Waitin' on a Sunny Day . . . by Elisabeth Aurand

Is Christmas just another pain-killer to soothe us, to distract us from our troubling fears? Or can it be a time to go deeper, to look inside ourselves… and ask God to come in, too?

In my lifetime, I've treasured the season of Advent, a season some Christians celebrate the four weeks before Christmas. Advent helps me get ready for Christ's coming. The joys of God's coming to us in Jesus are wonderfully apparent! But we can also take seriously the darker side of life, knowing that God's light is shining there, too.

This Sunday, in many churches that celebrate Advent, there will be two readings from the Bible that bring to life both the light-filled joy and the deep darkness of the season...

There’s “comfort and joy” proclaimed undiluted and unadulterated in Isaiah 35:1-10 .  It breaks upon us like warm sunshine as we hear “The desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly.” That speaks of the joy that the ancient Israelites had when they left servitude in Babylon and returned home to Israel: they found the burning sand, thirsty ground and the haunt of jackals now becoming a pool, and a swamp of grass.

But there’s also sternness from the second text, from Matthew 11:2-11, the story of John the Baptist. He is in jail and hears about the miraculous and healing deeds of his, cousin, Jesus. Nothing joyful happens to John – for example, he is not freed from jail. Yet he has been shown hope through the news of good things happening in Jesus’ ministry that he can hold onto; this allows for his own “patience in suffering.”

From these witnesses you hear what it means to live as a believer, stated well by Evelyn Underhill in Advent devotions, edited by Christopher Webber: The spiritual life is a stern choice. It is not a consoling retreat from the difficulties of existence; but an invitation to enter fully into that difficult existence, and there apply the Charity of God and bear the cost.

The voices witness to the “good bones” of the faith life wherein Christians both honor real life existence with its lonely, dark, cold times and wait upon the joyful work of God. (This work is truly joyful, too — sending the warm sunshine that allows a field of crocus to come up out of the snow and bloom opulently in the spring.) The Advent decoration of choice at Washington National Cathedral  – bare pine or fir trees standing sparely in the nave – strikes the balance in the Spirit, with its fresh and fragrant green of life with promise and yet a lack of adornment, like an adult’s sober path through life.

Many folks, including those who are “churched”, don’t seem to know the way of both let-loose joy and focused resolve. I read one church group writing about its leadership as discouraged, worried and “losing its way” as a result of clergy misconduct, and this sounded like an “anti-text” to Isaiah’s words that no one will “go astray” on God’s Holy Way. Leaders hoped for “renewal” yet also cited “questions of relevance” affecting “church attendance across our country” just as if they were a desert that could not rejoice and blossom or the dry land that would never become glad.

But Isaiah writes in chapter 35, verse 8, of a holy way where it’s practically impossible to go astray and a way “home,” insured by God’s love and care. “Home” did not mean perfection, as Paul Duke writes. Yet, he continues, the prophet (Isaiah) declares that desolation, disability, grief and sighing for home will all be swept away, overtaken by luxuriance, liberation, health, strength, safety and multitudes, fools included, singing their way home –and God will send us flowers on the way!

Do we sense we’re on a Holy Way? Do we understand that God’s direction on this way means we will not lose our bearings? Do we find that the things of hope bring enough resolve to endure whatever life throws along the path? I find that many folks (including Christians) at this time of year are mainly given to giddiness, frenzy and "irrational exuberance") –that is, unstable joy and no true sense of “home” in all the frantic Christmas preparations.

The faith life announces seasonal joy, yet wraps it in the conviction of “home” and the assurance that God provides and continues to provide the sunshine no matter what or when the storm. We open our arms.. ready for the sunshine. As Bruce Springsteen sings it, “I’m waitin’, waitin' on a sunny day , gonna chase the clouds away, waitin’ on a sunny day….

Please feel free to join in the conversation, by leaving your comments and looking out for the comments of others. You can also join in an audio skype conversation Thursday at 7pm (EST), Dec. 9. You need to have downloaded the program from skype.com and have a microphone with your computer (as most laptops do). Then add "bythewaycommunity" to your contacts list on skype, and call in on Thursday.

The Chrismas Blues . . . by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

Departing from btw’s usual format this week (reflective blog, audio-skype conversation), I’d like to offer a brief but important reminder to all who happen to stop by.

These weeks leading up to Christmas celebrations (and other holidays/holy days) can be terribly sad times for many people. Some are missing loved ones who have died, and can’t imagine this season without them. Many are lonely all through the year, and this time of “merriness” just makes it feel worse. Plenty have lost their jobs, have other frightening financial concerns, or are devastated by broken relationships. Lots of pain out there. And inside of us as well.

Let’s take some time this week to pray for all who are grieving, all who are suffering from any kind of loss. Please be on the look-out for those who need some extra care. If you are among the heart-broken, let someone know. Let God know, too. Feel free to let the by the way community know, and perhaps we can share the load together.

