No deep thoughts this week, just a moment to take time and reflect why we celebrate Christmas. It may be hard to remember as you deal with horrid weather, bad parking, overexhausted store clerks, fussy people, overstimulated children, and trying to get everything done at home.
Last night, my wife and I watched two of the Peanuts Christmas specials. The first one, older than us, was a favorite must-see when we were children every Christmas. The other, "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown," came out in 1992, so perhaps its one of your must-see Christmas shows. The latter one has a great scene that I thinks reflects perfectly the way life truly is for many of us.
Sally and Linus are sitting in an armchair. Linus is the theologian in the Peanuts universe. He is the one that believes in the mytery of life, though he sometimes gets things a bit confused when it comes to make-believe (hence the confusion over The Great Pumpkin and Santa Clause). Sally wants Linus to tell her what the Christmas season is all about. She has kind of had it with the season and all its pressures to perform and do so much. So Linus begins launching into the birth story of Jesus as it is presented in the Gospel of Luke. But while Linus is telling the story, Sally begins to complain, talking about shopping and all the troubles of trying to keep up with the commericialism of the season.
I love that scene because here in a nutshell, Charles Schulze has illustrated our culture perfectly. The birth story of Jesus is an amazing story. Perhaps it is as familiar as a holiday special. And we can kind of hear it in the background, but we are unwilling to really listen to it unless there might be something new to hear. We hear the story. We perhaps even desire to hear and believe the possibility of hope. That gets hard to do as we worry about our own life, friendships, family, things lost, missed opportunities, etc. Or perhaps it is just stress that is added because let's face it, the noise of the commercial season has been going loud and strong since what, September?
So the lesson we learn from Peanuts is that if we take a deep breath it will let us hear that old story. Let us really pause to listen.
Let us choose carols of hope instead of commercialized Christmas songs selling a Christmas that can never exist. Let us instead celebrate the birth of Christ as a reminder that there is another way.
One last image to think about....another favorite comic strip, B.C., had a simple Christmas message one year. We see B.C. walking in the desert. Above him is this bright, outstanding star which has captured his imagination. But he is not paying attention and stumbles on a rock causing him to fall and bump his head. When he lifts his head up to look again, the star has been blurred in his vision into 3 stars that bear a striking resemblance to 3 crosses. In three little panels the cartoonist has shown us the whole point of the Christmas story. Jesus is coming to call us into a new life that is going to lead to a horrible sacrifice, but one that will change the world. It is a symbol that you are never alone and that there is a deeper, more meaningful way of living.
The message of Christmas is that in a scandalous unmarried mother's teen pregnancy, comes an intervention in human history of God's amazing grace and love, who is Jesus.
May the love of Christ bless you this Christmas season with love and grace.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Longest Night Event Postponed
Steve just went over to Rivier College to check out whether we could still hold our prayer service tonight, and he found too-slippery hills and no safe places to park. So we're going to postpone the event. Thanks to Crystal for all the work she put into planning this and inviting people. And thanks to Steve for being out on the roads to make a final decision!
Kari
Kari
Monday, December 17, 2007
"Now the Birth of Jesus...."
Most of us receive the good news about the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke. That is to say that all the TV specials often find the wealth of information about this event in Luke's telling of the birth and life of Jesus. But what about Matthew's Gospel? This often intriguing view of Jesus' public ministry and life is often quite challenging as we discover the crux of Matthew's own perspective for the community that received this good news.
And so, this week, I thought it pertinent to look at how Matthew's telling of Jesus' birth happens. Matthew wants to place Jesus more historically in the genealogy of the Jewish people and so he launches off his Gospel with a listing of the family tree. It is an interesting way of trying to combine the ancient life of a community with its present and future living. But then Matthew begins his story: "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah began this way..."
For Matthew there is no beautiful Mary singing about her overwhelming joy of being chosen by God. Matthew begins his story with scandal at its heart. Matthew lulls us into a sense of comfort as he begins his phrasing with this opening statement. Here is a familiar story. It is a story we have heard before. But Matthew wants to point out something deeper that requires us to begin suspending our past.
