Christmas Reflections

This Sunday December 30 is the sixth day of Christmas, and generally a quieter Sunday. Instead of a sermon, we're going to spend a little time reflecting on what has made our Christmas special this year.

First, between a car accident and a fall down a flight of stairs, I was almost totally incapacitated. More than a month later and residual injuries remain. Advent was reduced to the bare necessities of a Sunday service, and a lunch with colleagues. No baking, and very little decorating. Shopping for food with a son who then unloaded and unpacked. I'm not used to being forced into inactivity - and the major learning has been that it's all, in the end, not that important. Everything goes on anyway. Rest and recuperation had to become the most important, and everything else as it was possible.

Second, family. Yes, I know a lot of people say that, but this year was truly special. Because of their personal family issues, one of my children, his wife and children, have been estranged from the rest of us. Christmas for the last three years has been only part of the family. We have barely seen our grandchildren at all, and missed a lot of their growing up. This year, those estrangements are gone - all the kids who live in Toronto, and all the grandchildren were together on Christmas Day for a movie, and for dinner and gifts. My grandson is now a head taller than me, and I almost wept when he came to hug me.

These are the important things. Everything else is gravy.

“Aslan is Coming! Jesus is Coming!” Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2018 based on the prophecy and birth story Luke 1:26 – 2:18

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a young woman pledged to be married to Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! God is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and he is to be called Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I have not been with a man?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. The holy one will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age; she who was unable to conceive is in her sixth month. No word from God will ever fail.”

“I am God’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Mary sang “My soul glorifies God and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, who has been mindful of the humble state of this servant. From now all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is God’s name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever,  just as he promised our ancestors.”

Zechariah (Luke 1 – beginning at 76)

You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before God to prepare the way for him,  to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven  to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.

Luke 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) Everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which we have been told about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

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Prophecies. We have two stories – both involving prophecies. In the first story – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, there is a prophecy that when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve come to Narnia, the power of the White Witch will come to an end, and the world of Narnia will be reborn as Aslan returns. The word Aslan means King – and the prophecy speaks to the coming of humanity to restore the balance –  Aslan alone can’t do it. And yet – the coming of Aslan is anticipated as a great event. There is also a prophecy – from the Deeper Magic, created before the dawn of time that when one who has not committed any traitorous act willingly gives up his life for a traitor, time will reverse itself – a kind of resurrection.

The prophecies in the scripture – for that’s what they are – are that of Gabriel and Mary, and of Zechariah. Prophecies in the biblical context were never predictions far into the future. Never. None of the scriptures we now call prophecies about Jesus were actually about him – they were about immediate coming events. They became part of the story when a desolate group of followers were trying to make sense of life after Jesus’ death – and began going through their previous scriptures to find any shred of anything to help make sense. The words King and Judge for the Hebrews meant “the one who makes right” “the one who restores the balance.” 

So Gabriel prophesies to Mary – that she will have a baby who will come to make things right. He will be a king – not a king of great wealth and power in the sense most people think, but one who restores rightness in the world through the power of love.

And Mary speaks prophecy – listen again to her words but with a small change which is nevertheless intended.

“My soul glorifies God and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, who has been mindful of the humble state of this servant. From now all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is God’s name. His compassion will extend to those who are in awe of him, from generation to generation.  He will perform mighty deeds with his arm; he will scatter those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He will bring down rulers from their thrones and will lift up the humble. He will fill the hungry with good things and will send the rich away empty.”

In Narnia the world is frozen until the coming of the prophecy – when two “”Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve” arrive, Aslan will come again; spring comes, life awakens, love lives again.

Mary’s song is a prophecy about God’s action in the world, bringing hope to life.

Zechariah also prophesies – “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before God to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven  to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.”

Jesus was referred to as God’s son – but did you know he was also referred to as a child of Adam? He was sometimes called a ‘second Adam’. So a “son of Adam” is born – , who will set the world right – who will bring a message of peace, hope, joy and love.

And in both these worlds, where is peace, hope and love found?  Around tables, sharing food.

Isaiah says “On this mountain God will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - the best of meats and the finest of wines.  On this mountain the shroud that enfolds all peoples will be destroyed, and the sheet that covers all nations; God will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign will wipe away the tears from all faces.”

Isaiah was speaking to his people, about the coming of a judge who would right the wrongs – for the people had suffered a long time, and were beginning to wonder if their lives would ever change for the better.