Watchful God, you know well who is aching from loss, who needs recognition and healing care. Open our eyes to see the pain around us and within us. Create community where there is none. Mend our broken hearts… and send us out to do the same.

Lord Jesus, we remember you were part of a wandering homeless family.  You were born into a time and place where strangers were not welcomed, where the needy were trampled. You grew up in that world and saw God leading us home. Now, Lord, in this time and place, be our home. Give us safety… and forgiveness… and new life.

Spirit of God, implant in our very beings your lively energy, your bubbling hope. Give us confidence in your power over pain and death. When we are doubting and afraid, surround us with people who can be your messengers of hope. In your holy name we pray… amen.

I pledge allegiance to -- what? . . . by Ben Groth

How many of you have been in a country where there was a real, live, monarch? I’m not talking about the Queen of England or the Prince of Wales, royalty with honorary titles, but about a King or Queen who is the center of power in the country. A real monarch makes commands that others must follow, and a real monarch demands obedience to the throne.

I recently spent a week in Saudi Arabia, a country that is ruled under a real, live King. I found the sense of political authority there to be much different than what I am used to here in the US. In the United States, I often feel that the government is sort of a wide-ranging, but diffuse organization that administrates much of the country. Although I may not agree with a specific decision by our congress, it was usually made by people who were elected by other folks in our country, and I understand that part of the “deal” in living in the US is that the elected representatives may not be who I wish they were, but that they were (ideally) voted in through a fair process.

The full name of Saudi Arabia is actually “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” and the country makes no effort to hide the fact that King Abdulaziz bin Saud is its ruler. On the contrary, portraits of him are a common sight, and many important buildings and institutions have his name in the title. Examples of this would be “King Abdulaziz Public Library” or “King Abdulaziz University.”

Take a look at a part of what serves as the Saudi Constitution (from Chapter 2, "Monarchy"):
Article 5
(a) The system of government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is that of a monarchy.
(b) Rule passes to the sons of the founding King, Abd al-Aziz Bin Abd al-Rahman al-Faysal Al Sa'ud, and to their children's children. The most upright among them is to receive allegiance in accordance with the principles of the Holy Koran and the Tradition of the Venerable Prophet.
(c) The King chooses the Heir Apparent and relieves him of his duties by Royal order.
(d) The Heir Apparent is to devote his time to his duties as an Heir Apparent and to whatever missions the King entrusts him with.
(e) The Heir Apparent takes over the powers of the King on the latter's death until the act of allegiance has been carried out.

Article 6   Citizens are to pay allegiance to the King in accordance with the holy Koran and the tradition of the Prophet, in submission and obedience, in times of ease and difficulty, fortune and adversity.

Article 7  Government in Saudi Arabia derives power from the Holy Koran and the Prophet's tradition.

We can see from this example that the Saudi State is very serious about two things, that it is an Islamic state, and that it intentionally centers political power around the King. Article 6 sounds somewhat similar to wedding vows in America, a pledge of allegiance through the best and worst times in our lives.

This Sunday, many Christians around the world will be celebrating Christ the King Sunday, and the question I’d like to ponder this week is this: What would our lives look like if we confessed Article 6 of the Saudi Arabian constitution in this way,

“[We] are to pay allegiance to [Christ] the King in accordance with the holy [Bible] and the tradition of the [Church], in submission and obedience, in times of ease and difficulty, fortune and adversity.”

Christ the King Sunday has a fascinating history, according to this article    by Carey Gardiner Mack:

Christ the King Sunday is a relatively new development. It does not bear the history of many long-held church traditions such as All Saints or Christmas or Easter and does not possess the deep and traditional biblical backing of these celebrations. Pope Pius XI brought Christ the King Sunday into the church's liturgical year in 1925. He was attempting to do several things, but mainly to advance the message of God in Christ over and against that of the political forces moving in the world at that time--people like Mussolini and Hitler.

The idea that Christ is King over and against earthly political forces and not just on the side of our own political forces is something we all need a strong reminder of. However, the best reminder comes not from me and my limited experience, but from the appointed Gospel text for Christ the King Sunday.  Take a look:  Luke 23:33-43

This is a disquieting image of our monarch, a profoundly ironic text in the light of what we normally associate with “Kingship.” To say, as this reading from Luke implies, that the moment of crucifixion is the strongest argument we can make for Christ’s Kingship is to actively subvert a culture that views wealth, power, and fame as the primary markers of success.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that “The sermon on the mount is there for the purpose of being done. Only in doing can there be submission to the will of God. In doing God’s will we renounce every right and every justification of our own; we deliver ourselves humbly into the hands of the merciful Judge” .

