We've got some
really fun readings happening this week. Strong messages, very empowering and
encouraging. All of them reminding us that there are great things about to
happen - all of them reminding us that part of our ministry is to get ready for
these thing. And all of them coming from - let's be honest - really unexpected
sources.
Starting with the message from Baruch ben Neriah. This Jewish
aristocrat is a minor prophet from the 6th century BC, best known for
being the secretary, friend, and scribe for the prophet Jeremiah. Because his
ministry was one of following around a prophet and recording someone else's
words, some people suggest that his works should not be included in the
scriptures. And yet, we have them, and thank goodness for that, because
the message from Baruch is a beautiful one. He’s writing to those who are in
captivity: “God will lead Israel with
joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from
him.” These powerful words are empowering for all people who wait for any
form of release.
Then our canticle,
the Song of Zechariah, speaks literally to captive audience. is not a source we
would expect - a devout but older priest. He’s visited by the angel Gabriel and
told he’ll have a son who will announce the coming of the Lord. Not quite
believing this, Zechariah tells his wife Elisabeth, also a woman of mature
years, and then - shocking everyone - she conceives. Punished for doubting
the angel, Zechariah is made mute until the child is named: thus Zechariah becomes
the father of John, who will become John the Baptiser. Recalling that Elisabeth
is Mary’s cousin, this means that Zechariah is Jesus’ uncle. Admittedly, he's
not a wholly unbiased source, but his timeless message is strong and
comforting: “In the tender compassion of
our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell
in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of
peace.”
Then we have Paul
and Timothy, writing to the church at Philippi, in Greece, one of the main
Christian centres of the time where Paul had visited on his second missionary
trip. As he writes this letter, however, he is imprisoned in Rome, facing execution.
Despite this, Paul greets his brothers and sisters in Christ in a way that serves
to bolster their faith, thanking these folks for their participation in the
Gospel, in their commitment to spread the good news. He is praying that
their love will continue to increase until the second coming of Christ. His
thoughts are not asking for help for himself, but rather promising that the day
of Christ Jesus will be soon, and until such time Paul prays for all of them.
What comfort they must feel as they hear his words read aloud: “I thank my God every time I remember you.”
And then another
unlikely source of Good News comes in Luke’s Gospel. We’re reminded that this
is an unlikely source, because even in those days, folks were only expected to
follow the credible, approved, expected sources. This expectation is so
profound we even have it spelled out for us who the (culturally) important
people are, the folks with power and authority and control: Tiberius is the
Emperor Tiberius, Pontius Pilate is governor of Judea, Herod is ruler of
Galilee, Herod’s brother Philip is the ruler of the region of Ituraea and
Trachonitis, Lysanias is the ruler of Abilene, and both Annas and Caiaphas are
high priests. These are no slouches; they’re the folks to be listened to, and
we're given these names in direct contrast to the message that Luke wants us to
hear.
Basically, Luke
invites us to ignore these fancy schmancy people, and listen to Zechariah’s boy
John. It's important to note that in Luke's account, we don't know much about
John. In fact, all we know from this Gospel is that the man can quote from
Isaiah. He’s not educated, he doesn’t hold a position of power, he’s just some
guy preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Other accounts of John
tell us a grittier story – he’s dressed in camel hair, eating locusts and wild
honey; he’s the original bushman. A highly unlikely source, yet John becomes
one who shares comforting words with those people around the Jordan who are
desperate to hear it. "Prepare the
way of the Lord," John says, and “all
flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
The way of the Lord - not that of the
governor or the ruler or the high priest, not the easy road. The salvation of God - not the promises
of the elite or the limited time deals of the world.
These readings
remind us that there is Good News to be found - in abundance! But, we're also
reminded that it doesn't always come from where we might expect.
So extrapolating that just a bit, let's consider our own lives.
To whom do WE listen today? Where do we hear the Good News being
shared? How do we decide who to give attention and credibility to?
We're challenged
to find the messages of God's salvation and comfort in our lives, just as much
as the people throughout our spiritual history had to. We need to see how we can
become trapped ourselves - captives, if you will - by other messages. There are
messages of political insult and mud-slinging. There are messages of xenophobia
and misogyny. There are messages of fear-mongering and cultural divide. There
are messages of rampant consumerism and - well, you get the idea. You've seen
the adverts, heard the commentaries, read the news.
They're
overwhelming, and they trap us. They make us captive to the agendas and pains
of this life. They try to block out for us the messages of peace and love and
comfort, because those messages don't sell product, nor garner support, nor
meet advertising standards.
So we're reminded
today that the message we want - need - to be hearing is most likely coming from
an unlikely messenger. It won't have a billboard, it won't have celebrity
endorsement, it won't have a prime-time advertising budget.
What it will have
is an authenticity that could only come from God. A message without a price
tag, a message of inclusion, a message that focuses more on the kingdom of God
than the kingdoms of the earth. It's a message of comfort, of true spiritual
freedom, of a love so astonishing that we can barely begin to describe it.
It's the message
we all want to hear; it's the message God's people have wanted to hear
throughout all of our history. The message invites us to turn away from
whatever is trapping us here on earth, even if it doesn't feel like a trap; the
message that challenges us to commit to preparing our selves for the coming of
the Christ.
It's the message of truth that is
culturally shocking, and wonderful, and unexpected. It's the message that we
will only hear when we can listen to messengers who are equally shocking and
wonderful and unlikely. It's a message waiting to be heard, waiting to be
shared, waiting to be lived. It's a message of Good News.
I pray our Advent journey is one that prepares us to hear this
most amazing message.
No comments:
Post a Comment