The First Sunday of Christmas

Here's a talk I gave on the first Sunday of Christmas 2021. I promised myself no edits or additions except for obvious errors, but I've added new illustrations. Because I used notes and not a script, this is approximately what I said. What would i say about Christmas music and food today, three years later? What would you say?

Intro

The pastor asked three of us to share our testimony of Christmas for the proclamation on the Sunday after Christmas: where do we find Jesus, the Christ child?

During this time of the year the northern hemisphere experiences more night than it does day, we first observe the advent season of waiting for, hoping for, and expecting the birth of Jesus, light of the world. We don't know the actual month or day of Jesus' birth, but the early church wisely calendared it at the winter solstice that also coincided with the Mithric Feast of the Unvanquished Sun. Jesus, Son of Righteousness spelled with an "o" also is the Sun of Righteousness spelled with a "u" who is Light of our Lives. After Advent and Nativity, the day and then the season of Epiphany continue with Jesus as light to all.

Martin Luther particularly loved the New Testament book of Titus. The anonymous author tells us, "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all." [Titus 2:11a] Jesus is that light-filled grace, our grace-filled light.

Nativity Prayer

Root of Jesse, Son of Heaven, Mary's Child.
Cradle of Joy, Word in the Manger, Astonishing Gift.
Lord of Creation, Abundant Promise, Dayspring of Peace.
Be with us here in this place;
make us shepherds of your grace.
May our lives season the world with salt;
Nurture our neighbors with leaven;
Light a path to show your way.
In your name we pray—
Amen!

Valley Winter Song – excerpt

You know the summer's coming soon
Though the interstate chokes under salt and dirty sand
And it seems the sun is hiding from the moon
And late December can drag a person down

[While] the snow is falling down
In our New England town
What else is new?
What could I do?

I wrote a Valley Winter Song
To play for you.

by Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger

Christmas in this Valley 1

So sang Fountains of Wayne in a song LL Bean gave lots of airplay to in a commercial during 2008. In these days of endless pandemic in a different valley on the other coast, besides Jesus light of the world and the created lights of sun, moon, and stars, what brightens our days better than music?

Music in church and on the street is a huge part of December's identity and festivities. Even people with no experience of clinical depression typically have a lower mood during the winter months. Have you ever heard a song or a symphony that instantly gave you hope? Today I'll mention two major pieces of music and a recurring event that always bring the grace and hope of Jesus into my world.

Along with a few million others across the centuries, Handel's oratorio The Messiah is a December perennial for me. Especially the opening solo for tenor from Isaiah 40 with its announcement, "Comfort Ye, My People – Every Valley Shall be Exalted." Our God. God's people. My second concert-type composition that takes a trained university or professional choir is the Christmas Cantata by Daniel Pinkham, a Boston area composer and church musician who lived during the mid-twentieth century.

My recurring event is [Scripture] Lessons and Carols that can take many forms. We had a participatory Lessons and Carols here on Christmas Eve; this morning on the first Sunday of Christmas it's Lessons, Testimony, and Carols. When I lived on the east coast, as an undergrad at Boston University I sprung for the free tickets people needed to enjoy Lessons and Carols at Harvard's Memorial Church. I believe they presented it three times each year back then, but it was so popular you still needed a ticket.

Later on when I was a seminarian across the river from Boston University, at Lessons and Carols I often ran into classmates or friends I hadn't seen in a long time due to our schedules and because days and months pass so fast. That became a time we'd resolve to get together first of the new year, which always happened.

Christmas in this Valley 2

Besides music, as we celebrate the nativity with God born in Bethlehem as a baby formed out of created stuff from the earth, what is Christmas without all that special yummy food? What you enjoy depends somewhat on your current place on the planet along with traditional winter holiday foods of your home country or home region, or maybe what your grandparents and great grands considered necessary for Christmas feasts with friends and families.

Food also has got to be the best ever Christmas present because in itself it's a gift of creation. From my perspective, giftable foods ideally are things like home baked cookies or quick breads or homemade jam, preserves, or pickles. Maybe home brew, if there's a brewer in your household. These days supermarkets, specialty shops, and farmer's markets offer a whole lot of tasty food. They're a live option if you won't or don't bake or can or brew.

Outro

What else can we do but sing and play valley winter songs to brighten lives and remind us of Jesus in our midst? We can create and enjoy culinary gifts of creation. Grace has come to the entire world in Jesus; many of us know grace and glory and joy through music and because of edible gifts from the earth.

• What's your favorite Christmas music?

• What Christmas food is an absolute necessity?

