Changes (Just gonna have to be a different man)

18Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know that this is so?

For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years."

19The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, 

have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak,

until the day these things occur." (Luke 1:18-20)

From today's lectionary

The angel said to the priest:

“Watch in silence

these events that you

can not comprehend.

Go home to your beloved.

Lie with her

and let God’s story

start to unfold.”

Today‘s meditation:

Can we keep our unbelief as revealed

in thought, word and deed

silent?

Looking for Answers (from above not below)

For my days pass away like smoke,

(Psalm 102:3)

My days are like an evening shadow;

(Psalm 102:11)

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
⁶ my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

(Psalms 130:5-6)

You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore

(Psalm 16:11)

From today's lectionary

On those days

when life seems dark

and without promise

I wait for You

to give me an answer.

And then when I sense

Your Presence,

There is no great insight,

No enlightenment.

Instead You show me

Your path of life

with a command:

“Follow Me.”

The waiting is the hardest part

the LORD will not forsake his people;

he will not abandon his heritage

(Psalm 94:14)

From today's lectionary

As we wait

for the second Christmas,

Let us not be anxious

in any matter.

For our faith

is placed in

the Provider

 of all good things

who will not leave

the ones He loves.

Miracle (David Wilcox)

David Wilcox is a singer/storyteller

A bright star in the winter sky
Led to Bethlehem that night
But only three traveled there to see
And the rest just wished they might

Few will chose to follow
Out of all the star invites
Most will hide safe inside
With the lantern turned up bright

Waiting for a miracle

The journey was a long one
So the story's told
These three guys
Walking side by side
With their incense and gold

People all along the highway
They just shook their heads
They looked hard at that distant star
And went back to bed

'Cause they were
Waiting for a miracle

The star was dim and distant
To those who stayed at home
But every heart that follows
Behold a light was shone

Hark! The herald angels sing
The song is bright and clear
It's so quiet on this road tonight
As the travelers' star appears

But right outside my window
Quiet as can be
All that time making up my mind
The angels wait for me

Waiting for a miracle

　

There Will Be a Day

Return to us, God Almighty!
Look down from heaven and see!
(Psalm 80:14)

If you do not wake up,

I will come like a thief,

and you will not know

at what hour I will come to you.

(Rev. 3:3b)

from today's lectionary

On the second Christmas,

When He returns.

Not as a baby

But as the King.

No star directing those to see Him

But He who is the Light in the darkness

Not escaping to Egypt

But reclaiming those who kept the faith.

No gifts from the wise men

But reviewing what the faithful and unfaithful

did with theirs.

On the second Christmas,

When He returns.

The Last Adam

(1 Corinthians 15:45)

There’s only one God

whose strength can not be measured

and

whose wisdom is far beyond comprehension.

Who came down from His home

Not to exhibit His mighty power

or show off His knowledge.

But to live a life

like one of His creations -  Adam

As a baby

As a child

As a man

As a Teacher

As a Healer

As the Christ.

I’ll be watching you

18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

(Psalm 33:38)

9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

(Psalm 146:9)

From today's lectionary

Maybe the reason

God’s presence is so unnerving

is that

He can see us

while we can only sense He’s there.

 

 

 

As we meditate on the Magi witnessing

God in the flesh,

let us remember the God of all the universes

is watching you.

Shine

As daylight becomes

shorter and shorter in duration

each day of the Advent season

(until Christmas), ¹

doesn’t mean we should lose our light

during this time of year.

Note 1- Poetically, not meteorologically

Morning Prayer of the Depressed

Turn, O LORD! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
and as many years as we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us.

(Psalm 90:13-17)

From today's lectionary

Advent is the season of the coming of the Light,

let us remember those who live with darkness.

O God!

When is this gonna end?

When will Your love change the pain

caused by my darkness?

Today, bring the newness that You want for me.

Break open this stone heart.

May each moment of the day be remembered

and kept in the new center You created.

For without You

There is no Amen.

Interesting interpretation of the Wedding Feast Parable

1Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying:
²"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. ⁴Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' ⁵But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. ⁸Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' ¹⁰Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

^{11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:1-14)}
From today's lectionary readings

When we read about a king in the parables,

we think God.

But what if the king in this parable is evil?

So evil that the invited one per centers (those who usually back the empire)

send their excuses regrets.

A king so evil he kills them for not RSVP-ing.

So in order to keep up appearances he invites the townspeople to the party.

And what if Jesus (not one for appearances)

is the One who defies the evil king by not wearing a wedding robe?

In a foretelling of Good Friday,

He is speechless in his defense

and the king orders Him out to the darkness

to His death.

The question is: Are the few that are chosen

the ones opposed to the power of the world/empire?

As we meditate on Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus headed toward Egypt

and away from the evil king,

it is an interesting interpretation to think about.

You think you've seen the sun, (but you ain't seen it shine)

Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

From today's lectionary

O Lord,

You are the Creator of all things.

But of all the objects You designed,

the ones You treasure

weren’t in place on Genesis week.

Your ways.

Your path.

Your truth.

Salvation.

Those take time, patience, understanding.

Therefore, I will wait for You

all day

a week

a year

the rest of my days.

Prepare

I also withheld the rain from you

….yet you did not return to me

I laid waste your gardens and your vineyards;

….yet you did not return to me

I killed your young men with the sword

…yet you did not return to me,

Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;

because I will do this to you,

prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

(Amos 4:7-9;12)

From today's lectionary

Prepare to meet your God!

Can we hear the choirs as the shepherds?

Can we see the light of the stars as the astrologers?

Can we wait as Simeon and Anna in the Temple?

May this be the theme of your Christmas -

Prepare to meet your God!

And no one dared disturb the sound of silence

A king is not saved by his great army; (Psalm 33:16)

[So,] do not put your trust in princes, (Psalm 146:3)

They do not know how to do right, says the LORD,

those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.

(Amos 3:10)

The children crying out in the temple,

"Hosanna to the Son of David,"

the scribes became angry and said to him,

"Do you hear what these are saying?"

Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read,

'Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies

you have prepared praise for yourself'?" (Matthew 21:15b-16)

From today's lectionary reading

God tells the world:

Force can not save.

Politics can not redeem.

Nor corruption or evil.

But the world tries to hush,

(and wants to crush)

the little children singing, “Hosanna!”

to the One

that is to overcome.