Sing. Now. Be Merry.

drawing by Ed Fisher, appeared in the New Yorker magazine

   Christmas is drawing close...it is here. For many folks, this cartoon captures the truth. We feel like a part of the herd, pushed forward and told to "sing now." It is Christmas. Sing. Be merry. Have a good time.
   But, we resist. For good reasons. We know better than to dictate feelings and emotions to others. It does not work. And, besides, some people find it hard to be merry all of the time during this time of the year. Memories are strong, right now, and those memories take us back to when loved ones were still with us and things were different. The holidays can be difficult. We would be remiss not to respect that truth. I believe we must be ever vigilant to reach out to those who hurt and extend our care and compassion, especially now.
   Beyond our respect for the feelings and context of others, I read into this cartoon another element of modern celebrating that had little place in the original Christmas story: the sense of awe. Stories of the first Christmas, from Matthew and Luke, are both filled with moments of surprise and wonder. There were angels making startling announcements to both Mary and Joseph. Elizabeth and Zechariah get the surprise of the their lives, when told they have have a son named John. An angelic chorus directs shepherds to cave used as a stable, of all places, to find a child just born. All the while, we're told God's plan to redeem all of the world is being put on full display. The first Christmas was anything but rote.
   In the midst of all of the emotions and busyness of the season, may we move at our own pace toward the scene being played out before us. May we gaze with awe at how the God of the Universe is choosing to reveal himself to us this year. Grace and Peace to you.

Two Critical Easter Messages

While we've spent most of our time this year listening to the story of Jesus as Luke's Gospel tells it, I could not pass up important details from the Gospel of Matthew. It is the message the angels, sent from heaven as messengers from God, deliver that has life-altering effects. Two parts strike me:

"Do not be afraid"

Some of us will remember that this is standard operating procedure for all angel appearances. Throughout the Scriptures when angels appear, they offer this word. Do not be afraid. Why, you ask? Because we are human. We fear change. We fear what is new. We fear what we do not understand; all of this is precisely what the truth of Easter brings. The world works differently now. Death has no hold for those who believe. God is bringing about change in ways you could not imagine before.

"He is Not Here"

The angels go on to point out that Jesus' body is no longer in the tomb. Jesus was not where they were looking, not among the dead. He could not be found in the cemetery. Instead, he is among the living. He is not dead, but instead busy with the stuff of life - redemption, affirmation, and fulfillment.

Easter calls us to something new; to life without fear and to live differently.  We are called to look for God's work - as Jesus made God present in a new way here on Earth - in places we never thought to look before.  This is the power of the Resurrection.  This is Easter.