Friday 25 December, Christmas Day +++ Un Noël pas comme les autres # confinement

Psalm98│Isaiah 52.7-10│Hebrews1.1-12│John 1.1-14

Psaume98│Ésaïe 52.7-10│Hébreux1.1-12│Jean 1.1-14

Un Noël pas comme les autres # confinement

'The Nativity' by Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) (Italian, Florence (?) ca. 1370–1425 Florence (?))

From The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Robert Lehman Collection, 1975, www.metmuseum.org

Nous vivons des moments inédits où tout est chamboulé. Pays, villes, quartiers et villages sont confinés. Les activités procurant ambiance et joie sont à l’arrêt. Les endroits de rencontre, de partage, destinés à éviter l'isolement et la solitude, sont fermés… même les églises !

Du jamais vu à Noël ! Certains diront que ces moments sont gâchés par la crise sanitaire que nous traversons. Nous ne pouvons même pas aller à l’église pour célébrer la venue du Sauveur, ni inviter nos amis, nos familles pour partager et s'offrir des cadeaux.

Un Noël pas comme les autres !

Ce tableau sombre incluant les malades de la Covid-19 et tant d’autres dans les hôpitaux, les familles endeuillées, n’encourage pas à envisager une célébration de Noël 2020 normale. Pourtant nous devons partager la joie de la venue du Prince Roi, Emmanuel, Dieu avec nous. Les paroles d'Ésaïe et de Jean nous encouragent dans ce sens. « Éclatez ensemble en cris de joie, ruines de Jérusalem ! Car l'Éternel console son peuple, Il rachète Jérusalem. » (Esaïe 52. 9) Même dans ces moments difficiles dus à la Covid-19, même dans le confinement nous pouvons être heureux … autrement. 

Jean, utilisant l’image de la lumière qui symbolise Jésus, nous dit que le Seigneur est avec son peuple dans toutes les circonstances : « En elle était la vie, et la vie était la lumière des hommes. La lumière luit dans les ténèbres, et les ténèbres ne l'ont point reçue. » (Jean 1.4-5). La situation difficile actuelle ne permettant pas un Noël normal, ne doit pas nous empêcher d’accueillir et de célébrer Jésus qui vient parmi nous avec plein de cadeaux : amour, espoir, paix…

Jésus est la lumière du monde, même si certains ne voient pas sa présence à cause de la pandémie, même si les gouvernements sont dépassés, les scientifiques désemparés. Faisons confiance à celui, venu pour le monde, qui est la solution du monde. En ce jour où nous nous remémorons sa venue, demandons-lui d’être auprès de ceux qui souffrent, auprès du corps médical et des chercheurs pour qu’ils soient continuellement et divinement inspirés. 

Le monde n'a pas connu son Créateur et n’a pas reçu le Messie, Jésus, le Sauveur du monde.

Chers lecteurs, l'avez-vous reçu ou êtes-vous prêts à l’accueillir malgré la crise sanitaire ?

A challenging Christmas like no other # Lockdown

We celebrate this 2020 Christmas in the most difficult and trying times in which no other generation has witnessed.  Everything is turned upside down, but that should not prevent us from celebrating Christmas even if it will be a Christmas like any other. Despite covid-19, let us welcome Jesus with open arms.

Dear readers, have you received him in your lives or are you ready to welcome him despite the health crisis?

Jean-Bosco Turahirwa

Thursday 24 December, Christmas Eve +++ He will come again

 Psalm 45│Malachi 2.1-16│Revelation 1.1-8│Matthew 19.13-15

Psaume 45|Malachie 2.1-16|Apocalypse 1.1-8 |Matthieu 19.13-15

 

He will come again

 

Are we nearly there yet? Yes, we are nearly there. I hope Advent has been a good season for you. That somehow you managed to find time for some prayerful reflection. Not easy in a season so pregnant with anticipation of other things. Anyway, we are here again on the threshold of Christmas. For me the image that comes to mind for Christmas Eve is the silence and the darkness after the last person has left the midnight service. I feel deeply for those who are by themselves. This day, this night, we pray for the lonely. That they may know God’s presence. That darkness will make way for the light. The darkness was not able to grasp the light….and it never will be.

