ADVENT ALPHABET Continues

J =    JESUS

Kind of a given that the J would be for Jesus. I've heard it, read it, sent it and yes, wore my very own "Jesus Is the Reason for the Season" button. 

It was decades ago and I was new to the faith, going to local Christian bookstores, listening to Christian recording artists and wearing this button every day during the Advent season. I confess I pinned it on with a certain arrogance and self-righteous conceit. For me it was a very judgmental accessory.

I love Jesus. I've got a lot of work to do to be a so much better disciples....I fail often (blessed be the gift of grace).  I never have been a judgmental, whose in and whose out, earn or burn type. 

I choose to focus on the love and the teaching and the justice and the inclusion of Jesus. From where he was born and who came to visit to who he welcomed and chose as dining companions, my love of Jesus centers on his radical hospitality and his delight in us...all of us, right now, this moment.

One can't put that sentiment on a button....this one has to be evidenced in a life.

K =    KRINGLE

Along with cookies, shopping. children's pageants and decorating, a relatively newer addition to the observation of the season are the Holiday Christmas specials. Many of these first aired when I was a little kid so I've kind of grown up with them. 

Those earlier specials with the clunky animation and so-so graphics are timeless favorites!  

Each season, I have to shake my advent tail feathers to "I'm Mr. Snow Mizer and I'm Mr. Heat Mizer."

Even Christmas specials have an origin story offering ---- "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."  With the red-headed Kris Kringle and the Winter Warlock and Burgermeister, Meister Burger we learn why we hang stockings and the lights on the Christmas trees and why every kid needs a toy for Christmas.  

What is your and your families origin story for celebrating the holiday? What are the tales behind the ornaments and the star on top of the tree? 

L =    LISTS

Before the internet and social media, there was the jumbo SEARS Christmas Catalog. This thing was a door stopper. When it arrived, one longed for their turn to leaf through the pages and fold back the corners marking where a desired item could be found.  Mom knew what to do next. The majority of her Christmas shopping when I was little, was to order from the catalog.  As we grew up, we wrote down our lists of wants and must-haves and those were affixed to the refrigerator for easy access by those in the house with disposable income.

ADVENT ALPHABET Continued

 G =    GUITAR

Perhaps it was listening to my sister's 45's of the "Carpenters;"  it could have been the Coca-Cola commercial wanting to teach the world to sing, or maybe I watched the Sound of Music and Julie Andrews melodizing the Von Trappp children.....whatever it was I wanted a guitar for Christmas. 

NOTE: Not I, nor any member of my family, is exactly blessed with the gift of song, the talent of music. Case in point, one Advent season the choir director/student pastor decided to have the congregation sing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's MESSIAH. The selling point to get persons to participate was, "Listen, Sally is in it and she can't sing at all......."  Thank you.

I was drawn to the community experience of song and sing-along.....yeah, yeah....having some sort of musical acumen might be wise.....yet, the cool factor of a guitar......that sealed it.

I did receive the guitar. 

 I practiced.  Like a trumpet player, I blew.  Music career ended before it had a chance to strum that first chord... and the world exhaled a sigh of great relief.

H =    HOPE

The word gets a lot of usage, perhaps now more than ever.  Like the other big "wow word," love, this one gets used in all kind of ways both minuscule and mighty.  Have conversation with some folks asking them:

1. What do you hope for yourself?
2. What do you hope for your community?
3. What do you hope for your nation?
4. What do you hope for the world?
5. What do you hope for those whom are your enemies?

Let me know if any answers wow you....

I =    INNKEEPER

In the Christmas narrative the innkeeper gets a bum rap. He is most always portrayed as being crotchety and surly and snarling.  If he is ever part of a nativity play the direction would be to cross your arms and keep them that way, curl your lip and grumble.  

I think it's time to take another look at the innkeeper.  

There would've been a lot of travelers in little Bethlehem, each coming to be counted and none to happy about it.  They want a place to rest and water their animals and a bed in which to sleep before returning home.  The innkeeper has to feel a bit overwhelmed with the rush of persons; it's first arrive, first rented.  His wife has to be harried and hurried bolting from room to room.  Just when they get a moment's peace, a young couple, the woman very pregnant, both exhausted, both scared, arrive asking for a room.  

The need is evident; so too are the booked rooms. 

He could've simply said no, they are filled up and leave it. Yet, I envision the innkeeper as a man of empathy and compassion. He ponders the situation and offers them the stable out back. "It's got cover, feel free to use the straw to sleep upon, and there should be some blankets you can use for warmth."

He extends hospitality. He does a positive something to find a solution that benefits someone on the margins, a stranger.  

We can learn a lot from the innkeeper.

ADVENT MESSAGE 1

 Mark 1. 1-8

PART OF THE ROAD CREW                                          

                                                           

Denise had one job to do ---- at the community event we hosted, she was responsible for making certain everyone attended signed in and those who showed up without a reservation provided their name, email and phone number.  Denise took this task very, very seriously.  If you tried to skirt by the sign-in table without checking in, her approach was either to yell, “Excuse me!  You must sign in!  Excuse me!  Sign-in please.”  Or, she ran after the sign-in-avoider and politely, yet, firmly escorted the person back to the table to check in. Trust me, after witnessing Denise’s fierceness and commitment to getting her job completed successfully, people fell in line and signed-in without hassle or hurdle.

 

I find persons like knowing what job they are to do and the specifics of the task. I’m one of those folks; just tell me what you need me to do, answer any questions I have regarding the job and then let me to it. 

In this holiday baking season, as a kid I helped my mother bake M&M cookies (don’t laugh…I did….a couple of times) and my job was to sort the M&M’s and group them into groups of three comprised of different colored candies.  I was outstanding! Those M&M Cookies were some of the grandest ever made thanks to the aesthetic presentation of the diversely colored candies.

 

A team, an event, a workplace, a congregation all work well when persons know their roles and what is expected of them. It is like the orchestra in elementary school music class --- so you really wanted to play the tambourine or even the triangle and you got handed the two wooden sticks.  You were disappointed, angry, envious of Becky, who it seemed always got handed the triangle. Yet, the music teacher told you how important the sticks were to the overall ensemble and that you rubbing those sticks together when cued was vital to the performance.

 

Advent is when John the Baptist has his starring role and is on center stage. He knows his role.  He is to prepare the way, to do his part in the fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy and “make the steep places plain and the rough patches smooth” --- he is the foreperson for God-Dot road maintenance. 

John had built up quite a following, he had the crowds, the name recognition, the buzz.  He did his job. He stepped off center stage and prepared the people for Jesus. 

How did he do it? 

I have a healthy ego. I like the warmth of the spotlight.  

John the Baptist did it the way we all do --- he knew who he was and his role and he never lost sight of the WHY. Knowing that, he did his work and when the time came, he introduced Jesus. John provides and important lesson for all of us and the roles we play in the congregation, in our families, at our work, in preparing the world for the coming of Christ. Do what is asked of you, do it well and then move off center stage.

 

John the Baptist manages to hold the tension between past, present and future. He reminds of the past prophecy of the one who will go before and prepare the way. John is very much present throughout today’s text and seemingly every Advent season. The Baptizer re-minds us of the call we each have to “build the world to look as God would have it to look,” (Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB) in such a way that we will impact the future.

 

Pack your lunch bucket, grab your hard hat and let’s get to work in making smooth paths and easy going for the heavy-burdened.  Slow down, there is a “Church at Work” sign up ahead.