generates light—Christ light in our daylight, the light of His life. In a poem by Nelly Sachs, we can hear of the light of the living Christ:

All the while like flames
It chases through our body
As if it were yet woven through with
The star's beginning
How slowly we light up in clarity –
O after how many light-years have
Our hands folded to ask,
Our knees sunk
And our soul opened itself
To thank?*

*(tr. by Ruth and Matthew Mead)
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Christmas 2020, The Weight We Carry

Christmas  Dawn

Luke 2:1-20

 
Now it came to pass in those days that a proclamation went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone set out to be enrolled, each to the town of his ancestors.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and lineage of David. He went to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed. And Mary was with child. And it came to pass that while they were there, the time was fulfilled for her to be delivered. And she bore her son, her first-born. And she wrapped him in linen and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. 
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks in the night. And an angel of the Lord came upon them [appeared before them], and the light of the revelation of God shone about them. And great fear came upon them.
 
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for I announce to you a great joy, which shall be for all on earth: today is born unto you the Bringer of Healing, in the city of David, Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign for you: you will find a little child wrapped in linen, lying in a manger."
 

And suddenly around the angel was the fullness of the heavenly angelic hosts: their song of praise sounded forth to the highest:
 

God's Spirit reveals itself in the heights
And brings peace to all on earth
In whose hearts goodwill dwells!

 
And as the angels withdrew from them into the heavens, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem to see the fulfillment of the Word that has happened here, which the Lord let be proclaimed."
 
And they came hastening and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they made known the Word that was spoken to them concerning this child. [or, When they saw that, they understood what had been told them concerning this child.] And all who heard it were astonished about what the shepherds said.
 
But Mary treasured [or, preserved] all these words, pondering them [or, turning them over] in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God to everyone for everything they had heard and seen, which was just as it had been announced to them.

Christmas Dawn
December 25, 2020
Cynthia Hindes
 

Mary gazes down at her little one. She cradles his weight in her arms. The child reaches up, his hand touches her mouth. She kisses the little fingers and speaks to him of her love, "With all my heart," she says, "I promise you that I will nourish and protect you." They are surrounded by a tender warmth and light, the light of a new dawn.
 
Such is the experience of parents and their newborn.
 
Today the Child is being born once again. This Child is love incarnate, born eternally, born to us. We bear his weight. He touches our lips; He warms us from within with His love, gives us strength and encouragement for action.
 
Today He, love incarnate, is born within us. The promise arises, like Mary, to nourish and protect this love within. Like Mary, we treasure Him in our hearts. We ponder the angelic words accompanying his arrival: 'God’s Spirit of Love reveals itself in the heights and brings peace to all on earth in whom goodwill dwells.' We cradle his weight.
 
As the poet suggests:
 
The weight of the world
is love.
Under the burden
of solitude,
under the burden
of dissatisfaction
 
the weight,
the weight we carry
is love.*
 
* Alan Ginsberg, “Song”, (Collected Poems 1947-1980)

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4th Advent Homily 2020, It is Good

 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th Advent

Luke 1:26-38
 
During the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth to a maiden engaged to a man named Joseph of the descendants of David, and the maiden’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

Fra Angelico

But she was confused at those words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
 
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord your God will give him the throne of David, your father.
And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And his kingdom will have no end.”
 
And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I have never known a man?”
 
And the angel answered and said to her,
 
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason, the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your kinswoman Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For no word is spoken in the worlds of the spirit that does not have the power to become reality on earth.”
 
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the Lord’s handmaid; may it be to me according to your word.”And the angel departed from her.

4^th Advent Sunday
December 20, 2020

Aivasovsky

Luke 1:26-38
 
"In the beginning, when God/Elohim began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And Elohim's Spirit Breath fluttered over the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light.' And there was light. And God saw that the light was good." Genesis 1:1-3
 
This beginning of creation describes how the empty, watery darkness is warmed and moved by God's creative spirit-breath. Something similar is announced to Mary by the angel Gabriel: "The breath of the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and (like a cloud) the dynamic power of the Most High will overshadow you. Because of this, the offspring born of you will be called Son of God." Luke 1:35
 

The same Spirit-Breath,

Henry Ossawa Tanner

the Word of God that brought the world into existence, now brings forth, within His Creation, from His creature—himself, the Light of the world. An astonishing inversion!
 