For Matthew begins by pointing out that Joseph is a recently engaged man. He is going to prepare the way, for his wedding. He has arranged to marry this young woman, Mary. One day he goes to visit her and discovers that she is pregnant! How can this be? Joseph has every right to take Mary out into the square, condemn her and stone her. This was his right.
Joseph though shows an interesting, and scandalous character to the community hearing this story. We might think it fairly normal in our day and age. Joseph decides that the best thing to do is to backstep. He decides that he will just quietly say to Mary that he just cannot honor his contract with her for marriage and assume she will agree given the situation.
This is all normal don't you think? But before Joseph goes to tell her, one night he has a dream. Dreams and visions are important and can help the listener understand, or accept what happens next. It is in dreams where the holy and sacred enter into our world sometimes. In dreams we can tap into a spiritual awareness that we might not be able to see. It is in his dream that Joseph experiences his own angelic announcement. It is here where Joseph is given a glimpse of the future of this baby that is growing in Mary's womb. He is given an awareness of the connection of the present with a prophetic thread in the history of his people. God is about to do something amazing. "God has done something amazing and you are a part of it, Joseph."
The angel's words recall the sense of what Jesus' ministry will be. The angel tells Joseph that the baby's name will be "Emmanuel," meaning "God with us." It is a hint of the ministry that Jesus will be about. Jesus will come to turn the world upside down; a world that has a chance to rethink how it lives, breathes, and acts. It will be a world that discovers God's very presence everywhere in it.
This is something that By the Way experiences in the people we meet and the community we are forming. As we gather this week for the Service of the Longest Night, it will be a sign for us all that God is with us. That this place where we live, Nashua, is part of God's kingdom, and we together are signs of God's grace to one another in our deepest pain, and in our overwhelming joy in living.
God is doing something amazing and you are a part of it.
And so, this week, I thought it pertinent to look at how Matthew's telling of Jesus' birth happens. Matthew wants to place Jesus more historically in the genealogy of the Jewish people and so he launches off his Gospel with a listing of the family tree. It is an interesting way of trying to combine the ancient life of a community with its present and future living. But then Matthew begins his story: "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah began this way..."
For Matthew there is no beautiful Mary singing about her overwhelming joy of being chosen by God. Matthew begins his story with scandal at its heart. Matthew lulls us into a sense of comfort as he begins his phrasing with this opening statement. Here is a familiar story. It is a story we have heard before. But Matthew wants to point out something deeper that requires us to begin suspending our past.
For Matthew begins by pointing out that Joseph is a recently engaged man. He is going to prepare the way, for his wedding. He has arranged to marry this young woman, Mary. One day he goes to visit her and discovers that she is pregnant! How can this be? Joseph has every right to take Mary out into the square, condemn her and stone her. This was his right.
Joseph though shows an interesting, and scandalous character to the community hearing this story. We might think it fairly normal in our day and age. Joseph decides that the best thing to do is to backstep. He decides that he will just quietly say to Mary that he just cannot honor his contract with her for marriage and assume she will agree given the situation.
This is all normal don't you think? But before Joseph goes to tell her, one night he has a dream. Dreams and visions are important and can help the listener understand, or accept what happens next. It is in dreams where the holy and sacred enter into our world sometimes. In dreams we can tap into a spiritual awareness that we might not be able to see. It is in his dream that Joseph experiences his own angelic announcement. It is here where Joseph is given a glimpse of the future of this baby that is growing in Mary's womb. He is given an awareness of the connection of the present with a prophetic thread in the history of his people. God is about to do something amazing. "God has done something amazing and you are a part of it, Joseph."
The angel's words recall the sense of what Jesus' ministry will be. The angel tells Joseph that the baby's name will be "Emmanuel," meaning "God with us." It is a hint of the ministry that Jesus will be about. Jesus will come to turn the world upside down; a world that has a chance to rethink how it lives, breathes, and acts. It will be a world that discovers God's very presence everywhere in it.