I have no idea how Christmas in church will look like this year. What I do know is that God is faithful. The One who came, will come again:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1.8)

'Alpha and Omega', Church of San Isidro, Pulilan, Philippines, 2009

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54339 [retrieved November 28, 2020]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigberto/3549919373/.

All our endings and beginnings are in Jesus, our Lord and Friend.

Living in hope and joyful anticipation,

Paul Vrolijk

Wednesday 23 December +++ The Grace of the Lord

 Psalm 130│Isaiah55│2 Peter 2.4-22│Matthew 19.16-30

Psaume 130 |Ésaïe 55 | 2 Pierre 2.4-22|Matthieu 19.16-30

The Grace of the Lord

 

'Divine Mercy', c. 2002

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57601 [retrieved December 9, 2020]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NationalShrineofTheDivineMercy,Philippinesjf9987_03.JPG - Ramon F Velasquez.

Listen 

God hears our prayers and uses his boundless wisdom to answer them according to His will and  for His glory. When going in prayer, our goal is for our prayers to be answered but rather it  should be to be heard by God. The Lord hears our prayers whether we pray audibly like the  Psalmist did or in silent supplication; so even in times when we have no more words in prayer,  we can trust the Lord to hear the petitions we already presented because He is always listening. 

Forgiveness 

God has made it His duty and promise to forgive us sinners for our transgressions and He is  happy to do it when we confess our sins unto him. Experiencing the forgiving love of God draws  one closer to Him because there is power in acknowledging our wrong and being forgiven for it  rather than getting punished. This gratitude for the forgiveness leads to exceeding fear and  reverence for the Lord. 

Redeemed 

God has graced us with mercy and where there is mercy, there is redemption. Redemption is one  of the greatest blessings from God because it means that each time we sin and ask for  forgiveness, God not only excuses our wrongdoing but by sending Jesus to die for our sins, He  buys us back from the snares of the devil each time. 

Hope 

The Psalmist says we must hope for that which He has promised in His word. What the Lord has  promised, He will deliver. Knowing that God is a merciful God and He has promised redemption  are in themselves the reasons why we should have hope in God.  

Salvation 

Just like Psalmist, even at our lowest and in whatever condition we are facing, we should not  cease to pray but continue to have faith in God. Difficult situations may overwhelm one, but they  are not capable of shutting the mouth of God’s servant as it is in these deep places that profound  devotion comes to life. 

Marie Umutesi

Tuesday 22 December +++ The Lord Is on My Side

 

Psalm 124│Isaiah54│2 Peter 1.16-2.3│Matthew 19.13-15

Psaume 124 | Ésaïe 54| 2 Pierre 1.15-2.3|Matthieu 19.13-15 

The Lord Is on My Side

Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Chennai Flood Rescue 2

 By rsriramtce - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48316680

In Psalm 122.4 we see David leading Israel and giving thanks to God for past help and expressing confidence in His continuing help.

As we look at Psalm 124, David called Israel to recognise that their help was in God alone.  He is always on our side, so long as we keep His paths and walk in His ways. For whilst we are in danger, our fear is without measure but the redeemed are astonished, upon looking back, at the greatness of the danger to which they had been exposed to. David thought it necessary that it was the duty of all God’s covenant people (Israel) to say that God was their absolute essential help. There were times in David’s reign (2 Samuel 5.17-25) when men opposed God’s people and God stepped in to help. 

