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Showing posts from December, 2015

Gloria!

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news o

What Time Is It?

I'm listening to the live broadcast of the King's Chapel service of Nine Lessons and Carols; in Cambridgeshire, it's already Christmas Eve.  The weather here in the Upper Valley is unusually warm.  Here it feels like it's already springtime.  So while my clock and calendar tell me it's still morning time on December 24 Christmas Eve Day, my senses and experiences are telling me otherwise.  Time seems to be in flux.  And on this of all days, that is apt.  On this day, we celebrate the moment when God enters into our world, defying all of our expectations; overturning all of our preconceptions; restoring, renewing, redeeming creation.  This is the hour when God scrambles everything, all in the name of God's love for us. What time is it? What a silly question. It's God's time.

The Last Full Measure

This is it: the last full day of Advent.  How are you spending your time?  If you're like me, you're heading off in multiple directions, trying to get any number of things done before Christmas.  That's fine.  I guess.  But in the midst of all of this last minute busyness, it's important, no, I think it's our vocation as Christians to take a moment to just stop.  And do nothing.  That's right.  Nothing.  Just sit there.  Let the silence, the stillness approach, then envelop you.  Let it shape you, if only for a moment.  Catch your breath.  Then say a prayer.  Do this, and you'll receive the last full measure of Advent, something that doesn't require us to commit all of our time, just all of our being.

Wintertime

Winter's here!  So what if it's going to be 60 degrees on Christmas Eve?  My calendar tells me that this is the first full day of winter and that's that.  Wintertime, after all, is not just a manifestation of meteorological conditions, it's also a state of mind. Wintertime as a mood can be depressing.  We can feel burdened by ice, snow, and unrelenting cold.  But it can also be freeing.  The time to hunker down, to cocoon, can be an opportunity to rest, to reflect, to be quiet and still.  We should take the chance when it arrives because before we know it, wintertime will give way to spring, bringing new life, new activity, new demands.  So, too, Christmas will arrive soon.  Soon but not yet.  Take these last moments of Advent to prepare, to pray, to get ready. It's wintertime.  Thanks be to God!

Longest Night

Tonight is the longest night of the year.  For most of us, that just means more darkness -- and the knowledge that nights will grow shorter from here on out.  But for some of our neighbors, this is the night in which they are homeless in the dark the longest.  As Advent comes to a close and we ready ourselves to hear the story of a baby born in a manger because there was no room at the inn, let us not forget all those in this day, in our community, for whom there is no room at the inn - those without jobs, those without homes, those without hope, those without prospects.  Let us remember these brothers and sisters, and let us commit ourselves to helping them find places they can call their own.

Magnificent Magnificat

Later in church this morning we'll read Mary's song of praise, the Magnificat.  Can you think of something that has caused you to want to shout out how awesome and amazing you believe God to be?  This day, take a moment to reflect on such a thing: it could be a person, an event, an experience, and idea.  Then, give thanks to God, offering up your own Magnifcat.

Time Lords

Today I ran the clock for Chip's basketball game.  Though I dutifully followed the action on the court and listened carefully for the referee's whistles, it occurred to me that I could stop the clock.  Anytime I wanted.  I.  Controlled. Time. If only. Just imagine what I could get done at this time of year if I could stop time.  More time to prepare for worship.  More time to shop for gifts.  More time to socialize.  More time to slow down.  It would be grand and glorious! But that's not the way the world works.  I cannot stop the clock.  The minutes will pass by, the hours march on relentlessly.  I do not control time. Of course, the time we know is not the only time there is.  There's also God's time.  And if I am not in control of our human clocks, I am most definitely in charge of God's clock.  Yes, the calendar tells me that Christmas Eve will arrive on the 24th of December.  But no human-made measure of time can tell me when Christ will break

May the Lord Be With You

This is the greeting traditionally exchanged by Christians in worship.  Fans of pop culture will no doubt recognize the similarity of a certain catchphrase from a popular sci-fi blockbuster.  Memo to Star Wars fans: the church got there first.  Indeed, for 2,000 years we've been expressing the hope to one another that the Lord be with you.  And during this season of Advent, we do so with added enthusiasm as we anticipate the arrival, now less than a week away, of Christmas eve and the birth of the baby who changes everything. So, dear friends, may the Lord be with you!