Advent 4C

My spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
Luke 1:47
• Synopsis of Luke's Gospel

Luke 1:39-55

³⁹ In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰ where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴² and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
⁴³ And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴ For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

⁴⁶ And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

⁵¹ "He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Visitation Stained Glass, 1960-1969 by Brother Eric,
Church of Reconciliation, Taizé,
courtesy of Vanderbilt University Divinity Library
Canticles

Luke includes three canticles—essentially psalms or songs:

• Mary's Magnificat: "My soul magnifies the Lord; he has put down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly…" –Luke 1:46-55

• Zechariah's Benedictus: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; he has visited his people." –Luke 1:67-79

• Simeon's Nunc Dimittis: "Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace; mine eyes have seen they salvation, which thou hast prepared…" –Luke 2:29-32

Both responsive psalm and gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent include the Magnificat. The office of Vespers or Evening Prayer (that's ideally prayed at sunset) in the liturgy of the canonical hours always includes a spoken or sung Magnificat.

Today's gospel opens with pregnant Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, and then Mary responds to Elizabeth's exuberant greeting with a song.


Magnificat

Luke especially celebrates women, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and history. Today's passage is about two women, the Holy Spirit, attitudes of prayer and prophecy, allusions to Israel's history, and the reliability of God's promises. We receive hints of the great reversal, the reign of life that subverts the unjust status quo, those possibilities that will be fulfilled when we follow Mary's son Jesus.

Today for the psalmody and the gospel reading, we hear Mary's Magnificat—making God larger or greater. Magnifying! We've mentioned how well people knew and memorized scripture two millennia ago. Although we have words Luke wrote, it's very likely Mary sang a similar song because this passage is closely based upon Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Mary would have been so familiar with large portions of scripture she'd have been able to recite and paraphrase them, making those texts her own.

Mary's words anticipate Jesus's first act of public ministry recorded in Luke 4:16-20 with its announcement of good news to the poor (it won't always be the way it has been), release of every kind of prisoner, freedom, the Jubilee Year of Leviticus 25.

How about us? Do you have any scripture in your heart and head you instinctively remember, recite, and maybe elaborate on?


Musical Settings

YouTube videos don't always have a long shelf life, so I no longer link to them, but here are three of my favorite musical settings of the Magnificat that capture its promise:

• J.S. Bach, Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243 for 5-part (2 sopranos, alto, tenor, and bass) chorus and orchestra that includes trumpets and timpani.

• Dale Wood, "My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord" from Evening Prayer in the Lutheran Book of Worship. I'll never be able to comprehend why this powerful setting didn't get into the denomination's most recent hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

• Rory Cooney, "Canticle of the Turning," set to a traditional Irish tune – Star of the County Down – is in almost all recent English language hymnals. You need to dane to this song!

Magnificat icon by Scott Ward Art

Advent 3C

Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
Luke 3:8
• In 2021 for Advent 3 I wrote about the Zephaniah reading

• Overview of Luke's Gospel

Luke 3:7-18

⁷ John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
¹¹ In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."

¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
¹³ He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."

¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

¹⁵ As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,

¹⁶ John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.

John the Baptist

Two weeks ago on the First Sunday of Advent, the church started a new year of grace with a season particularly focused on hope. Despite John the Baptist's words, this Third Sunday takes somewhat of a break from penitence and receives the designation Gaudete or "Rejoice," from the first words of the introit or entrance prayer that's derived from the second reading from Philippians, "rejoice in the Lord always." If you've sung in choirs, you probably know Henry Purcell's anthem, "Rejoice in the Lord alway."

Today we hear from and about John the Baptist as he instructs people (a brood of vipers who need to repent) how to get ready for the arrival of God in their midst in the person of his cousin Jesus.

Do you remember John and Jesus were very close in age? John's official church birthday is June 25, right after the summer solstice. Although Jesus' birth likely was during the season of spring, we celebrate his birthday right after the winter solstice, on December 25. Birthdays of increasing and decreasing light symbolize nicely John's observation recorded in John 3:30, "Jesus must increase, I must decrease."

To get a full picture of John the Baptist, we can lay out what each of the four gospels says about him. That would be a great project for a Sunday School class leader or participant at this time of year.


Getting Ready

Take a look at this scene as Luke wrote it. Luke has just cited John's invitation to a baptism for the forgiveness of sins (remember, sin and debt were close to synonymous in that economy), and then quoted Isaiah, "Prepare the way of the Lord … all flesh shall see the salvation of God" when the camera switches to John's followers down by the Jordan Riverside.

Would God among us not be an alleluia moment, a time to sing praises?! In this narrative we read and hear during Advent, John the Baptist has people preparing for God's arrival in their midst by starting to live as he knew Jesus would teach us to be and to act. When that happens, everyone will shout alleluias! An alleluia moment? Alleluias lived out every single day!

People often imagine God calls them to activities, careers, and other endeavors the world considers amazing—teaching elementary school in the inner city, serving as a mostly pro-bono attorney for marginalized populations, serving a non-English speaking mission in a semi-exotic place, parenting kids who go on to get a PhD or MD and help save their corner of the world. God does call and prepare people to those and other redemptive ministries—both highly visible and less conspicuous ones. Ministries that require immense skill and endless preparation along with options almost anyone can pick up. But?


And Then?

