awaiting the light

Our Advent series ‘Soon and Very Soon, Practicing Advent’ asked questions about the season before Christmas. This past Wednesday we discussed the different birth narratives of Jesus: the Gospel of Matthew and the story of the wise men, the Gospel of Luke and the story of being born in a manger in a barn. The Gospel of Mark, which begins with prophecy of Isaiah and the announcement by John the Baptist of Jesus’ coming, and the Gospel of John announcing the Word, the Light, and the Word made Flesh.

They are different stories, written for audiences of Jews and non-Jews drawn to the Gospel of Jesus. The listeners seek the interpretation that makes the most sense to them, that makes plausible of this impossibility: God takes human form, as a weak, vulnerable squawking babe in his mother’s arms.

Thus we await one more week

To see the light shineth in the darkness, which the darkness comprehended not (John 1:5).

Come on December 23^rd for the Pageant, December 24^th for the Candlelight Service, or December 25^th as St Cyprian’s community gathers and remembers the birth of Jesus.

advent and thanks-giving

Advent: anticipating the big event

During Advent I have the sense of something big about to happen. I remember Christmas as a child had that special sense, the building anticipation. There were the presents i awaited, of course; i cared deeply about diving into the box grapefruit sent to our snow covered home in Vermont. for me there was a specialness to Christmas beyond the need for bright shiny objects, the knowledge that Christmas was a big deal, the important event that wrapped up the year.

Reading the portion of Isaiah for this week (Is 40:1-11) we hear the prophet the promise the weary people of God in exile, that the ‘valley lifted up, the mountain made low, the uneven made level and the rough places a plain’, is the promise that the trials of today will fade and become the promise of tomorrow. That promise is the arrival of Immanuel, God with us. God who will breathe the same air we breath and whose baby feet feel the same cold earth under our feet. God who’s teaching will guide us, God who whose God who will ‘gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in her bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.’

When God lives amongst us that is the big event. Waiting and watching for the big event is Advent, that’s why the hymns mention the promise of God’s coming. It’s like waiting for the ruby grapefruit to arrive in the midst of the dark Vermont winter; it’s coming, I know it’s coming, it will be good. That’s the anticipation the arrival of Immanuel, the promise that God is coming at the big event.
Come to Turk and Lyon and join us, we’ll sing Advent hymns and wait for the big event together.

Thanks – Giving: post thanksgiving thoughts

It’s a week after the feast of turkey, vegetables, and pies; of the taste of cranberries and bearing witness to the 49er’s slipping past Baltimore. Some of us hit the malls before the clock struck midnite that same day, or on Friday just prior to dawn, or at 00:01am on CyberMonday for the online deals. We are thankful we survived the hordes and shoves and quick clicks online for deals on more bright and shiny purchased for Christmas presents. Thanksgiving feasts and Christmas shopping weekend feel are synonymous with Thanksgiving. I’m tired from the weekend, and I was not particularly thankful after shoving my way around.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. –Thornton Wilder

I like what Wilder says. Facing down the crowd on Union Square Macy’s, or the full parking lot and shoulder-to-shoulder scrum at Serramonte Mall did not make me feel particularly alive; instead I was exhausted. Changing attitude I thought of those moment that made me alive of the smiles of my family at dinner, sharing a power bar with a fellow at stop light, the coffee - conversation - fellowship after services on Sunday at Cyprian’s. These are my treasures, and I want to share my time, talent and treasure in thanks - giving.

Giving thanks by sharing what I have to that which I’m blessed to receive. That is my thanks-giving; that is why I made my pledge today, that is why I support the work of St Cyprian’s. Please join me in thanks - giving for the mission of Cyprian’s.

Happy Advent. See you about the corner of Turk and Lyon.
-eric