The Narnians too have suffered long – the White Witch with her magic cast their world into perpetual winter. Father Christmas had not been seen for many years, nor had Christmas been celebrated. Nor any great feasting together. Nevertheless, the children sit down at table with the beavers to a feast of good healthy food which nourishes and strengthens them. With the coming of the ‘Sons of Adam’ and ‘Daughters of Eve’ – children of Creation, Father Christmas appears and provides a great feast for a family of woodland creatures. Complete with a huge plum pudding, and wine.

These two meals are remembrance and celebrations of times past, living fully in the present, and looking forward to a new life to come.

As we celebrate communion on Christmas Eve, we are reliving a feast which Jesus and all the  Children of Israel celebrated together  – a remembering of times of great sorrow and trial, and a celebration of what was to come. Jesus made it into something even more personal – remembering the life he lived and the truths he taught  - and looking forward to new life to come.

Aslan – meaning King. The King to come – who wipes away the tears from every eye, who rights the wrongs, and brings Life back to Creation. Aslan’s power grows as he returns to the land he created. But Aslan does not, and indeed cannot do it alone. The return of balance in Creation is because of the commitment of the humans, and the creatures. None of them could make it happen alone – it had to be a joint cooperative effort.

Likewise, the birth of Jesus came not just because of the power of the Spirit, but because of the commitment of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Joseph and Mary, an innkeeper, and some ordinary shepherds. They too were waiting, and when the time came they became part of the story, even if they weren’t quite sure what they were doing or what was coming.

The whole of these stories – both Narnia and the Christmas story, are moored – held together- by hope, and by love. For both the Narnia stories and the Christmas story are tales about love – love of others, love of friends, love of family – unconditional love, with no strings attached. That’s what we celebrate at table!

A colleague of mine, Pamela Hodges, wrote this Christmas poem – and I share with her permission.

“Love Everywhere -

We are in love.
Not thinking about it,
Not getting around to it,
Not looking back on it.
We are centered in it,
It's centered around us.
Love surrounds us,
We are the heart of love,
Love is the heart of us.
The light of love grows
Through us, from the inside out.
Wherever we go, healing love follows,
If we forget love, love catches up.
Our hearts are always on time,
Our minds are sometimes behind,
But be still, and know.
Love is breath deepening our song, and
Love supplies Christmas peace,
And Christmas peace supplies love.
We follow a star that sparkles with possibility Because
We intrinsically know about that timeless, Beaming light, calling
Our glowing hearts to also beam.
We are following love, because we are love.
Love finds love in a manger,
Anywhere,
Everywhere,
Love anticipates the arrival home.

- P.Hodges 2018

“Is Love All You Need?” Sermon based on Micah5:2-5 and Luke 1:46-55 Advent 4 “Advent in Narnia” - Love

Hebrew Scripture                                                       Micah 5:2-5

You, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. He shall stand and feed his flock in the strength and majesty of the name of God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

 

Gospel                                                                        Luke 1:46-55

Mary said, "My soul magnifies God, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

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Play “Love is All You Need”

Love, love, love. love, love, love
Love, love, love

There's nothing you can do that can't be done, nothing you can sing that can't be sung

Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game, it's easy
There's nothing you can make that can't be made, no one you can save that can't be saved, Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time, it's easy
 

All you need is love, all you need is love, all you need is love, love
Love is all you need (Love, love, love)

(Love, love, love)
(Love, love, love)
All you need is love
All you need is love.

All you need is love, love, love is all you need

There's nothing you can know that isn't known,
Nothing you can see that isn't shown, there's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be - it's easy
All you need is love
All you need is love

All you need is love, love, love is all you need
All you need is love, all together now

All you need is love, everybody
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Love is all you need
Love is all you need
Love is all you need...

Let’s go back through the wardrobe again….

Throughout the story, one person has shaped the course of events because of his anger and hurt – and a desire to hurt back. Edmund, the one who somehow never gets it right; Edmund, the third of four – who feels like he’s invisible and not needed. The one who feels like everyone else is loved more than he is. The one who is weakest when tempted with those things which others can resist; the one who can’t really tell what’s good and what isn’t. Yet he loves his siblings. Way down at the bottom of his lonely and hurting heart, he loves them. And somewhere in that little heart he knows he’s wrong.