Good Advice

More than 2,000 years ago the Psalmist encouraged praise of God.  It was good advice then, it's good advice now.  Take a few moments to sit with this psalm (which is the Daily Office selection for noonday prayer), reflect on what the text says, and then read it aloud - with gusto and gratitude! Psalm 113 Give praise, you servants of the LORD;  praise the Name of the LORD. Let the Name of the LORD be blessed,  from this time forth for evermore. From the rising of the sun to its going down  let the Name of the LORD be praised. The LORD is high above all nations,  and his glory above the heavens.

Weird Weather

It's been a strange December, weather-wise.  Unseasonably warm temperatures have been the norm.  For those of us of a certain age, this has caused some meteorological dissonance: it's almost Christmas which means it should be cold outside, not balmy! Of course, Baby Jesus did not experience a New England winter when he was born.  And, more to the point, God's grace knows no bounds, including those of weather or season.  So, even if the weather seems weird, the incarnate love for which we are preparing will not deviate from its norm: it will arrive freely, joyfully, and fully, for each of us, for all of us.  You can count on it. Unlike the snow ...

Foggy Weather

When I woke up this morning a thick fog blanketed the neighborhood.  Now, the cover has lifted. During Advent, we look at the world around us and see that it, too, is shrouded.  We can have difficulty making sense of what's going on, of discerning the way forward.  But then, cutting through the veil, is God's light, illuminating the way forward for us.  So, be patient, the fog will lift.  The sun will shine!

A Time to Live, A Time to Die

Qoheleth, the author of Ecclesiastes, reminded us long ago in poetry of surpassing beauty that to everything in life there is an appointed hour. That includes death.  Too often in our society death is treated as something apart from living.  It's not.  It's an integral part of being alive.  What sets us apart from other creatures is that we are aware that our time on this earth will come to an end and we can shape how we think about our eventual demise.  As Christians, we do this within the context of a promise of new life, one that is brought to us by Jesus, whose arrival as an infant we will celebrate in less than two weeks. Today, offer a prayer for the dead, for their lives, their witness, for the unique gift each has shared with God's people.  Then give a word of thanks for the living, for all that remains possible in the future, for the courage to grapple with struggle, the faith to discern God's love, the grace to welcome the Christchild with joy, h

Joy

Today is the third Sunday in Advent.  Traditionally, joy is often associated with this day.  With this in mind, let's ... ask some questions (perhaps you thought I was going to suggest we rejoice; fear not, there will be time for that later) What brings you joy?  What would bring you joy?  Why might you find it difficult to experience joy?  Why might others?  How might you bring joy into the lives of others? This day, as we prepare for the arrival of Joy Incarnate in the world, let's ponder these questions and pray for answers that we can think about and act on.

The Day That The Lord Has Made

This is it.  The day that the Lord has made.  And it's a beauty.  Indeed, my hope is that you won't see this until later in the day because I would love to imagine you outside, enjoying this gift from God.  But as I write these words, I know that some may be sick, some may be at work, some caring for a friend or neighbor, and so unable to be out and about on this Spring-like day.  Still, I say: rejoice.  For this day, whatever may happening, even if the weather were to change to something cold and raw, would still be the handiwork of the One who made us.  This day is holy.  And we're present as a part of this sacred reality.  Rejoice.

