Advent

new year's eve | scripture

2010-12-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

john 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.

I john 2:18-21

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.

the last hour

2010-12-31T02:58:00.000-08:00

"John wrote to those in his community to encourage them in an anxious time. He warned them that the day of reckoning was close at hand. 'Children, it is the last hour!' This may not sound much like reassurance but it certainly got their attention. Joh's 'children' - those he nourished in faith - were upset about people defecting from the true faith. They felt their world was falling apart. . . . John's words have an apocalyptic tone. But his deeper message is meant for childlike hearts. He offers, not words of panic, but of peace and reassurance. . . . 'And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.'"

Emilie Griffin, "God With Us"

fourth sunday of advent | scripture

2010-12-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 7:10-14 | emmanuel

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 "Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."

But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test."

Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel.

psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

romans 1:1-7

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead:
By whom we have received grace and apostleship,
for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

matthew 1:18-24 | do not be afraid to take mary as your wife

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a] because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Emmanuel"—which means, "God with us."

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

raphael | the holy family with a lamb

2010-12-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

third saturday of advent | scripture

2010-12-17T03:00:00.001-08:00

genesis 49:2, 8-10 | the lion of judah

"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel.

"Judah, your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.
You are a lion's cub, O Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.

matthew 1:1-17 | the genealogy of jesus

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

third friday of advent | scripture

2010-12-17T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 56:1-3a, 6-8 | my salvation is close at hand

This is what the Lord says:
"Maintain justice
and do what is right,
for my salvation is close at hand
and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
the man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the Lord say,
"The LORD will surely exclude me from his people."
And let not any eunuch complain,
"I am only a dry tree."

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
to serve him,
to love the name of the Lord,
and to worship him,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant-
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations."
The Sovereign Lord declares—
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
"I will gather still others to them
besides those already gathered."

john 5:33-36

"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.

december 17 | kathleen norris | already sick of christmas

2010-12-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

"Already sick of Christmas by the time we come to this week, we sometimes feel as if we're in the home stretch of an exhausting race we have no hope of winning. . . . In the fourth century Christians were asked to mark December 17 as the beginning of a twenty-one-day period, ending at the Epiphany, in which they focused on the great mystery unfolding in the life of the church, the mystery of God incarnate in human flesh. They were asked to turn away from distraction, from either staying at home and losing themselves in domestic chores, or traveling and being continually stimulated by a change of scenery. Christians were to seek out the church as a place where they could gather as a community not merely to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but to allow the power of the INcarnation to penetrate their lives. How can we even imagine such a thing? How can we make this season holy when the world tells us that Christmas is over in just a day? We might start, presently and simply by picturing in our mind's eye the great sign prophesied by Isaiah: "Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." Kathleen Norris

third thursday of advent | scripture

2010-12-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 54:1-10

"Sing, O barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,"
says the LORD.
"Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.

For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.

"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.

The LORD will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God.

"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.

In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.

"To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.

Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

luke 7:24-30

After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
" 'I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.'
I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

hieronymus bosch | st john the baptist in the wilderness

2010-12-16T02:59:00.000-08:00

third wednesday of advent | scripture

2010-12-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 45:6b-8; 18, 21b-25

I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.
"You heavens above, rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;
I, the LORD, have created it.

For this is what the LORD says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited—
he says:
"I am the LORD,
and there is no other.

Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?
Was it not I, the LORD ?
And there is no God apart from me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none but me.
"Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone
are righteousness and strength.' "
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.
But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel
will be found righteous and will exult.

luke 7:19-23 | tell john what you have seen and heard

John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

third tuesday of advent | scripture

2010-12-14T03:00:00.000-08:00

zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13

Woe to the city of oppressors,
rebellious and defiled!
She obeys no one,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the LORD,
she does not draw near to her God.