But Jesus' cousin John tells us to get ready for The Coming One by sharing essentials like clothing and food where we already are. He doesn't even advise tax collectors and soldiers who are in the employ of the occupying Roman government to quit their jobs (that potentially oppress and even might bankrupt people).

John encourages them to act right here where they are, to give of themselves and any material excess. We always need to bloom where we're planted! After all, most people don't have the option to relocate or travel elsewhere, and even when or if they do, people in need still surround us wherever we are.

As we follow the biblical witness and trace history over the following millennia, we find actions of Jesus' followers become a major aspect of Jesus' presence increasing and growing on earth. We've been seeing and we've been part of initiatives and results from ordinary, everyday people who have been baptized with water and with fire.


Later

Today's gospel reading anticipates the same Luke's volume II Acts of the Apostles where everyone has everything in common, where members of the emergent church provide for the common good.

Just as Matthew never lets up on justice and righteousness, Luke never lets up on living for the other, for the neighbor, correcting the imbalance of some having more than they need, the sorrow of others trying to get by with less. Early on in Acts we hear:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2:42-45

Advent 2C

All flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3:6

Philippians 1:3-11

³ I thank my God for every remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every one of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy ⁵ for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

⁷ It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, for all of you are my partners in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the tender affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight ¹⁰ to help you to determine what really matters, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, ¹¹ having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

The Second Sunday of Advent 2024

The scriptures for today bring a wealth of history, encouragement, and hope.


Baruch

Baruch comes from the second canon or deuterocanonical books ("apocrypha") that for a while were not usually included in protestant bibles. Roman Catholic and most Orthodox churches accept them as part of the biblical canon; Episcopal churches sometimes read passages from the apocrypha in place of the other appointed texts from the sixty-six books of the protestant bible. Martin Luther believed they were useful devotional reading, though not on the same level as the rest of scripture. But Luther wanted to remove seven books from the New Testament!

• Baruch 5:1-9


Malachi

In its placement Malachi is the last book in the Christian Old Testament, but probably not the latest written. Is this messenger of the covenant John the Baptist? The refiner's fire purifies—it doesn't punish, though it may be painful for a while. Next week in Luke 3:16, John the Baptist will announce Jesus will baptize us with water and with fire.

This reading always reminds me of the year I worked for a valve factory. Bodies of the 26" main steam isolation valves had to undergo heat treatment to remove impurities that would interfere with their usefulness and longevity. In the same way, heat treatments refine us and remove our impurities. In Handel's Messiah, this passage from Malachi is a recitative and aria for the bass soloist.

• Malachi 3:1-4


Luke :: Gospel Reading

Luke places everything in history, so during the reign of five named Roman political appointees and when Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, John the Baptist proclaimed a "baptism of repentance" that was not an unusual feature of Israelite national life.

• Luke 3:1-6

The end of this reading also made it into the Messiah. The tenor "Comfort Ye" recitative segues into "Every Valley Shall be Exalted."

• Isaiah 40:3-5

As Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann observed, "Second Isaiah [chapters 40 – 55] funded Handel's Messiah." But other books contributed, including Malachi we're hearing from today.


Luke :: Psalm

• Luke 1:68-79, the Benedictus – "Blessed" – sung by John the Baptist's father is one of the canticles or psalms in Luke. Zechariah refers to history, prophecy, covenant, and to the future of God's people foretold by his soon to be born son. All of us in the church are part of that future!


Philippians

I've linked to the other four scriptures, but I posted the second reading from Philippians. Despite all of those passages approaching perfection for Advent anticipation, I wanted to say a little about the apostle Paul's beautiful tribute and prayer for his beloved congregation at Philippi. We heard about the founding-gathering of First Church Philippi in the book of Acts. The lectionary programs it for Easter 6C so it's coming up in a few months, I wrote about it on Pentecost 17 a little over a year ago:

• Acts 16:9-15 for Pentecost 17A September 2023

Paul wrote his "epistle of joy" Philippians when he was under house arrest or in a dungeon in Ephesus or in Rome. We call it a captivity letter because of his incarceration, yet it mostly reveals Paul captured by and captive to Jesus Christ.


Where We Live

A little over a week ago the USA and Australia celebrated Thanksgiving (a few other countries have similar observances; our best friend and close neighbor Canada's is in October, because harvest time is earlier that far north). It's been a heavy year. It's been a heavy decade. It's been a heavy century. It feels as if 9102001 was the last ever (sort of) normal day.

But there's always so much to be thankful for! A harvest of righteousness. from verse 11 is the header for this scripture on the Vanderbilt Divinity School lectionary page. The apostle Paul is far away from Philippi, yet he brings those beloveds into his here and now. He remembers partnering with them in the past, prays for their present, and anticipates their gospeled futures.

What have you been thankful for recently? On Thanksgiving day did you talk about your blessings? Every evening I pray a list of what I was thankful from that day. It usually starts slowly, but the list gets longer and longer. Do you have a thanksgiving prayer or journaling practice?