What would our lives have been like if God had not protected us? Where would we be today? Do you believe God is still protecting us no matter the circumstance? The Psalm is a simple declaration of God’s sovereignty over our lives.  Let us think about the challenges we have gone through. Even though we may not recognise it when we are in the situation, God has His hand on us. He has walked us through the circumstances in our lives to bring us to where we are today. “If it had not been for the Lord…”, we would have been swallowed up. During difficult circumstances we sometimes wonder, “Where is God in this?”. Remember God knows us even though we may not understand His ways. With God’s help, we are safe from destruction and loss of liberty. Let us praise God for the sovereign divine care bestowed on us in our lives. God is a powerful friend to have on our side, creator of heaven and earth. 

Rebecca Susan Mathen

Monday 21 December +++ All of my help comes from the Lord

 Psalm 121│Isaiah52.13-53.12│2 Peter 1.1-15│Matthew 19.1-12

Psaume 121 | Ésaïe 52.13-53.12  | 2 Pierre 1.1-15 | Matthieu19.1-12

All of my help comes from the Lord

The Songs of Ascents from the Psalms, in Hebrew and English are written on the walls in the entrance to the City of David in Jerusalem.

By No machine-readable author provided. Amoruso~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1448609

 

The year 2020 has been full of many hurdles, ups and downs, good and bad surprises and of  course the unwanted and uninvited visitor of the year, the Corona Virus. However, while it  has been a painful year for a lot of us due to unanticipated separations, losses, sicknesses,  frustration and isolation, it has also reminded us of the importance of leaning on our saviour,  friend and redeemer, Jesus Christ. In our time of anguish and pain, we have looked up to the  lord, the maker of Heaven and earth, from where our help comes. And the lord has reminded  us of his unfailing love as he watches over us and protects us from all harm. He is indeed our  God and we are his children. 

These reassuring words are inspired from Psalm 121, which is part of a collection of psalms  identified as ‘A Song of Ascents’ and believed to have been sung by Jewish pilgrims as they  ascended the hills to the Holy City, Jerusalem. It accompanied the pilgrims on their journey  to be closer to God, on their journey of faith and most especially on their personal journey  with God. Today, although we might be feeling lonely, weak and helpless in these troubling  times which can be likened to a journey without a destination, a problem without a solution,  or an unending perilous and soul-draining situation, let us cling to the comforting words of  the Song of Ascents. May we be reminded to look up to God our comforter, for peace and  solace, trusting in His righteousness as we await Christ’s coming. For He has promised to  keep us from all harm, to watch over our lives and to watch over our coming and going both  now and forevermore. 

Amen.

Ozichi Baron

Sunday 20 December, Fourth Sunday of Advent +++ Walking in humble footsteps

 

Luke1.46b-55 (Magnificat)│2 Samuel 7.1-11,16│Romans 16.25-27│Luke 1.26-38

Luc 1.46.-55 (Magnificat) | 2 Samuel 7.1-11,16 |Romains 16.25-27 | Luc 1.26-38

 

Walking in humble footsteps

'The Annunciation - Gabriel and Mary' by JESUS MAFA, 1973

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48278 [retrieved November 26, 2020]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).

Humility is a recurring theme – not only in today’s passage from Luke, but throughout the Bible and indeed woven into the fabric of our lives. It’s so often repeated, in fact, that we may sometimes take it for granted. 

A question that I have always struggled with is this: how can we talk about our own humility while remaining humble? By its very definition, to be humble is to reduce the importance placed on the self while bringing others into the mix. To verbally prove and defend our own humility, then, is a little troubling – if not a dichotomy. 

The season of Advent reminds us that from the moment of Jesus’ birth and through to his resurrection, humility is more effective when practiced rather than spoken. His life is the textbook example of responding to adversity, suffering, and maltreatment with a reduced sense of self and a heart full of compassion for his neighbours. 

The Father sent us His only Son, through people like you and me.

Jesus washed the feet of his own disciples.

Jesus died on the cross – and was raised up – for us. 

No matter the importance of his mission - nor the high seat of his Father - Jesus practiced love and kindness. He was and is shepherd to all: the poor, the rich, the lonely, the successful, the sick, and everyone in between. He is the Servant King: powerful, yet setting his own self aside so that he could give to others.