But Aslan is coming – Aslan whom the others now know, and who somehow knows all about them. Aslan who holds in his heart all the beings in Narnia. Father Christmas has come, winter is fast fading, and even Edmund  realises the power of the White Witch can no longer hold him.

The Witch is losing her power because of the return of Aslan and his power, but it’s not just that; slowly, through the faith and tenacity of the inhabitants of Narnia, her power weakens. The many creatures have held up the prophecy that when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve come to Narnia, her power will be broken and Aslan will come. And they labour away quietly to prepare the way for the King, Aslan, to return and bring new life to Narnia. The four children didn’t really know what they were doing in Narnia or what they could do – but they became part of the community. They had faith, they were open to learning to see the world differently, to change and adapt; they learned to care about the creation around them and everything and everyone in it.

What they learned was the capacity to love, and how it can overcome so many things.

In the story Chronicles of Narnia – a little further on than where we have been, Aslan has been resurrected, and clashes with the White Witch – finally winning. How is he resurrected?

There is a magic deeper than the Deep Magic of the world – a magic beyond the dawn of time, when everything was still dark. When someone who has committed no treachery willingly gives his life in the stead of a traitor, the great stone table will crack and time would begin to move backwards.

But even then, even with Aslan’s power – there was one more thing – Edmund.

“It was all Edmund’s doing, Aslan.” Peter was saying. “We’d have been beaten if it hadn’t been for him. The witch was turning our troops into stone right and left, But nothing would stop him. He fought his way through three ogres to where she was just turning one of your leopards into a statue. And when he reached her he had the sense to bring his sword down on her wand instead of trying to go for her directly and simply getting made a statue himself for his pains. Once her wand was broken we began to have some chance – if we hadn’t lost so many already. He was terribly wounded.”

Edmund – the one who felt unloved, useless, put upon. Edmund has grown, through the unshakeable power of the love others offered – the other creatures, his family, and the understanding and love of Aslan. Love.

The first Christmas came because of the power of God, but not just that; it was because of the willingness of completely ordinary people to prepare the way. Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah, maybe some shepherds, and even an innkeeper – watching and waiting, preparing the way, each having a part to play – and each bearing love – each not quite sure what they’re doing where they are, or what they’re going to do.

One of my favourite preachers is Bishop Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the US, and preacher at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In that sermon, he said this: “Jesus of Nazareth on one occasion was asked by a lawyer to sum up the essence of the teachings of Moses. He reached back into the Hebrew Scriptures, to Deuteronomy and Leviticus , and said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it: love your neighbour as yourself.”

This is found in Matthew, Mark and Luke. But, says Bishop Curry, in Matthew’s version Jesus added something:  “On these two, love of God and of neighbour, hang all the law and all the prophets, everything that Moses wrote, everything that God has been trying to tell the world….Love God, love your neighbours, and while you’re at it, love yourself.”  

And now, put these words of Bishop Curry into the Narnia story, and into our world: “That’s what love is. Love is not selfish and self-centered, Love can be sacrificial, and in so doing, become redemptive. And that way of unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love changes lives, and it can change the world.

If you don’t believe me, just stop and imagine. Think and imagine a world where love is the way.

Imagine our homes and families where love is the way. Imagine neighbourhoods and communities where love is the way.

Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. Imagine business and commerce where love is the way.

Imagine this tired, old world where love is the way.

When love is the way – unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive  love – then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again.

When love is the way we will see justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like and ever-flowing brook.

When love is the way then poverty will become history.

When love is the way the earth will be a sanctuary.

When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields, down by the riverside, to study war no more.

When love is the way, there’s plenty good room – plenty good room – for all God’s children.”

And a baby is born, born from an incredible love. Every baby born is born from this incredible love. In this world, our Narnia, this baby brings the power to melt anger, hurt, pain – and bring new life to a world living in winter.

All you need is love.  May it be so.

Sources: 1. Haverkamp, Heidi. Advent in Narnia. Westminster John Knox Press; Louisville, Kentucky 2015.

               2. Lewis, C. S, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. HarperCollins Children’s Books; New York, NY. 1956.

              3. Curry, Bishop Michael. The Power of Love. Avery (Penguin Random House) New York, 2018.

Angels and Messengers a sermon based on Zephaniah3:14-20 and Luke 1:26-38 Advent 3 2018 Trillium United Church Caledon

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! God has taken away the judgments against you, and has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, God, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; God will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in love and will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.