"Then will I purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call on the name of the LORD
and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings.
On that day you will not be put to shame
for all the wrongs you have done to me,
because I will remove from this city
those who rejoice in their pride.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
But I will leave within you
the meek and humble,
who trust in the name of the LORD.
The remnant of Israel will do no wrong;
they will speak no lies,
nor will deceit be found in their mouths.
They will eat and lie down
and no one will make them afraid."

matthew 21:28-32 | two sons

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

"The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

pompeo batoni | the return of the prodigal son

2010-12-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

third monday of advent | scripture

2010-12-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a

When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle:
"The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel!
"Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the LORD,
like cedars beside the waters.
Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
"Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.

Then he uttered his oracle:
"The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
"I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.

matthew 21:23-27 | jesus' authority questioned

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"
Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?"
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 26But if we say, 'From men'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."
So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."
Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

emilio longoni | thoughts of a hungry man

2010-12-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

third sunday of advent | scripture

2010-12-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 35:1-6 | streams in the desert

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;

say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you."

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.

Psalm 145:16, 19

You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

psalm 130:5 | my soul waits

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.

richard oelze, expectation (erwartung)

2010-12-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

second friday of advent | scriptures

2010-12-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 48:17-19 |

This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
"I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.

If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants would have been like the sand,
your children like its numberless grains;
their name would never be cut off
nor destroyed from before me."

matthew 11:16-19 | a friend of sinners

"To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
" 'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge
and you did not mourn.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

second thursday of advent | scriptures

2010-12-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 41:13-20 | the desert into pools of water

Isaiah 41:13-20 (New International Version)

For I am the Lord, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.

Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,
O little Israel,
for I myself will help you," declares the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

"See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.

You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale will blow them away.
But you will rejoice in the LORD
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

"The poor and needy search for water,
but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I the Lord will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
and the parched ground into springs.

I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set pines in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,

so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

matthew 11:11-15 | violent men seize it

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men seize it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.

second wednesday of advent | scripture

2010-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 40:25-31 | those who wait upon the lord

"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who wait upon the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

matthew 11:28-30 | my yoke is easy

"Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

second tuesday of advent | scripture

2010-12-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 40:1-11 | prepare ye

Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."

You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"

See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

matthew 18:12-14 | lost sheep

"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

prepare ye

2010-12-07T02:01:00.000-08:00

The first Monday of Advent I had an audition. Which means I spent the first Sunday of Advent preparing.

I'm an actor, but I don't audition much. Why do you think I've fought so hard over so many years to build my own theatre company? It's all so I don't have to face the more terrifying prospect of actually asking someone else to give me a part in their play. It's so if I want to play C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands, or Keith in Mourning Dove, or Damien in... Well, you know... I can do it.

But sometimes I'm so gracious as to pick the show and put myself in it, but actually allow the director to decide who I'll play. Big of me, eh? Really handing over the reigns of power.

So Monday morning I was to put myself in the hands of Sarah Rodgers, who's helming Godspell next spring. And her power-mongering crony - I mean, musical director - Nelson Boschman, seated at her left hand, who would hold my fate in their hands.

So Sunday afternoon at my piano (and some bud started to blossom in me as I started working those keys after too many months and years away, I'll tell you), and Sunday in the car to and from the movies, and Monday driving to the auditions in Langley, I sang. Woke up that voice. "All Good Gifts." "All For The Best." And, of course, "Prepare Ye."

It's odd to think how many times I sang through that last one before I realized. For the moment at least, I was John the Baptist, and Jesus' advent was at hand.

Come April, who knows? There'll likely be a better singer opening his throat to release those glorious sounds. But on Monday, the first Monday of Advent, I got to stand on an audition stage in Langley and be that guy.

November 2009

second monday of advent | scripture

2010-12-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 35:1-10 | joy of the redeemed

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;

say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you."

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.

The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it.