Cliché as it may be at this time of year, it is always important to look at our Saviour in the manger – wrapped in swaddling clothes, tended to by Mary and Joseph, and carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. From the beginning of his life until now, our hope was vulnerable, meek, and mild. 

This Advent, let us move in the same direction to spread kindness, love justly, and act humbly. I’ll give it a try, and I hope you will join me. 

Benjamin Jance IV

Saturday 19 December +++ Heureux celui qui a pour secours le Dieu de Jacob

 

Psalm 146│Isaiah52.1-12│Jude│Matthew 18.21-35

Psaume 146│Ésaïe 52.1-12│Jude│Matthieu18.21-35

 

Heureux celui qui a pour secours le Dieu de Jacob

 

'Jesus Healing the Blind Man' by Marko Ivan Rupnik, 2002.

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56660 [retrieved December 9, 2020]. Original source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/21838061524.

Il faut lire et relire ce psaume pour assimiler toutes ses richesses spirituelles. Les messages qu’il transmet sont apaisants, rassurants et porteurs d'espoir, en contraste avec les temps que nous traversons.

Nous sommes invités à avoir une confiance inébranlable en Dieu ! "Heureux celui qui a pour secours le Dieu de Jacob, Qui met son espoir en l'Éternel, son Dieu !" Entendre que Dieu est avec nous est un message fortifiant qui donne espoir et courage en ces moments où le monde est bouleversé par la pandémie, où nous avons besoin d’appuis solides au-delà des richesses matérielles. Certains perdent leur travail, des familles ne peuvent plus se réunir, des amis ne se parlent que par visioconférence. Ce psaume nous encourage même dans ces situations !

Dieu protège les plus fragiles ! "Il fait droit aux opprimés ; Il donne du pain aux affamés ; L'Éternel délivre les captifs." Ce verset 7 fait écho à la mission de Jésus mentionnée dans les évangiles. A nous de la poursuivre en nous occupant des plus vulnérables. Honorons ceux et celles qui sont en première ligne pour s’occuper des personnes fragiles de notre société notamment le corps médical en ce moment de crise sanitaire. 

Ce psaume mentionne d'autres catégories des personnes vulnérables ! "L’'Éternel ouvre les yeux des aveugles ; L'Éternel redresse ceux qui sont courbés ; L'Éternel aime les justes. L'Éternel protège les étrangers, Il soutient l'orphelin et la veuve."

Nous avons besoin d'entendre de telles paroles en ce moment et cela fait du bien. Notre Dieu est avec nous ! Ces paroles du psalmiste font penser à celles d'Ésaïe 43 : 2 " Si tu traverses les eaux, je serai avec toi ; Et les fleuves, ils ne te submergeront point ; Si tu marches dans le feu, tu ne te brûleras pas, Et la flamme ne t'embrasera pas." Le Seigneur est avec son peuple, même en temps de CoViD ! 

Chers frères et sœurs, restons proches de notre Seigneur, ne nous éloignons pas de lui, Il est présent et il n'abandonne pas ses brebis.

Marie-Léonille Batiga

Friday 18 December +++ Righteous judgement

 

Psalm 98│Isaiah 51.17-23│2 Thessalonians 3│Matthew 18.1-20

Psaume 98 | Ésaïe 51.17-23 | 2 Thessaloniciens 3 | Matthieu 18.1-20

 

Righteous judgement

'As the Old Sing, the Young Pipe' by Jacob Jordaens, 1593-1678

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55408 [retrieved December 9, 2020]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jordaens01.jpg.

Would you like to enlarge your vision of God this Advent? This psalm has a few surprises for us. Verses 1-3 praise God’s salvation. In the context of the Psalms, this salvation must have been either a major military victory for Israel, or possibly their return from exile. It is important enough that “the nations” (v 2) and “the ends of the earth” (v 3) have seen it.