High Noon

In the popular imagination, it's all down hill from here.  After midday, the sun will begin its slow journey to the Western horizon.  Once there, it will drop below the hills of the Connecticut River Valley and leave us in darkness.  Bleh. But let me share an encouraging nugget with you.  Though the days are still going to get shorter over the next couple of weeks, sunset reached its earliest time yesterday.  That's right: today we will enjoy light a little bit later in the day than we did just 24 hours before.  Tomorrow, the sun will linger that much longer.  Things, my friends, are getting better even if we don't know it! Advent is a reminder of how the Kingdom of God is breaking into our lives.  We may not see it, we may still focus on all that is wrong in our lives and the world, but the reality is that God's new creation is already unfolding around us.  If we want to enjoy this blessing, though, we need to prepare.  Part of doing that is to adapt a pe

Be Our Guest

"Come Lord Jesus, be our guest/To us this food, let it be blest." This is one of the table graces we say or sing in the Silver household.  Today, I'm focusing on the first part of the prayer: "Be our guest."  How do we treat guests?  This is a great question to ponder during Advent, especially if we're willing to consider those visitors we eagerly anticipate, but those who show up unannounced, perhaps at times when we're busy or have other priorities.  How do we deal with the unexpected?  How do we deal with disruption?  During Advent, we prepare to welcome gentle baby Jesus, sometimes forgetting he's going to grow up to be the guy who overturns tables and asks us to take up the cross.  Are we really prepared to offer the Christ child hospitality?  Are we willing to do the same with those he has named as worthy of particular attention - the poor, the hungry, the widow and orphan, all those rejected and scorned and turned away? Come Lord

Who Would Jesus Hate?

There seems to be an unusually high amount of hate-filled invective being spewed these days.  While it's disheartening to hear from politicians, it's heartbreaking when it's offered up by clergy.  Sadly, some Christians think God is calling on them to demonize Muslims, as if the way of following Jesus involves targeting those who don't share their belief systems.  I think they miss the mark, and by a wide margin.  After all, Jesus calls on us to confront our own shortcomings before focusing on those of someone else. During Advent, as we prepare to welcome the Christ child, we have an opportunity to ask if our attitudes towards others is marked by love.  If the answer is no, we should pray, reflect, and repent.  Because if we don't have room in our hearts for those who are different from us, we won't have room Jesus.

What Do You See?

Looking out the window of my study at the church I see what at first seems to be a somewhat dismal vista.  The sun can't break through the clouds, the colors of earth and sky are washed out, and a lonely crow stands vigil at the gate to the cemetery.  But as I write this, two other crows have appeared and I'm reminded of Jesus' injunction that where are two or three are gathered in his name, he is present.  Before the birds began to gather, I noticed that thanks to the cloud cover, I could actually look up at the sun, covered in a gauzy shroud that partially obscures but also protects my eye.  And then there's the frost, and the opportunity to contemplate the dazzling complexity of ice crystals and by extension God's creation. What do we see when look at the world around us?  Advent is a time to ponder this question.  If we take our time and we focus and we open our hearts and minds to the Spirit, who knows what we may be blessed to see!

History

Today is Pearl Harbor Day.  Seventy four years ago, the Japanese attacked the United States and our countries went to war.  Today, though, our nations are close allies.  Though we do not forget our history, we have chosen to not let us define us. I think of this during Advent as we are called to reflect and prepare for Christmas.  This is a time, much like Lent, when we can examine our shortcomings, something that can be hard to do.  But to help us do that, we need only remember that God, who is intimately familiar with our history, chose not to let that define our relationship.  Instead, he moved forward, coming to us in Jesus. This Advent, remember our broken, fallen past - and imagine the healing, reconciling future God offers. (This post was originally distributed via email and Facebook on December 7)

Make Some Noise!

