Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)
Christmas Eve/Day - Years A, B, C
G*D spoke in the prophets. G*D spoke in Jesus (and Joseph and Mary and shepherds and manger beasts and magi). G*D speaks still in you, in me. G*D still speaks in the lives of others.
The prophets reflected G*D’s glory (remember Moses’ veiled face?). Jesus reflected G*D’s glory. You and I, images of G*D, reflect G*D’s glory. G*D’s glory is reflected in the lives of others.
This glory of G*D is shown in goodness and loving kindness, is freed from acts past, and enhances deeds right now. It has been poured out upon us by Jesus, adding to the pouring out upon us of G*D’s image at creation, and we honor these models as we pour it out on others.
Thus salvation is brought to all. Thus we are active in our waiting. Blessed Creation, Merry Christmas, Joyful Today
The prophets reflected G*D’s glory (remember Moses’ veiled face?). Jesus reflected G*D’s glory. You and I, images of G*D, reflect G*D’s glory. G*D’s glory is reflected in the lives of others.
This glory of G*D is shown in goodness and loving kindness, is freed from acts past, and enhances deeds right now. It has been poured out upon us by Jesus, adding to the pouring out upon us of G*D’s image at creation, and we honor these models as we pour it out on others.
Thus salvation is brought to all. Thus we are active in our waiting. Blessed Creation, Merry Christmas, Joyful Today
As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience
Where is the line between a prophet predecessor and an heir apparent. Was it with conception or anticipation of a near term event? Was it with birth? Was it making it through the dangers of childhood? Was it with an adult event sometime off and not guaranteed? Was it with death or resurrection?
Here we are celebrating one moment of many births. May we celebrate Christmas Day 2004 as another moment of many births that has as much significant import as the one we remember more than 2004 year ago. If we are not reborn this day we throw into question the importance of that earlier one. Where does commitment fit into a quiet celebration?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/december2004.html
O Child of G*D — Yes, you!
Your call is to love righteousness and hate wickedness. For this you have been anointed with the oil of gladness and compassion beyond your comprehension.
Can you still feel that anointing? Good.
Can you still feel that anointing? Good.
Can you still feel that anointing? Good.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/december2004.html
Living lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly has no reward to be waited for. They are, in themselves, the reward already. If you are hoping for something, the way toward it is to begin living it in the present. We are to be the peace we desire.
On the other hand, if you wait long enough and get your timing down right, God will finally come around to sending the cavalry to the rescue. Salvation has nothing to do with our living well, only G*D's living well.
With these two comes the joy of discernment, knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.
A part of what is behind the differing traditions of salvation is the whole business of incarnation. If it were merely a matter of correct doctrine we would run in one direction or the other. When dealing with real live life, we need to be able to go in either direction with equal ease and even to go in both directions at once, thus confusing the heck out of ourselves and others who look for some seamless garment to throw over every issue of living.
Indeed, this freedom is the image of G*D, the reflection of G*D, and whatever glory G*D wields.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/december2005.html
G*D spoke in the prophets. G*D spoke in Jesus (and Joseph and Mary and shepherds and manger beasts and magi). G*D speaks still in you, in me. G*D still speaks in the lives of others.
The prophets reflected G*D's glory (remember Moses' veiled face?). Jesus reflected G*D's glory. You and I, images of G*D, reflect G*D's glory. G*D's glory is reflected in the lives of others.
This glory of G*D is shown in goodness and loving kindness that does not dwell on acts past, but enhances deeds right now. It has been poured out upon us by Jesus, adding to the pouring out upon us of image at creation, and asks us to pour it out on others.
Thus salvation is brought to all. Thus we are active in our waiting. Blessed Creation, Merry Christmas, Joyful Today.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/december2005.html
Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)
Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalm 98
John 1:1-14
Sing! Rejoice!
G*D has done marvelous things
G*D is expressing steadfast love and faithfulness
G*D will act with righteousness and equity
These three can be present simultaneously and yet be experienced sequentially. These can mark stages of faith in G*D, as well as in ourselves. It is not contradictory or heresy to either conflate or sequence these qualities.
For this day we conflate. We see peace running over the mountains, already accomplished. We see the feet of peace in the footprints of prophets - imprints of G*D's very being. This word of peace (grace and truth) yet stands against every attempt at diminishment.