Verses 4-6 seem, at first glance, somewhat exaggerated. “All the earth” is called to sing to the Lord. No matter how important this salvation was to Israel, they were neither a large nor a strategic nation, so why should their victory cause other nations to rejoice? The implication is that Israel’s God had a claim on every other nation and could command their praise. As he showed his faithfulness and power to Israel, all peoples were called to marvel at his character. 

This claim of the Lord on all nations does not sit easily with the prevailing culture (did it ever?). Do we feel comfortable with this idea? Do we dare to call people to give the Lord his due? Are we excited enough by him to want to let people know?

Verses 7-9 go even further. The creation itself, as well as “all who live in it”, are called to rejoice before the Lord. This is another reminder that everything and everyone belongs to God. But the sting is in the last verse: “let them sing…, for he comes to judge the earth.” Have you ever sung for joy about judgment? Perhaps in our countries where the rule of law more or less prevails, we have lost sight of what it is to rejoice over a fair judgment. But don’t we long for it? From the child who thinks their sibling is getting special treatment, to the worker whose lazy colleague gets promoted, to the victim of crime whose perpetrator walks free, to the voter who longs for politicians with integrity; we all secretly want justice. Can we, then, learn to rejoice that the Lord will judge in righteousness and equity?

Sarah Richelle

Thursday 17 December +++ No more tears│Plus de larmes

 

Psalm 76│Isaiah 51.9-16│2 Thessalonians 2│Matthew17.22-27

Psaume 76│Ésaïe 51.9-16│2 Thessaloniciens 2│Matthieu17.22-27

 

No more tears│Plus de larmes

'Crossing the Red Sea' by Wilhelm Kotarbiński,1848-1921

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57377 [retrieved December 9, 2020]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KotarbinskiyV_PerehEvreRYB.jpg.

We have had more than our fair share lately of tears and loss. So to read in Isaiah (51.11) that the time will come when ‘sorrow and sighing will flee away’ is certainly uplifting for us. The prophet reassures us that this will be the case by linking it back to the deliverance from slavery in Egypt and crossing the Red Sea on dry land. We get much the same message in the New Testament in the book of Revelation (21.4) ‘He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.’ The author St John ties this to the coming of the heavenly city New Jerusalem to earth when Christ returns. In Isaiah it is ‘the ransomed of the Lord’ who will enjoy this liberation from sorrow, in Revelation it is ‘those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life’ (21.27).

Nous avons eu plus que notre juste part ces derniers temps de larmes et de pertes. Donc, lire dans Ésaïe (51.11) que le temps viendra où « le chagrin et les soupirs s’évanouiront » est certainement édifiant pour nous. Le prophète nous rassure que ce sera le cas en le rattachant à la délivrance de l'esclavage en Égypte et de la traverse de la mer Rouge sur la terre ferme. Nous recevons à peu près le même message dans le Nouveau Testament dans le livre de l'Apocalypse (21.4) « Il (Dieu) essuiera toute larme de leurs yeux. Il n’y aura plus de mort, de deuil, de pleurs ou de douleur. » L’auteur St John associe cela à la venue de la ville céleste de la Nouvelle Jérusalem sur terre lorsque le Christ reviendra. Dans Ésaïe, c’est « le racheté du Seigneur » qui jouira de cette libération de la douleur, dans l’Apocalypse ce sont « ceux dont les noms sont écrits dans le livre de vie de l’Agneau » (21.27).

David Fieldsend

Wednesday 16 December +++ Salvation and hope

 

Psalm75│Isaiah 51.1-8│2Thessalonians 1│Matthew 17.14-21 

Psaume 75 |Ésaïe 51.1-8 |2 Thessaloniciens 1| Matthieu 17.14-21

  

Salvation and hope

'Abraham, Sarah and the Angel' by Jan Provoost, c. 1462-1527.

From Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15417197

This year has seen multiple crises, some inherited from past years and some completely new to us. The climate crisis and the pandemic being the most urgent that come to mind, but there are forgotten wars and unstable governance in many places too. So much to pray for. In Isaiah 51.1-8 we find a clear promise of salvation though. We need to act righteously, and the Lord will comfort His people and ‘look with compassion on all her ruins’ (NIV). We will find joy and gladness again, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

This year has been different and very hard for many. When I went into a church to pray recently, I was quite surprised that the first thing I felt was gratitude. I gave thanks for churches to pray in, faith communities who have made the transition to online services and prayer, friends and family, local initiatives to help each other, and for the Lord’s compassion and comfort when needed. And then I gave thanks for being able to feel grateful. The final verses of today’s reading are encouraging us not to listen to the reproach of others (in these times, maybe people who spread negativity, who don’t believe that our way of life means we’re harming creation, or who don’t wish to follow difficult restrictions in order to protect others) but to trust in the Lord’s righteousness which will last forever and in salvation through generations. These are words of hope in difficult times. There have been difficult times before in history, and they will come again, but through it all there is salvation and hope. 

Sara T

Tuesday 15 December +++ Une nouvelle vie

Psalm50│Isaiah 50│1 Thessalonians 5.12-28│Matthew 17.1-13

Psaume 50│ Ésaïe 50│1 Thessaloniciens 5.12-28│Matthieu 17.1-13

 

Une nouvelle vie

 

'Flagellation of Christ' by Jusepe de Ribera, 17th century.

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56507 [retrieved December 9, 2020]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Flagellation_of_ChrisSpagnGirolamNaples.jpg.

Fais-nous entendre ta voix qui redresse, quand nous ployons sous le poids du malheur et ouvre l’horizon de la tendresse si crainte et peur font dériver nos cœurs.

Que ta Parole fasse lever l’aurore de notre humanité transfigurée, et fasse éclore, en toutes nos opacités, un souffle neuf chantant la joie d’aimer.

(Prière du temps de l’Avent)

C’est avec un grand amour que Dieu à envoyer Jésus pour ramener les morts à la vie et nous réconcilier avec Dieu le père. La colère de Dieu est l’expression de sa justice et de son amour. Cette colère est causée par la méchanceté et l’infidélité de son peuple. Ou tout simplement par les pêchés. Psaume 50.15 - Dieu invite tous les croyants fidèles à l’invoquer dans des moments de besoins et de difficultés. Dieu désire exaucer nos prières, nous aider et faire en sorte que son nom soit exalté, car Dieu délivre son peuple. 

Aussi l’éternel lance un avertissement solennel aux membres de son peuple qui font preuve d’hypocrisie, il va déchirer ceux qui font semblant de lui être consacrés, qui revendiquent l’alliance du salut et les bénédictions de sa parole. Les expériences et les encouragements du prophète se mêlent aux paroles prophétiques relatives à la souffrance du messie. Lui qui apportera du réconfort aux faibles et à ceux qui ont l’esprit troublé. 

Le messie allait supporter toutes souffrances, l’humiliation et le déshonneur dans l’accomplissement de sa tâche qui est de sauver l’humanité. Le prophète Esaïe appelle ceux qui se confient au Seigneur à lui rester fidèles, même s’ils doivent subir beaucoup de souffrance. Dieu viendra à leur secours.

Ceux qui, au lieu de mettre leur confiance à Dieu, marchent dans la lumière de feux qu’ils ont eux-mêmes allumés « se coucheront dans la douleur ».

Par conséquent, nous devons venir vers Dieu, en priant, en lisant les saintes Écritures et à demandant sa miséricorde. Ensuite, croire qu’il nous a pardonné.  Dès lors, nous devons laisser derrière nous les péchés que nous avons commis et vivre une nouvelle vie. 

