Oh, holy night!

The light is shining on the people who have walked in darkness (that's us).  Our world is dark, it's true.  But at night, on this holy night of Christmas Eve, free from distractions, we can actually see clearly both the darkness and the light of Christ entering in.  See the light of Christ shining clearly in the night - for you. 

Better days coming...

I'm not usually one for pop Christmas songs.  Sorry to all Mariah Carey and Celine Dion lovers out there!!  But the Goo Goo Dolls a few years ago came out with a song that I think speaks the message of God coming to walk among us at Christmas.  Check it out, and click the link below the video for the lyrics too.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's Christmas Message

See below for Bishop Hanson's Christmas message, which focuses on Titus 2:11, "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all."  It's a great message!

Greetings, favored ones!

It's hard to believe sometimes that God, really, favors us.  It's hard to believe that God takes special notice of us, not just in an abstract, but a real way.  The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are concrete signs of this special favor God grants to each of us, just as God took special notice of Mary.  While we are not being called to give birth to the Christ child (whew!), we are called to bear the Messiah of the world to others in our words and actions.  We are called to give witness to the Christ who is coming again soon into the world.

Let it be, Mother Mary spoke

Now, I'm very, very far from an authority on any music made before 1990, and I am not a disciple of the Beatles.  But, as I have meditated on the texts for this Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Advent, I have been amazed by the remarkable story of the Annunciation to Mary, Mother of Our Lord.  And I've been amazed by Mary's answer to Gabriel, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."  More on that in the sermon tomorrow morning.  But, the Beatles rather interestingly capture the wonder, wisdom and mystery of Mary's reply.  Enjoy!

The war is over

March 20, 2003.  Eight years, eight months, and 25 days ago.  I was a senior in high school then, and the images of the bombs detonating in Baghdad on CNN are something I will never forget.  Much more vivid are the memories of the over 1 million American military personnel who served and fought in this war, which is now over.  24,219 American, British, new-Iraqi, and other coalition forces and contractors were killed, and about 118,000 wounded.  As many as 37,000 forces who fought for Saddam Hussein and post-war insurgents were killed, and untold thousands more were wounded.  Directly or indirectly, anywhere from 600 to 900,000 civilians died as a result of the war. 

It is most certainly a time to remember, and honor, the sacrifices made by the members of our military and those of other nations who fought alongside.  It is a time to rejoice at the return of so many young men and women to be home with their families this Christmas.  It is a time to remember the many thousands of servicemen and women who are still fighting in Afghanistan.  It is also a time to remember the terrible human cost of all war, and to pray for the day when war will be no more - a day promised to us by the God who will beat all swords into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks.  Let us pray also that the leaders of the world will consider first the needs of all people everywhere, no matter which nation they live in, and govern with the wisdom and compassion necessary to avoid war and violence wherever possible.  But right now, we can give special thanks to God that this war is now over.  Let us pray that the people of Iraq may have a peaceful, free, and blessed future.

Who Are You?

No, I'm not posting the song!  This past Sunday's reading from John features religious officials from Jerusalem asking John (the Witness) the question, "who are you?"  This can be a threatening question, but I imagine John's reply likely surprised them.  He doesn't tell them who he is as much as he says who he is not.  Like John, we are not the Messiah, but we are called to be witnesses, testifying to the light of Christ in the world.

OneRepublic: All Fall Down

It's been a while since I've shared a song with you, but this is one of my absolute favorites.  We often think that life is something we have to conquer, a list of tasks to complete or goals to accomplish.  But we are creations, not creators, and as Romans 3 tells us, we all fall short of the glory of God.  One of my favorite bands, OneRepublic, takes a look at this reality which can actually be very comforting.  We are not God.  We all fall down, and that's ok, because of the One who is there to catch us, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our lives are a gift from God, and each day is a blessing.  Our life is not most centrally about what we do or fail to do, but about who we are and who God is, and what God is doing in the world.  This song really helped me in a time in my life when I was struggling with not accomplishing all I thought I should.  Enjoy!

Lyrics below:

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem...

The prophet Isaiah compares human beings, specifically the people of Israel, to grass or a flower, saying "the grass withers, the flower fades."  We are not always faithful to God or to each other (big surprise there!).  We can especially hurt the people closest to us when we lash out at them.  Israel had been unfaithful to God, but God did not allow vengeance and punishment to be the final word.  Speaking to Israel in exile in Babylon, God's words are "Comfort, O comfort my people."  God sent us THE tender Word, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, to bring us comfort in the wilderness times in our lives.