We see the persistence of light, of memory of good creation, of anticipation of transformation of packets of light into waves of light and from that energy to the matter of our lives. We see the dynamism of the present between "in the beginning" and "they all wear out" as selection and being selected work on each other.
We see the long-ago speaking of G*D shine above and in darkened streets of potential. Creation is seen in re-creation.
A child is born! Every child born, bears G*D's imprint. How various is G*D! How versatile is G*D! Of course a manger holds G*D. Of course both shepherd and magi can see G*D in a manger. Of course you are an imprint of G*D. Of course we can see G*D in each other.
- - -
in the beginning was a word
today word becomes flesh
tomorrow flesh becomes a new beginningevery word, flesh, beginning
is a celebration and a mourning
as each opens new worlds
and closes othersour call from long ago
and unto eons
through birthing and birthing
is to ascend
to enflesh word
to begin with flesh
to speak a new beginning
is to move on
past past words
past current flesh passing away
past even a new beginning
is to be between
a lens for ancestors and descendants
to better see one another
and be at peace
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html
The first 3-1/2 verses here are Christmasy, the rest might be considered a thought experiment gone awry.
G*D spoke to our ancestors, directly and through prophets. G*D speaks still directly and through prophets.
G*D’s speakings are revealed by reflections of G*D. We have one of those reflections in a manger scene. When we look in the manger, what do we see?
How wonderful to see back to creation now recapitulated in a new born. How wonderful to see back to Jesus who trained to further reveal and reflect G*D. How wonderful to see ourselves reflected in a baby’s eyes and responses.
To leave nature out of revelation, doesn’t work. To leave a reflection of G*D out of our experience, doesn’t work. To leave ourselves out of Christmas or any other thin-time, doesn’t work.
Imagine you are a reflection of G*D’s presence. This will bring Christmas to many all through the year.
Imagine you are an exact imprint of G*D’s very being or might becomes such. This will give courage and strength to train well that it might be so.
One way to get at this is to reflect on a verse now omitted from O Little Town of Bethlehem(between now popularized 3rd and 4th verses). How would “church” be different if this was a key verse to sing at Christmas?
Where children pure and happy
Pray to the Blessed Child
Where misery cries out to Thee
Son of the Undefiled
Where Charity stands watching
And Faith holds wide the door
The dark night wakes the glory hearts
And Christmas comes once more
Prophecy continues. What we do in dark nights wakens hearts and, voila, Christmas!
Christmas comes to call us away from the duality of spirit and flesh, G*D and self, sacred and secular. Christmas calls us to do our part, to give our heart.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/12/hebrews-11-4-5-12.html
Christmas Eve: Titus 2:11-14
Christmas Day: Hebrews 1:1-12
Where did the gift of surprise and choice go so quickly. The gospel lessons are poetry and story. By the time we get to the epistles we are confronted with the didactic and doctrinaire. Christmas moves from a particular to the general only with a great deal of danger to its own integrity.
We hear about incarnation being a source of atonement, “God has appeared, bringing salvation to all”. This act of G*D soon gets shifted to the crucifixion, “[Jesus] gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity”.
What begins with the fulfillment of a promise to our ancestors, becomes, all too quickly, angels not announcing G*D’s work but “worshipping” some idolatry of an eternity beyond flesh and blood birth and life.
Be careful what gets ingested along with all the sweet carols of Christmas. Is it just a set up for a later atonement or sufficient for such in its particularity?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-eveday-year-c-christmas-eve.html
Interpretation is key to the quotes. These references are from the past to who knows whom and some all too clearly to a specific person of yore. To apply them here is a prime example of proving what you want by selective quoting.
The presumption is a patriarchal “Son” and so we force the world to conform to our preconceptions.
Beware when Jesus becomes more important than anything else. When this happens you go through life with the eternal Sunday School response to every question: Jesus! It then becomes all too easy to lose a Neighb*r in order to maintain a Christ.
Compare Isaiah on servanthood with Hebrews on majesty to get a feel for an important biblical tension. For a moment erase these quotations from the story and see what incidents from your life you would put in their place to honor all who live as though they were partnered with G*D.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2013/12/hebrews-11-4-5-12.html