Charles Kabera

Monday 14 December, John of the Cross, poet, teacher of the faith, 1591 (Lesser Festival) +++ Wisdom

 

Psalm 34.11-17│1 Kings 3.6-14│1Corinthians 2.1-10│Mark 4.1-9

 Psaume 34.11-17  |1 Rois 3.6-14 | 1 Corinthinens 2.1-10 | Marc 4.1-9

Wisdom

 

Drawing of the Crucifixion by St. John of the Cross, c. 1550

From https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVeTzVSt1V1sPw4o26ZsxNMZf5vpVoeJXoQ2nekqyKvc2A0bGejPPDqRbI_U_XIBSg6fudghPRL6j3ciqJWVkruwAsjfVBab3PJ1jURik-vJJ0cS89uq2-3VucxsjOPi28KtY3cPkUcA/s1600/drawing-by-st-john-of-the-cross.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16045100

In my bible the passage from 1 Kings 3 from verse 6 onwards is titled ‘Solomon asks for wisdom’.   

But actually what he is quoted asking for is a discerning heart to govern your [God’s] people and to distinguish between right and wrong.       Is this this same as wisdom? 

This got me thinking about definitions ….  Is wisdom really mostly about being able to tell right from wrong, seeing clearly what is good and what is evil?    

Our lives are filled with choices, we live in the midst of many complex problems, and there are many things we would like to be able to see and weigh up more clearly.    How do we take care of ourselves and each other in a pandemic?   Is this supermarket product more climate friendly than this one… or should I buy neither?   What should I do to build a more just and inclusive society?  Where do I find the balance between meaningful work and necessary rest?     The desire to know everything is strong, and to be able to simply label everything as either ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.   But somehow few things in my daily life seem subject to such clear-cut classification … and the risk of being overwhelmed by endless questions is a real one. 

But maybe wisdom is not just the ability to sort right from wrong, maybe it’s not just about knowing what is what. 

The Psalm for the day gives a helpful direction.   The passage starts with the invitation to learn, to gain insight   Come, my children, listen to me;  I will teach you the fear of the Lord     But going further the instruction for those ‘who love life’ is more active  …. 

Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it

(v. 14)

Today my prayer is for wisdom not only to know right from wrong …  not just to know good.. but to strive to do good,….  I pray for the wisdom to keep questioning in action….  to seek peace and pursue it.

Mags Bird

Editor’s note: Saint John of the Cross was born Juan de Yepes y Alvarez, in Fontiveros, Avila, Spain in 1542. John was sent to a boarding school for poor and orphaned children. He was given a religious education from a young age and chose to follow a religious path. John became a priest in 1567. In 1572, John traveled to Avila at the invitation of Theresa to become her confessor and spiritual guide. He remained in Avila until 1577. While there, he had a vision of Christ and made a drawing that remains to this day called, ‘Christ from Above’.

(From https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=65).

Sunday 13 December, Third Sunday of Advent +++ The straight way

Psalm126│Isaiah 61.1-4,8-11│1 Thessalonians 5.16-24│John 1.6-8,19-28

Psaume 126 |Esaïe 61.1-4,8-11 |1 Thessaloniciens 5.16-24 | Jean 1.6-8,19-28

The straight way

'St John The Baptist' (from The Isenheim Altarpiece), c.1512-16 by Matthias Grünewald.

From Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15394640

‘Who are you?’

Advent is a time to think about justice, and our reading from Isaiah 61 reminds us of that today; about justice being the work of the Christ, and after him, the work of the church.

But our work for justice must start somewhere – our reading from 1 Thessalonians reminds us of a Christ-based godliness in our own lives and in the life of the church from which justice (righteousness) can grow.

But Christian justice doesn’t just grow out of something; it points to something too.

When the priests and Levites went out to see John the Baptist, about whom our reading from John speaks, they went out to see who it was who was doing things and being things that were unexpected.

‘Who are you?’

And he replies that what he was doing was nothing whatever to do with him.  ‘I’m not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet.’

‘Who are you?’

‘I’m a signpost’

‘Don’t look at me; look at the one, at Jesus, to whom I point’    Look for the straight way, for righteousness and justice in him and through him.’

Here in the middle of Advent that is our calling too.

To point to Jesus, in our worship; in our words; and in our work for justice; to the one who is himself Justice and Righteousness for all.

God for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right, with Jesus Christ our Lord.

John Wilkinson