God says “I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes.”

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a young woman pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The woman’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be; but the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I have never been with a man?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

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Some people think that a call to ordination is like Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. Sudden  insight, a clear voice, a directive. It isn’t in the main. Mine was a very quiet event – a gradual closing of all other doors till there was only one option left. And it was one ‘angel’, one single person, who countered my grousing with “why don’t you just go do it?” The most unlikely person in the most unlikely place, and yet he was right on the mark. 

In both Hebrew and Greek, the word for ‘angel’ means ‘messenger’. One of the most important things angels do is communicate messages to humans. And somehow a whole lot of mythology has grown up around angels, till we have incredible beings dressed in gilded expensive robes, with huge wings, shining with incredible overpowering light. I don’t think that’s what angels are at all. Do I believe in angels? Yes. Just not the ones with wings and operatic voices.

One of the best shows on television, in my opinion, was ‘Touched By an Angel’. It wasn't, and isn’t, entirely my theology – but for its time, it was strongly progressive theology, promoting a message of God’s love for all people. It addressed issues of being gay, and dying of HIV;  it addressed issues of what we call disabilities – several shows featured children and young people with Down Syndrome. It addressed suicide, and the aftermath within families and communities. It addressed the notion that God caused adversity to happen, or good things to happen – and instead focused on the actions of people, how their own actions affected their lives, and that God wanted only the best for each person. And people of all faiths were addressed. God didn’t divide up faiths and choose one over the other. And the angels in the story brought one consistent message. God is love. Much of the theology was the product of the star of that show, Della Reese, herself an ordained minister. For its time, the show was a ground breaker, and there were messages in every single show.

Another one of my favourite programs is the Christmas movie ‘Polar Express’. Take a good look at Santa in that movie. He’s not a round jolly old man, but a mature individual, and he glows. And he says clearly that he’s a messenger. In this story, Santa is an angel. And in the story, the children become angels – messengers.

Are there angels in Narnia? Considering that there are mythical creatures and talking animals in this story, and the themes are so strongly Christian, one might wonder why there are no angels. I mean, angels of the kind we see on Christmas cards and imagine in our heads – beings which exude light, and sing with exceptional voices and have huge feathered wings.

But aren’t there messengers in Narnia? Aren’t there angels? Maybe it means letting go of preconceived notions and looking again.

The lamp post – which used to be a real metal post with a real gas lantern. Something which was used as a weapon of war, but taken by Aslan and made into something living – which needed nothing. Think about that – a living lamp, living light, illuminating a path.

A bird – a robin, though Lewis describes the robin as having the reddest breast any robin could – so it clearly was outstanding. A messenger, with wings, who serves Aslan – even though they yet don’t know Aslan’s name.  And out of all the speaking animals and birds in Narnia, this one doesn't  speak. It simply arrives, on a bush, and looks like it wants them to follow. That’s all. They had no idea why, no idea if they were even right, just following. They know of the destructive power of the White Witch, yet they still continue. They don’t even stop to think about dinner, or home, or anything – they just follow. Like Mary, they say yes - without knowing.

Of course there’s Edmund who keeps asking ‘What if this is wrong? What if the Queen is right.” And although we know why Edmund is doing what he does in the story, the question is valid. How do we know? How many beautiful robins might cross our path – especially leading into the Christmas season with the consumer bonanza? And what if we’re trying to choose between two good things? Well there are choices and there are choices, aren’t there? Making a choice between a concert or shopping is not quite the same as making a choice between good and evil – and especially difficult when it’s hard to tell one from the other. Or making a choice when the outcome is unknown.

The Beavers are angels. They don't have the whole message, but they have a piece of the message – a prophecy. And they have food and sustenance for tired bodies and tired souls. Gabriel certainly doesn’t give Mary the whole picture, but a piece of a prophecy – and offers her a vision, and comfort. Mary could have said no – that’s for me the outstanding piece here. The children could have said “No, lets go back” – but they knew a friend was in danger because of them. So they choose to say yes. Mary could have said no, but even with trepidation and uncertainty, says “Yes”.

How do we know? How do we ever know? How do we recognise messengers, angels in our lives? It’s called intuition, insight, faith. The world is full of angels, and messengers. If we care to listen – with our hearts open.