This is something that By the Way experiences in the people we meet and the community we are forming. As we gather this week for the Service of the Longest Night, it will be a sign for us all that God is with us. That this place where we live, Nashua, is part of God's kingdom, and we together are signs of God's grace to one another in our deepest pain, and in our overwhelming joy in living.
God is doing something amazing and you are a part of it.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
But I'm Supposed to be Happy...
This time of year is supposed to be happy… We wait for the advent or coming arrival of something extremely important and yet it can often be dark, depressing and filled with despair. Advent is defined as a coming into place, view, or being; arrival: the advent of the holiday season by Dictionary.com. And it is a time of preperation for the coming of Jesus into the world for Christians.
We often feel isolated and lonely in the midst of crowded malls and glittering decorations that seem to be disconnected from our experience. Holiday demands abound and if we’ve experienced a loss, whether a broken relationship, job layoff, family dysfunction, or death of a loved one, this year may be darker than previous ones. Often we are afraid to share our pain for fear it will somehow disturb the cheer of those around us. And in our darkness, we may walk around trying to protect ourselves and hide our hurts.
Advent for me is darker this year as I mourn the death of my Grandmother whom we buried Thanksgiving week. As December began as a dark and lonely time, it is easier waiting for Christmas because I’m not ready for it without Gram. It is not as hope filled and I wait for something to come along and rescue me from the darkness. As I wait in mourning trying to make sense of the grief and loss, I wait longing for something new to happen that will revive my soul and bring hope and peace.
In Isaiah 35, the prophet says our wilderness or dark places will flower and the voiceless will be filled with joyous song, the creator’s hand will be on display in awesome majestic music and color. He assures that week knees and hand wringing will stop. There is encouragement to share with others who live in fear or are uncertain that God is coming. God is on the way to bring you and me comfort and put all of the brokenness and chaos that are our lives fully in order.
Eyes filled with tears, red from lack of sleep, grief or stress will open. Our deafly “going through the motions” will end and we will be able to hear clearly again. Shuffling around in a lost stupor will stop and our thirst for good things and ability to taste will be restored. The cold sweats of loneliness will end and we will notice again the small little pleasant things in life that are all around us.
Isaiah speaks of the advent of a road trip on a Holy Highway. There is no road rage or rude drivers. The pavement is smooth and the luxurious lanes are abundantly provided for us. It is impossible to get lost on this road because all lanes along the way lead to the one we await. The road is safe and pristine with no carjackers, menacing deer or moose waiting to leap into traffic, or drunk drivers to worry about.
As we make our way home, joy fills our heavy hearts and when we arrive, we are given gifts of gladness that last forever as all sorrow, pain and sighs too deep for words fade away. Advent is a time of waiting and hoping in the darkness for Jesus. These weeks before Christmas offer an opportunity to remember what is important, to lift up the pain of darkness, and remember that there is hope in light. Individual advent’s may be longer than just the four weeks before Christmas, but Isaiah reminds that light will grow and that there is hope in Jesus.
+ Bill Petersen
We often feel isolated and lonely in the midst of crowded malls and glittering decorations that seem to be disconnected from our experience. Holiday demands abound and if we’ve experienced a loss, whether a broken relationship, job layoff, family dysfunction, or death of a loved one, this year may be darker than previous ones. Often we are afraid to share our pain for fear it will somehow disturb the cheer of those around us. And in our darkness, we may walk around trying to protect ourselves and hide our hurts.
Advent for me is darker this year as I mourn the death of my Grandmother whom we buried Thanksgiving week. As December began as a dark and lonely time, it is easier waiting for Christmas because I’m not ready for it without Gram. It is not as hope filled and I wait for something to come along and rescue me from the darkness. As I wait in mourning trying to make sense of the grief and loss, I wait longing for something new to happen that will revive my soul and bring hope and peace.
