The Collect of the Day
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.The Readings
Jeremiah 31:7-14; Matthew 2:13-15, 9-23 A sermon given by the Rev. Deacon Gerri Endicott, at Church of the Holy Apostles
I don’t know about you, but I woke up this past Friday morning, the first day of 2021, hopeful. Hopeful for a new year, for the end of pandemic, and political and social strife. It didn’t take long, though, to realize that the world of the first day of 2021 was pretty much the same as the world of the last day of 2020. There was no magic spell that took effect at midnight, erasing the old year, and making the world new - there never is.
We find ourselves exactly where we were the day before. Makes one wonder why we place so much significance on the new year – every year. Perhaps it’s that little bit of hope in something better that keeps us focused on working to make it so, no matter how hopeless our efforts may sometimes seem.
Today’s readings serve to remind us that we are not alone in our hope for better times. Indeed, this hope has been with us since the beginning of time. Our hope, as followers of Christ, rests on the promises of God’s word.
Jeremiah’s prophesy, his message from God, is full of this hope. It sings of a world brought to rights by God’s power. Where all – particularly those we consider as on the margins, the blind, the lame, the weeping – come together in peace, in a world in which God’s promises rule, a world in which the lowly become great – and the great, lowly. In God’s “reversal of fortunes”, we are given a view of what Eden might look like today. A bucolic description of a land where we could say with conviction, “God is in his heaven, and all’s right with the world”. This is the story of the redemption of Israel. It’s a glimpse into the world we all hope for year after year as our calendar rolls over yet again.
But then, we return to the Gospel, to the birth narratives of Jesus – God incarnate, who we believe was sent to fulfill this prophesy of a better world. We see that the dark world into which the infant Jesus was born, in which his light now burns, is not immediately transformed by his miraculous birth. Indeed, this promised most beloved son, is born into peril. In a juxtaposition of narratives, for we won’t read of the visitation of the magi until Wednesday, today’s Gospel reading picks up as the visitors from the East depart, and as Jesus’ small family flees to Egypt to save his young life.
Jesus’ human story begins and ends with its disruption to the power structures of his time. We see it over and over again throughout history – when continued power is threatened, the insecure powerful fight back. Even against the child who was born to save the world. Reminiscent of Moses’ survival story against those seeking to do him harm, is today’s story of Jesus’ flight to Egypt. And like Moses, Jesus emerges from Egypt to do his appointed work in the world. Just like those released from captivity by Moses, we who follow Jesus enter into uncertain, and at times dangerous, territory. Yet, Jesus tells us over and over again, “Be not afraid’.
Today’s Collect points out that we are partners in this enterprise, as we pray that “we may share in the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity”, we understand that we are active participants in bridging the gap between the life and light of Christ, and the realization of God’s perfect creation of peace. As we carry the light of Christ within us, and share it with others, despite the ups and downs of our lives and the world of our times, we are truly doing God’s work.
As the Christmas season of this year winds down, we have heard the story and the peaceful songs of silent nights, mangers, and the little town of Bethlehem. Today’s Gospel brings us back to reality, to the troubled times into which Jesus was born – and to the times in which we now live. Perhaps today is best described by the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter”, with its ending lines providing us with our marching orders: “Yet what can I give him? Give my heart”.
Give my heart – isn’t that they key? The lesson we learn from Christ’s life and teachings – our hearts, our whole hearts, are what we have to give in order to bring God’s kingdom to fruition. We take the example of Jesus – God incarnate – and use it to inform our lives and our actions. Even though at times those actions may place us in peril, may place us and the powerful elite of our time in opposition. “Be not afraid” for we are following our Lord and Savior. A Lord and Savior who did not walk among us as an observer, but who lived the span of his earthly life as one of us.
As the theologian Howard Thurman reminds us in his “The Work of Christmas”:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among the people,
To make music in the heart.
Whatever this new and uncharted year brings, let’s be mindful that our Work of Christmas continues, as the light of Christ dwells within us. Even the smallest pinpoint of light shines in the deepest darkness as a beacon of warmth, comfort – and hope.