In some ways, these words by Bonhoeffer are the hardest we can ever hear. When we are directed to a passage  Matthew Chapters 5-7  that blesses the poor, the peacemakers, the merciful, the meek, and the hungry (among others), we are confronted with a way of life that directly challenges how we are taught to evaluate a “successful” life in American culture.

We often work hard to align the authority of the gospel with our positions, beliefs, and prejudices, making sure that our rock and our foundation is built on nothing less than the  "Faith of Our Fathers" .

To proclaim Jesus as our King, we must abandon this and put Christ at the center by proclaiming the painful redemption of a broken world, not the righteousness of our own privilege. Some ideas for reflection this week:

• How do our political and social commitments detract from a life led in allegiance to Christ? How are they shaped by our faith? Do we strive to wed religion and politics as the Saudis do, or do we separate them into different compartments of our lives?

• How can we act differently to proclaim our allegiance to Christ through actions, not just in our creed? Where do we actually place Christ in our pecking order of authorities that influence our lives? How do we keep from letting our boss’s directives or media messages influence our decision making more than our faith?

Please feel free to join in the conversation, by leaving your comments and looking out for the comments of others. You can also join in an audio skype conversation Thursday at 7pm (EST), November 18. You need to have downloaded the program from skype.com and have a microphone with your computer (as most laptops do). Then add "bythewaycommunity" to your contacts list on skype, and call in on Thursday.

Even when it's bad, it's good . . . by Elisabeth Aurand

As the leaves complete their exodus from branch to ground and gaunt November trees therefore appear menacing, and temperatures fall even as we arise in darkness and work the final hours of the day in shadow, we are reminded of dark realities. We can push away the dark thoughts. Or we can talk about them, plunk the fearful realities down on the table. Like Jesus often did.

Take a look at this reading from Luke’s book of the Bible Luke 21:5-19, which comes to us with images of terror: Nations will rise against nation; there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. November’s natural imagery of nature’s change into winter, a metaphor for old age and hardship, is mirrored in texts that speak of difficulty and underscore unsettledness and announce again the fact of insecurity in our world.

As if we needed a Bible reading to remind us!  Thomas Friedman's column  in last Sunday’s New York Times articulately trumpeted a not uncommon message that has been given to the general American public for some months, Long Live Lady Luck. Friedman reminds us that Americans have either foiled or found lacking 5 terror plots executed against citizens since last Christmas, the most recent of which was the package bombs on the cargo planes, timed to go off possibly when the planes were over our country (maybe even over Chicago – the President’s home and symbol relating to Nov. 2nd, I’ve heard.) Friedman states that avoiding these heinous direct attacks is akin to winning the lottery five times in a row, and he plants the logic in the reader’s mind that such luck may run out any time.

Jesus does not stop with the list of calamities in Luke 21, rather corrals the depressing stampede with instructions about a believer’s protocol during such times: When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, he states, or enlightens with the perspective, This will give you an opportunity to testify (in the case of the calamity of persecution.) Then come his divine assurances: But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.

It behooves us just now to ask, exactly to whom is he speaking. Who will not be harmed when in the midst of such peril, in fact? Who exactly can have this kind of endurance? Is it a group of elite ancient marathoners he is instructing? Visiting Kung Fu practitioners from ancient Chinese civilization? It turns out that the audience is his disciples, though it seems that “all the people” who are nearby in the temple at Jerusalem are overhearing the conversation and, as such, would be a group who wouldn’t display unusual talents or strength or intelligence. Jesus teaches with confidence in this part of Luke and suggests that his followers – any follower- might be likewise self-possessed and a non-anxious presence should threatening events become even more dire. This makes one wonder if Jesus has simply become a little unhinged by now, with his own trials soon upon him, or perhaps just chooses to avoid reality by suggesting a desperate plan to counter worldly turmoil with the confident approach.

Christians do take to heart, though, this approach as an answer to tough times. For we have seen God’s power at work, in fact, even reversing such a calamity at Jesus’ crucifixion -- bested by his resurrection. We believe that the power of God in Christ is truly at work. God’s presence allows for what no one could do by their own skills and therefore people of faith agree with the assessment of Old Testament professor William Holladay: The Bible doesn’t answer why there is darkness, rather offers a vision of how evil in the world is overcome.

Oh God, give us courage that we might stop and let you do what we cannot.
Brother Christ, cheer us with your simple, smiling focus on God’s work and
Holy Spirit, give us the faith to know without doubt that even when it’s bad, it’s good.
(Prayer attributed to Lutheran writer Maude McDaniel)


Please feel free to join in the conversation, by leaving your comment and looking out for the comments of others.  You can also join in an audio skype conversation Thursday at 7pm (EST), November 11. You need to have downloaded the program from skype.com and have a microphone with your computer (as most laptops do). Then look for "bythewaycommunity" on skype.

Quick fun fact:  By the way has been recognized as being one of the Top 50 Lutheran blogs!  Kind of nice to be noticed, yes?