Whether it's in a grand cathedral or a country chapel, the odds are you've encountered "church voice."  You know what I mean.  Reverent, somber, hushed tones, all of which are meant to convey a sense of respect and holiness.  These are good things.  But sometimes, something else is called for.  Sometimes, we need to shout and yell and make a fuss, even a scene.  If you think this is inappropriate, then I invite you to spend some time with John the Baptist.  He was loud, insistent, and quite possibly the Bible character least likely to be invited to tea.  But he got peoples' attention.  He led people to repent and to renew their faith and devotion to God.  On this Second Sunday of Advent, think of John, pray, and perhaps you will discern how God may be calling on you to make some noise on behalf of the Kingdom.

SEEKJOY (Part 2)

Guess what?  We found another pair of missing gloves last night!  Tucked away in a small side pouch of Chip's backpack was a pair of brand new gloves that we thought were gone forever.  That brings us up to a .750 batting average, which is better than pretty good - it's amazing!  It's phenomenal! It's remarkable.  It's, well, far more importantly, a wonderful reminder of what grace is like: unexpected, found in unlikely places, able to delight at the oddest times. This Advent, try to keep your eyes, ears, minds, and hearts open.  If you do, you'll be more likely to encounter God's grace. p.s. Chip adds: if you lose something, it can always be right in front of your face, so keep on looking.  Not a bad piece of advice, whether you're seeking missing gloves or God's presence!

SEEKJOY

This morning I visited a place of despair, a home for the lost, a destination that is usually marked by failure and disappointment.  That's right, I went to the Lost and Found bin at Chip's school, seeking gloves.  Of the four partially and fully missing pairs, I came away with two reunited sets.  In baseball terms, I was batting .500, which on the harball field of dreams or the realm of children's clothing-gone-missing is a good result.  Still, I had been hoping to find all of them.  Gloves cost money, after all.  And, there was the principle of the thing.  Besides, isn't it always nice to find what we're seeking? Of course, that begs the question: what are we seeking?  And why?  Advent is a great time to contemplate these questions.  We can seek stuff, we can seek security, we can seek power or leverage, we can seek to do someone down by gossiping.  Or, we can seek the things of the Kingdom: grace, forgiveness, light, love.  And joy. I was reminded o

Already Not Yet

This morning I heard Christmas music playing.  Normally, I find this a bit frustrating so early in Advent.  I really don't want this season to be rushed.  But it did occur to me that at least for that brief time, I was experiencing an eschatological moment. Eschatology is the church's way of discussing the end times, what it believes to be the ultimate destination of human history: its redemption, along with that of all Creation, by God.  The Apostle Paul, throughout his letters teaches that as Christians, we live in an "already not yet" world: the Eschaton has already occurred with the death and resurrection of Jesus but has to occur as he has not returned.  In more accessible terms, God's future is breaking out into our world right now.  We may not see that given all that seems to be wrong and unchanged in our lives but we are never to doubt that God is doing a new thing.  Those snippets of Yuletide music were both a harbinger of what is to come an

Miscellany

A list of words beginning with the letters "Pr" to contemplate on a raw, rainy Wednesday: Prepare Procrastinate Precision Prose Practical Prong Print Prayer Predilection Pratfall Protect Presto Which words in this seemingly random miscellany speak to you this day?  Which ones would you like to speak to you - at this moment and by the end of this Advent?  How will you go about deciding the answers to these questions?  It won't surprise you if I suggest that a most helpful spiritual tool can be found in the above list!

Calendars

With the arrival of December comes the appearance of the traditional Advent calendar, the kind with little doors to be opened each day.  On some versions, one finds a picture.  On others, there may be a compartment in which a token or piece of chocolate is hidden.  I've always been fond of Advent calendars, and in many years have had more than one going.  There's a welcome rhythm to counting down the days and having different ways of doing this.  Do you have a favorite Advent calendar memory?  How has the use of one fed into your preparations for Christmas?  Has it deepened your sense of anticipation, fed your excitement, or contributed to impatience?  This day, as you look at your Advent calendar, or even just a traditional, secular one, I invite you to reflect on these questions -- and to meditate on how you'd like your countdown to the Christ child's arrival to be different this year.