Be the beacon.
Amen.
I don’t know about you, but I woke up this past Friday morning, the first day of 2021, hopeful. Hopeful for a new year, for the end of pandemic, and political and social strife. It didn’t take long, though, to realize that the world of the first day of 2021 was pretty much the same as the world of the last day of 2020. There was no magic spell that took effect at midnight, erasing the old year, and making the world new - there never is.
We find ourselves exactly where we were the day before. Makes one wonder why we place so much significance on the new year – every year. Perhaps it’s that little bit of hope in something better that keeps us focused on working to make it so, no matter how hopeless our efforts may sometimes seem.
Today’s readings serve to remind us that we are not alone in our hope for better times. Indeed, this hope has been with us since the beginning of time. Our hope, as followers of Christ, rests on the promises of God’s word.
Jeremiah’s prophesy, his message from God, is full of this hope. It sings of a world brought to rights by God’s power. Where all – particularly those we consider as on the margins, the blind, the lame, the weeping – come together in peace, in a world in which God’s promises rule, a world in which the lowly become great – and the great, lowly. In God’s “reversal of fortunes”, we are given a view of what Eden might look like today. A bucolic description of a land where we could say with conviction, “God is in his heaven, and all’s right with the world”. This is the story of the redemption of Israel. It’s a glimpse into the world we all hope for year after year as our calendar rolls over yet again.
But then, we return to the Gospel, to the birth narratives of Jesus – God incarnate, who we believe was sent to fulfill this prophesy of a better world. We see that the dark world into which the infant Jesus was born, in which his light now burns, is not immediately transformed by his miraculous birth. Indeed, this promised most beloved son, is born into peril. In a juxtaposition of narratives, for we won’t read of the visitation of the magi until Wednesday, today’s Gospel reading picks up as the visitors from the East depart, and as Jesus’ small family flees to Egypt to save his young life.
Jesus’ human story begins and ends with its disruption to the power structures of his time. We see it over and over again throughout history – when continued power is threatened, the insecure powerful fight back. Even against the child who was born to save the world. Reminiscent of Moses’ survival story against those seeking to do him harm, is today’s story of Jesus’ flight to Egypt. And like Moses, Jesus emerges from Egypt to do his appointed work in the world. Just like those released from captivity by Moses, we who follow Jesus enter into uncertain, and at times dangerous, territory. Yet, Jesus tells us over and over again, “Be not afraid’.
Today’s Collect points out that we are partners in this enterprise, as we pray that “we may share in the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity”, we understand that we are active participants in bridging the gap between the life and light of Christ, and the realization of God’s perfect creation of peace. As we carry the light of Christ within us, and share it with others, despite the ups and downs of our lives and the world of our times, we are truly doing God’s work.
As the Christmas season of this year winds down, we have heard the story and the peaceful songs of silent nights, mangers, and the little town of Bethlehem. Today’s Gospel brings us back to reality, to the troubled times into which Jesus was born – and to the times in which we now live. Perhaps today is best described by the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter”, with its ending lines providing us with our marching orders: “Yet what can I give him? Give my heart”.
Give my heart – isn’t that they key? The lesson we learn from Christ’s life and teachings – our hearts, our whole hearts, are what we have to give in order to bring God’s kingdom to fruition. We take the example of Jesus – God incarnate – and use it to inform our lives and our actions. Even though at times those actions may place us in peril, may place us and the powerful elite of our time in opposition. “Be not afraid” for we are following our Lord and Savior. A Lord and Savior who did not walk among us as an observer, but who lived the span of his earthly life as one of us.
As the theologian Howard Thurman reminds us in his “The Work of Christmas”:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among the people,
To make music in the heart.
Whatever this new and uncharted year brings, let’s be mindful that our Work of Christmas continues, as the light of Christ dwells within us. Even the smallest pinpoint of light shines in the deepest darkness as a beacon of warmth, comfort – and hope.
Be the beacon.
Amen.
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