No lion will be there,
nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,

and the ransomed of the Lord will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

luke 5:17-26 | jesus heals a paralytic

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."

the feast of saint nicholas | scripture

2010-12-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

luke 6:17-23 | blessings and woes

He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

john 10:1-21 | the shepherd and his flock

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"

But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

john 10:22-42 | unbelief

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'? If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, "Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true." And in that place many believed in Jesus.

rimini | the charity of st. nicholas

2010-12-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

giovanni francesco da rimini | the charity of st. nicholas of bari

second sunday of advent | scripture

2010-12-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

matthew 3:1-2 | john the baptist prepares the way

In those days John the Baptist came,
preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

isaiah 11:1-10 | the branch from jesse, the wolf and the lamb

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

romans 15:4-9 | gentiles glorify god for his mercy

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:

"Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing hymns to your name."

psalm 71 | rock of refuge

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness;
turn your ear to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of evil and cruel men.

For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord,
my confidence since my youth.
From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother's womb.
I will ever praise you.

I have become like a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.

My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long.

Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
They say, "God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue him."

Be not far from me, O God;
come quickly, O my God, to help me.

May my accusers perish in shame;
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.

But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long,
though I know not its measure.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,
you who have done great things.
Who, O God, is like you?

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.

I will praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you—
I, whom you have redeemed.
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

mountains, mercy, judgment

2010-12-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

The Sermon on the Mount | Claud Lorrain

The first week of Advent has been all about mountains. A long string of descriptions of God's holy mountain, which the prophet Isaiah pictures at the consummation of human history.

And there are mountains here and there in this week's Jesus stories, too.

First on Wednesday, Jesus "went up on a mountainside" and started wiping away tears and swallowing up death by healing all kinds of people afflicted with all kinds of terrible things. And then He took it a step further, echoing another of Isaiah's prophecies about God's holy mountain, "On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples – he took seven loaves of bread and fed them all.

On Thursday the gospel passage shows Jesus living out Isaiah's prophecy about the Lord disciplining (discipling?) the distressed ones who came to him, with amazing words of comfort: "Don't worry... All these things will be given to you." Words drawn, of course, from the Sermon on the Mount.

Maybe that's not intentional. Today the scripture for the Feast of Saint Nicholas is from the beginning of the Beatitudes ("Blessed are..."), but instead of Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, they choose Luke's Sermon on the Plain: "He went down with them and stood on a level place...." Because I've been thinking topography this week, obsessed with rocks of refuge and trees growing on boulders and Isaiah's vivid depiction of God's holy mountain, it feels like this is some sort of shift, some sort of movement, from the hilltop refuge where God gathers the weak and helpless, to going out into the wider world. And certainly this week's scriptures have been saturated with references to God going beyond the righteous ones of Israel to the lost ones of Israel, and even his scandalizing intention to offer his Kingdom to the Gentiles.

But I think I'm midrashing: I bet the scripture choosers picked Luke's version of the beatitudes because it's a more direct fit with Saint Nicholas, who blesses not only the poor in spirit (Matthew's version), but the just plain poor - who is concerned not so much with those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, but just with folks who are hungry. The ones that old Saint Nick went out of his way to make jolly.

Still, Week One of Advent has been pretty much about mountains.

Especially God's holy mountain, pictured at length by the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. He describes a place of peace – wild things and weak things settle in together, weapons become garden tools – and a place where justice is done – good news for the powerless, not so good for the wicked.

Curiously, the readings this week occasionally leave out a verse or two from the middle of a passage. Usually what's left out is something that emphasizes the theme of judgment even more strongly. If it weren't for Dogville, I would be quite happy with that, wanting the gospel to be nothing but good news, for all people. (Like the angels told the shepherds.) But angry, troubled Lars von Trier reminded me that Grace without justice – fierce justice, swift justice that must seem terrible to the ones on the receiving end – may be cheap grace. A lie, of sorts, that distorts the scriptural balance of grace and truth: the Bible doesn't say vengeance is wrong, only that it is not ours to dispense. So too with judgment: Jesus forbids his followers from practising it (who can only judge by what we see and hear), but it's clear that the one who embodies mercy will also sit someday as judge (the one who judges with another sense, the one called righteousness). And it doesn't sound like he'll be handing out pardons to everybody.