Mary's response is threefold: At first, she is greatly troubled. It is perhaps not so strange that the soul begins to ripple and shudder as the Spirit-Breath begins to breathe over its depths. And then, almost equally amazingly, she begins to question. She ponders the 'how.' The underlying tentative soul gesture here seems to be: can I move with this? Go along with it? This is the soul beginning to open.
 
The third part of her response is assent. She humbly aligns her will with the greatness of God's purpose and intention. It is a great purpose, for this is nothing less than the beginning of a new creation. For with Christ Jesus, humankind would be given a new ancestor. Just as Adam was the mortal body's forefather, so is Christ, the new Adam, the Adam of the immortal human soul and spirit.
 
The first creation came into being

Iris Sullivan

simply because God said so: "Let there be"…and it was so. But the second creation requires human cooperation and participation. Mary is the archetype of the human soul willing to do its part to make the world new. But hers is likewise a soul that asks for the light of understanding, for she questions, wondering where and how she fits in. The explanation that God wants to create His Son through her opens her soul.
 
Awed fear that stimulates questioning and finally assent—this is the path of the soul as it joins in God's plans. In this second creation, God's Spirit-Breath says, "Let my Son, the Light of the World, be born through you." And there is light because the human soul is willing to seek it, generate it, give birth to it. And God sees that the Light is good.

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3rd Advent 2020, Come, O Wisdom

3rd Advent

Matthew 25:1-13

The kingdom in the heavens will be

Thomas Cooper Gotch

like ten maidens who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. But five of them were dull of soul, and five were alert and prudent. The foolish took their lamps without taking any oil with them. The wise ones took flasks of oil for their lamps. Now, because the bridegroom was a long time coming, they all became drowsy and were sleeping. But in the middle of the night, the call went up: Behold, the bridegroom! Go forth to meet him!

Then all the maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."

But the wise ones said, "No, the oil would not be enough for us and for you as well. Rather go to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves." And while they were away buying, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready to receive him went with him into the wedding feast, and the doors were shut.

Afterward, the other maidens came also and said, "Lord, Lord, open to us!"

But he replied, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you."

So be alert of soul, since you do not know the day or the hour.

3^rd Advent
December 13, 2020
Matthew 25:1-13
 
When we were children, we took things as they came. If we were lucky, we could trust that our parents or caretakers would provide for us. When we grew older, we could speak of a larger Providence, of the idea that God would provide the opportunity and resources we need to survive and thrive.

William Blake 

Today's reading takes human evolution a step further. Our consciousness has grown to include foresight. For humanity is now meant to provide and offer something to God. Christ is on His way to wed the soul of humanity. Humanity's Bridegroom is coming. He needs the light provided by our wide-awake awareness, our presence of mind, our foresight. He needs the light of our well-stocked inner lamps so that we can travel with Him to the great wedding feast, lighting His way. The five wise maidens have taken over Providence's task: they themselves have provided the inner lamp oil that will light the Bridegroom's path forward.

We may think that the wise maidens should have shared. Are they selfish? No, in this instance, they are providing not just oil but foresight. They know that by dividing the oil, no one's light would last for the whole journey. And then everyone would be in the dark, unable to continue. This is not the moment for being nice. It is the moment for being fully and wisely prepared to contribute to a strong collective effort in meeting the Bridegroom.

A traditional antiphon for this time of the year, O Emmanuel, is rendered by Malcolm Guite:

O come, O come, and be our God-with-us
O long-sought With-ness for a world without,
O secret seed, O hidden spring of light.
Come to us Wisdom, come unspoken Name
Come Root, and Key, and King, and holy Flame,
O quickened little wick so tightly curled,
Be folded with us into time and place,
Unfold for us the mystery of grace
And make a womb of all this wounded world.
O heart of heaven beating in the earth,
O tiny hope within our hopelessness
Come to be born, to bear us to our birth,
To touch a dying world with new-made hands
And make these rags of time our swaddling bands.*
 
*Malcolm Guite, "O Emmanuel"

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