Isaiah 7:10-16
Advent 4 - Year A
Prophets have been known for their use of symbolic action to dramatize their message. In some of my formative years, guerrilla theater was an outward form of an inward prophetic grace. We have gotten away from some of that and settled for unimaginative picket lines, pre-produced signs, and rational arguments. It is probably time for re-investing in symbology beyond words, as the usual forms of protest against injustice are like trying to teach a pig to sing—it wastes our time and wearies pigs, creation, and G*D.
One of the injustices is that of resisting a hopeful word. We, like Ahaz, tend to get ourselves set for the worst and not be able to see grace oozing in, if not abounding. What have you given up on? Why is that? Particularly during this time of remembering Joseph, why is that? If Joseph can be transformed, so can the kings of old and the high and mighty of today; so can you and so can I.
Let us not act unjustly toward the possibilities of G*D that move us beyond the limits of our fears to a new life that comes from actively following our baptismal vows to refuse evil and choose good.
Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit.
Asked or not asked, G*D is present.
This saying was popularized by Carl Jung, earlier by Erasmus, still earlier by the Spartans, and who knows how much earlier by others until we get back to creation.
Asked for or not, creation happens.
Recognized or not, called or not, G*D calls forth.
What is a sign of G*D’s presence—life itself. Look! Life goes on; births occur; creation is beckoned forth and declared good. Before a next child is born, by anyone, anywhere or before a different sign is acknowledged, by anyone, anywhere—G*D is at work.
Before an advent is over, or even begun, waiting and fulfillment have met, bowed to one another, and moved on.
Go ahead, just try to ask more quickly than G*D is present.
What sign, what symbolic action, in your everyday life will stand for your having been endowed, already, with what you need? When you are in touch with your sign, your daemon, your genius, your totem, it is amazing how quickly time flies. This is our element-of-fun, our spoonful-of-sugar, our lark, our life, our spree.
What sign is given you? What sign are you to others?
Asked or not asked, G*D is present.
Recognized or not, called or not, G*D calls forth.
As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience
Prophets have been known for their use of symbolic action to dramatize their message. In some of my formative years guerrilla theater was the outward form of an inward prophetic grace. We have gotten away from some of that and settled for unimaginative picket lines, pre-produced signs, and rational arguments. It is probably time for re-investing in symbology beyond words, as the usual forms of protest against injustice are like trying to teach a pig to sing — it wastes our time and wearies both mortals and G*D.
One of the injustices is that of resisting a hopeful word. We, like Ahaz, tend to get ourselves set for the worst and not be able to find any out where grace might ooze in, if not abound. What have you given up on? Why is that? Particularly during this time of remembering Joseph, why is that? If Joseph can be transformed, so can the kings of old and the high and mighty of today, so can you and so can I.
Let us not act unjustly toward the possibilities of G*D that move us beyond the limits of our fears to a new life that comes from actively following our baptismal vows to refuse evil and choose good.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/december2004.html
Isaiah 7:10-16
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-25
Ready of not, here I come! So ensues another game of hide-and-seek.
Ahaz is an excellent hider. He will be diligent in finding the very best hiding place and is willing to stay there for a very long time. No matter how close a Seeker comes to finding him he will not breathe or move. (Note: This is a different category of Seeker than recent church growth folks market to.)
Trying to bargain with Ahaz is a lost cause. He doesn't respond. Even "Olly-Olly-Oxen-Free" doesn't catch his ear. If it did he would have to acknowledge something larger than his own expertise. Most folks, by the time of their teen stage know how to refuse evil and choose the good, how to not hide but be in community. But not the tribe of Ahaz - real HE-men (Hiders Extraordinaire).
So something larger is needed to restore us to our selves, something larger than ritual, incantation, creed. Something larger is needed for "resurrection" and "grace" and "revelation" (key words in the last three pericopes).
What can't be chosen by Hiders is especially offered by Seekers - "withness". After calling our freedom and not having it responded to, Seekers continue seeking for the destruction or loss of any is not a part of the game for them. They are willing to be made fools of, to be ineffective Seekers, to lose the game if that will bring a return of community.
Though this quality of intentional seeking can have a dysfunctional aspect to it, intentional, strings-free, and creation-beginning Immanuel-offering is yet preferable to leaving folks in the dark of their hidey-hole.