I'm also somebody who shies away from the whole notion of Jesus coming again, of apocalypse, the end of history, final judgment . But I recognize that's my own personality chafing at what maybe the Bible – even my beloved gospels – have to say. I want to use Advent to prepare for Jesus' first coming, to get ready for Christmas, the Nativity. To prepare to welcome the weak and helpless baby Jesus, buying the cute cribe and painting the spare room and putting up the Winnie The Pooh pictures for this precious little baby with the December 25th due date. But, like it or not – and I'm definitely of the not persuasion – Advent is also the time to prepare for Jesus' second coming. Which, as Isaiah keeps saying, will be sweet for some of us, but a bit of a shock for others.

Hell and suffering? Maybe not. Isaiah says "he will slay the wicked." Maybe it's as sudden and irreversible and final as the last scenes of Dogville – but then it's over. The kids and the innocents and the lambs and the yearlings and the old and the poor and the needy are finally safe. Safe on God's mountain, his rock of refuge, the victimizers gone for good.

Of course, some of the victimizers, some of the predators – at least a few wolves, lions, cobras and bears – don't get done away with, they get changed. They may very well still be powerful, Isaiah doesn't tell us that, but they're no longer harmful. Perhaps they've been restored to what they were in the garden, Eden before the corruption. Or maybe even in Eden, lions ate goats, but in this new Eden, the one on top of God's Holy Mountain, it's even better: even their prey are prey no more.

Push any metaphor, any image, far enough and it becomes absurd. Vegan tigers? Grizzly bears settling in for a nice organic salad with cruelty-free, ten-mile dressing? Not sure it would suit their metabolism. Or my taste buds, for that matter.

Unless even matabolisms and tastes will be transformed. Who can say?

But whatever may or may not be true in the grand scheme of things, reading Isaiah leaves things clear enough for me, personally. Poor is better than powerful, and if I find myself acting like a predator, I better change things up, get comfortable sharing the couch with whoever I used to consider lunch. More to the point, make sure they're comfortable sharing the couch with me.

My friend Tom Cooper said that, in order to get admitted to heaven, you need a reference letter from the poor. I think that fits in here someplace, as well.

November 2009

first saturday of advent | scripture

2010-12-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 |

O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.

matthew 9:35 and 10:1, 5-8 | tell the lost sheep: "the kingdom of heaven is near"

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

giordano | the good samaritan

2010-12-04T02:17:00.000-08:00

first friday of advent | scripture

2010-12-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 29:17-24 | the deaf hear, the blind see

In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field
and the fertile field seem like a forest?

In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll,
and out of gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind will see.

Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD;
the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

The ruthless will vanish,
the mockers will disappear,
and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down-
those who with a word make a man out to be guilty,
who ensnare the defender in court
and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.

Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the house of Jacob:
"No longer will Jacob be ashamed;
no longer will their faces grow pale.
When they see among them their children,
the work of my hands,
they will keep my name holy;
they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob,
and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding;
those who complain will accept instruction."

matthew 9:27-31 | jesus heals the blind and mute

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"

"Yes, Lord," they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

first thursday of advent | scripture

2010-12-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 26:16 | they could barely whisper a prayer

Lord, they came to you in their distress;
when you disciplined them,
they could barely whisper a prayer.

matthew 6:25-33 and 7:21, 24-27 | do not worry

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

first wednesday of advent | scripture

2010-12-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 25:6-10a | feasting, healing, comfort

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain.

matthew 15:29-37 | jesus feeds the four thousand

Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."

His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"

"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.

"Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

palma giovane | miracle of the loaves and fishes

2010-12-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

"The deepest of all truths about Christmas - without which Christmas is just a lovely social custom - is that Mary's baby is God. The challenge to faith is not that he fed so many with so little, or that he healed the sick, or that he gave sight to the blind, or any of the other astonishing things reported. The challenge to faith is that he is 'Emmanuel, God with us.' "

Richard John Neuhaus, in "God With Us"

first tuesday of advent | scripture

2010-11-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 11:1-10 | the branch from jesse

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -

and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;

but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

luke 10:21-24 | hidden things

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

mountain tree

2010-11-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

Daryl Spencer | Roots | Naim Falls, Pemberton

The prophet is talking about hidden things. But also about things we can see. Particularly mountains. The ones we lift our eyes up to in times of trouble, where there are altars to false gods, where our help doesn't lie. Mostly, though, he's talking about another mountain, the holy mountain where God sits as a wise judge, resolving disputes, where grievances are settled and warring clans beat their swords into plowshares, spears into gardening tools.