In Isaiah 35, the prophet says our wilderness or dark places will flower and the voiceless will be filled with joyous song, the creator’s hand will be on display in awesome majestic music and color. He assures that week knees and hand wringing will stop. There is encouragement to share with others who live in fear or are uncertain that God is coming. God is on the way to bring you and me comfort and put all of the brokenness and chaos that are our lives fully in order.
Eyes filled with tears, red from lack of sleep, grief or stress will open. Our deafly “going through the motions” will end and we will be able to hear clearly again. Shuffling around in a lost stupor will stop and our thirst for good things and ability to taste will be restored. The cold sweats of loneliness will end and we will notice again the small little pleasant things in life that are all around us.
Isaiah speaks of the advent of a road trip on a Holy Highway. There is no road rage or rude drivers. The pavement is smooth and the luxurious lanes are abundantly provided for us. It is impossible to get lost on this road because all lanes along the way lead to the one we await. The road is safe and pristine with no carjackers, menacing deer or moose waiting to leap into traffic, or drunk drivers to worry about.
As we make our way home, joy fills our heavy hearts and when we arrive, we are given gifts of gladness that last forever as all sorrow, pain and sighs too deep for words fade away. Advent is a time of waiting and hoping in the darkness for Jesus. These weeks before Christmas offer an opportunity to remember what is important, to lift up the pain of darkness, and remember that there is hope in light. Individual advent’s may be longer than just the four weeks before Christmas, but Isaiah reminds that light will grow and that there is hope in Jesus.
+ Bill Petersen
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Ready for a Jughandle?
When was your last birthday? Did you get any presents? How did you prepare for your birthday? How did others prepare for it?
These questions are kind of crucial because in just a few weeks we will be celebrating someone's birthday. How we prepare ourselves for this day is important.
Let me tell you about a guy named Jo. Now Jo was a little unusual. He dressed funny lived high on ultra-organic foods, dressed fairly casual, and spent a lot of time out by a river. He had a way with people that really got their attention. Jo was the kind of guy that did not pull any punches. He just said what was on his mind, and at the time he was a pretty focused individual, not likely to lose his head, if you know what I mean.
But Jo's message required people to pay close attention for a couple of reasons. First he was not necessarily trying to convert people to his way of life, but he did recognize that a lot of people, many of them "faithful religious folk" often said one thing but lived a totally different way. Sure they went to church, sat holding their heads up, dropping money in the plate and feeling good about themselves. These are the kind of people who tend to believe the message of a pastor or religious leader is always about anyone but them. In other words, just ordinary people like you and me.
See a lot of them spent more time either completely ignoring some of the directions for living that had been passed down for generations, or they spent so much time making sure that every thing was followed exactly at the expense of their relationships and community. They were on one of the great adventures in missing the point.
So Jo started talking to the growing crowds at the river about the need to turn around their lives. He recognized that there was something about to happen that would turn the world on its ear. Jo understood that things would not be the same once this happened and that all he could do was point in what he sensed was the right direction. He also understood the need for symbols that could connect people for the very thing he was preparing them.
Jo decided that the best way to help people experience this change in their behavior was to wash it away. He asked people if they were willing to turn around and if they said "Yes" he took them to the river and poured water over them...well, some he dunked clean under! The water was a symbol to help wash away the dirt and gunk of the physical world that was causing people to ignore God altogether. In some ways, Jo was trying to help people startover with a clean slate.
But Jo also understood something else. The kingdom of God was not some far away fantasy land. He was not quite sure what it was, how it might look, or even where it was, but he knew that something was up in the world. Some people can really feel those kind of spirit movements in the world better than others, you see, and Jo was one of those intuitive types.
Jo may not have known just exactly what was up, but he did know one thing, someone was coming to help clarify and lead the people he was preparing. Jo knew he was just one voice crying out in the wilderness, but he also knew that the kingdom of God was very near and he was not afraid to announce that to people.