- - -
desperately seeking a reset button
tears as bread, tears as drink
restoration yearned for
reset needed
unknown saints, unknown beloved
resurrection ungracefully limited
reset needed
deeds of power without response
revelation missed again
reset needed
willingly seeking
intentionally seeking
persistently seeking
seeking with good cheer
seeking with hopeful heart
seeking with open hand
seeking with a gift
"with" - reset found
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html
Isaiah 7:10-16
Psalm 146:5-10
or
Luke 1:47-55
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11
Be patient, therefore, "bewombed".... This is variously translated as brothers, beloved, friends, etc., but the awkward neologism is more accurate and evocative.
Patience is possible when we look at our common connections that puts the present in larger perspective. Patience is difficult in the face of a temptation to grumble, not a lot, just a little mumble that will, inexorably, eventually grow to judgment and division. To see a common source life, rather than simply my individual life, brings a gift of humility needed for patience.
When having waited for seemingly too long, it is difficult not to question a soft little question, "Are you the one...?" It is likewise difficult not to spin a response, even one based on experience of sight and sound. For the moment, though, suppose you were called on to respond to a question (presume it is lovingly asked) "Is the church the one...?" Where would you point to ground your response? If you can point at all, would it be toward a common start of creation, particular instances of resurrection, or a tentative sign of hoped for things to come?
Put another way, what are we willing to go to any length or locale to find? Might it be connected with the meaning found in a prophetic tradition of suffering (repentance and renewal) and patience (forgiveness and hope)?
With the prophets we find the terror of G*D - salvation. This terror has to do with the consequences of life lived out of blindness coming home to roost as well as a necessity to admit to the need to change direction. Who in their right mind would look forward to honest consequences or one more change?
In craving a joyful moment in a time of waiting, we can be satisfied by recognizing an antidote to the terror of suffering is a gift of patience.
- - -
your patience while I am harried
adds to my suffering
I see desert all about
you find cool, clear water
thirsty for any relief in a wilderness
I bemoan your pilgrim's way
are you simply you or mirage?
a messenger go-between would be nice
to test everlasting joy
joy within and beyond
suffering patience
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html
Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit.
Asked or not asked, G*D is present.
Popularized by Carl Jung, earlier by Erasmus, still earlier by the Spartans, and who knows how much earlier by others until we get back to creation. Whether asked for or not, creation happens.
Recognized or not, called or not, G*D calls forth.
What is a sign of G*D's presence – life itself. Look, life goes on, births occur, creation is beckoned forth and declared good. Before a next child is born, by anyone, anywhere; before a sign is acknowledged, by anyone, anywhere – G*D is at work.
Before advent is over, or even begun, waiting and fulfillment have met, bowed to one another, and moved on.
Go ahead, just try to ask more quickly than G*D is present.
What sign in your everyday life will stand for your having been endowed, already, with what you need? When you are in touch with your sign, your daemon, your genius, your totem, it is amazing how quickly time flies. This is our element of fun, our spoonful of sugar, our lark, our life, our spree.
What sign is given you? What sign are you to others?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html
We aren't often asked to name our sign from G*D. I expect each of us would have a difficult time coming up with something and so be tempted to turn it back to G*D, "Go ahead, G*D show us what you want to show us." A lack of taking responsibility for our part of an interconnectivity with G*D is Eden-long.
So, what does G*D show? A baby, conceived and born the ordinary way, with a strange name, diet, and eventual ability to choose.
What do we get hung up on? A baby's genetics (read up on parthenogenesis).
What do we miss? A perspective naming an expected and desired relationship - G*D with Me, with Us. A turning everything into a feast of metaphoric milk and honey. A remembrance of walking in the cool of the evening with G*D.
Who is the young woman bearing G*D's sign? You.
Who is the baby related to G*D? You.
Who participates in a promised paradise filled with milk and honey? You.
Who walks and talks with the Common Good? You.
If you don't recognize yourself in this description, odds are you are as close to a fall as was Ahaz.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2010/12/isaiah-710-17.html
Intentionally avoiding any sign that would shift your life or the life of the world works for a relatively short time. We live in a world of signs. We live in a world of information. Ultimately avoidance ceases to work. It is the paradoxical signs that lead to better learning and living. When dreams and facts dance we find dynamics to counter resignation.
For your continuing education, bookmark this comment for when you will choose to make time to follow a 90 minute conversation between physicists regarding the universe as a hologram.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=778Hs26lwzU
How do you map your universe? Like Ahaz? Like Joseph?
Perhaps another way of coming at this is to ask how are you mapped by the universe? Can you sense that the fears Ahaz and Joseph and You have are already begin removed. Sign by sign, like it or not, the stumbling blocks are being removed. Now how will we operate when freedom’s bounds are expanded?