Barb Bowen curates a gallery in the lobby of our church, the View Gallery. "Roots" is from the exhibition that just closed, an image that is utterly British Columbian at the same time as it evokes for me the mysteries of Lothlorien, Mirkwood, or Tom Bombadil's Old Forest. Carole and I bought the photograph on Sunday, which happened to be the first day of Advent, and as it hangs on our wall by the front door I begin to see it also as an image for this season. The time when we prepare the ground, the bleak midwinter when we tend the soil of our spirits. I usually think of this as a time to drive roots deep, but I'm drawn especially to this mountain tree that grows on rock, tenacious and graceful. It seems to suit a time when we look at hidden things, when the unseen may become visible.

November 2009

first monday of advent | scripture

2010-11-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 2:1-5 | the mountain of the lord

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,

the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

matthew 8:5-11, 13 | the faith of the centurion

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."

Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."

The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.)"

Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

veronese | the centurion of capernaum

2010-11-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

Commentary

first sunday of advent | scripture

2010-11-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

isaiah 2:1-5 | the mountain of the lord

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

psalm 121 | a song of ascents

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

romans 13:11-14 | the night is nearly over

Do this, understanding the present time:
The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber,
because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.
So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in sexual immorality and debauchery,
not in dissension and jealousy.
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,
and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

matthew 24:37-44 | no one knows the day or hour

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

gauguin

2010-11-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

Te Tamari No Atua | Birth of Christ Son of God | 1896

Greg Pennoyer's Advent book "God With Us" begins its contemplation of the first Sunday of Advent with Gauguin's "Te Tamari No Atua," which it titles simply "Nativity." It always seems to me that's Mary on the bed, the background images memories of what she has just experienced, or dreams of what is to come. Sometimes I think the baby has just been born, and she rests after giving birth while other women care for the baby nearby. But what would so splendid a bed be doing in a stable? And when I see that the young woman holding the child is wearing white, it seems she must be the virgin, Mary, with Jesus in her lap.

Perhaps the woman on the bed is someone in the present, or at least in Gauguin's present. A young Tahitian woman who dreams of the nativity, contemplates Mary? Perhaps she imagines or remembers giving birth. Maybe she is pregnant, or imagines pregnancy. She's all sensuous repose, as still and spent (or sated) as the cat by her feet. And now I notice the detail of a sprig of something beside her, red berries or flowers on a branch with green leaves. Something fertile and growing, verdant, fruit-bearing: "Lo, how a rose e'er blooming." Carnal / incarnation: fleshly / the Word made flesh. The woman on the bed weds the sexuality of conception to the fruit of childbirth, but both are recollected or imagined in rest and stillness: the intensity of love-making and birth-giving are just past, or not quite yet.

The painting is tropical, lush, sensual. Which in my mind contrasts to the harsher, drier conditions I imagine in Judea. Both places are hot, but one is humid, the air full of flowers and sea and moist earth, while the other is dry, hot like an oven, like California in August. And the occasions differ: the Polynesian woman lies on a soft, luxurious bed while Mary gives birth in a stable. But for all that, somehow the two women don't seem so far apart or different. And I return to that initial impression that the sensuous young woman in Tahiti is Mary. At one time or another.

November 2009

Paul Gauguin made several paintings that draw on Biblical imagery. Commentary here and here

Ia Orana Maria | We Greet Thee, Mary | 1891/2

Te Nave Nave Fenua | The Delightful Land | 1892

Be Be | The Nativity | 1896

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? | 1897