This is one of the primary messages By The Way reminds folks of as well, sort of anyway. For the person Jo was waiting for was Jesus. Jesus came to help us realize that the kingdom of God is HERE! In all of our conversations at By the Way, this realization underlines what we do. It is not that any of us know just exactly what that kingdom looks like here in Nashua specifically. But, when we come together, listen to one another and share in community we glimpse a piece of the sacredness of our community that we might have missed.
So while here in Nashua, U-turns are not common, perhaps it is best to consider how we might just enter the next jughandle and take a turn to revisit how we experience sacred and holy things in our daily living and where we have felt the presence of God in the most unlikely of places. You might be surprised the next time you sit down for a cup of coffee, or a beer, how sacred that moment really is...but to do so, you may have to take a little mental jughandle to reorient your thoughts and begin to start with a clean slate.
These questions are kind of crucial because in just a few weeks we will be celebrating someone's birthday. How we prepare ourselves for this day is important.
Let me tell you about a guy named Jo. Now Jo was a little unusual. He dressed funny lived high on ultra-organic foods, dressed fairly casual, and spent a lot of time out by a river. He had a way with people that really got their attention. Jo was the kind of guy that did not pull any punches. He just said what was on his mind, and at the time he was a pretty focused individual, not likely to lose his head, if you know what I mean.
But Jo's message required people to pay close attention for a couple of reasons. First he was not necessarily trying to convert people to his way of life, but he did recognize that a lot of people, many of them "faithful religious folk" often said one thing but lived a totally different way. Sure they went to church, sat holding their heads up, dropping money in the plate and feeling good about themselves. These are the kind of people who tend to believe the message of a pastor or religious leader is always about anyone but them. In other words, just ordinary people like you and me.
See a lot of them spent more time either completely ignoring some of the directions for living that had been passed down for generations, or they spent so much time making sure that every thing was followed exactly at the expense of their relationships and community. They were on one of the great adventures in missing the point.
So Jo started talking to the growing crowds at the river about the need to turn around their lives. He recognized that there was something about to happen that would turn the world on its ear. Jo understood that things would not be the same once this happened and that all he could do was point in what he sensed was the right direction. He also understood the need for symbols that could connect people for the very thing he was preparing them.
Jo decided that the best way to help people experience this change in their behavior was to wash it away. He asked people if they were willing to turn around and if they said "Yes" he took them to the river and poured water over them...well, some he dunked clean under! The water was a symbol to help wash away the dirt and gunk of the physical world that was causing people to ignore God altogether. In some ways, Jo was trying to help people startover with a clean slate.
But Jo also understood something else. The kingdom of God was not some far away fantasy land. He was not quite sure what it was, how it might look, or even where it was, but he knew that something was up in the world. Some people can really feel those kind of spirit movements in the world better than others, you see, and Jo was one of those intuitive types.
Jo may not have known just exactly what was up, but he did know one thing, someone was coming to help clarify and lead the people he was preparing. Jo knew he was just one voice crying out in the wilderness, but he also knew that the kingdom of God was very near and he was not afraid to announce that to people.
This is one of the primary messages By The Way reminds folks of as well, sort of anyway. For the person Jo was waiting for was Jesus. Jesus came to help us realize that the kingdom of God is HERE! In all of our conversations at By the Way, this realization underlines what we do. It is not that any of us know just exactly what that kingdom looks like here in Nashua specifically. But, when we come together, listen to one another and share in community we glimpse a piece of the sacredness of our community that we might have missed.
So while here in Nashua, U-turns are not common, perhaps it is best to consider how we might just enter the next jughandle and take a turn to revisit how we experience sacred and holy things in our daily living and where we have felt the presence of God in the most unlikely of places. You might be surprised the next time you sit down for a cup of coffee, or a beer, how sacred that moment really is...but to do so, you may have to take a little mental jughandle to reorient your thoughts and begin to start with a clean slate.
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