Advent Meditation Booklet 2019

SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS

ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2019

Sandro Botticelli (c.1445-1521) The Annunciation, 1489 Tempura on Panel Uffizi Gallery, Florence

TABLE OF CONTENTS Word from the Rector December 1 (1st Sunday of Advent) December 2 December 3 December 4 December 5 December 6 December 7 December 8 (2nd Sunday of Advent) December 9 December 10 December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14 December 15 (3rd Sunday of Advent) December 16 December 17 December 18 December 19 December 20 December 21 December 22 (4th Sunday of Advent) December 23 December 24

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Advent is set aside as a season to help us prepare for the miracle of God’s in-breaking in the person of Jesus Christ. At Christmas, God broke through the veil that divided heaven and earth, and his incarnation connects us to the eternal life of God. To be honest, taking time out of our busy lives is often considered a luxury of time we simply don’t have. We make hurried checklists, run many errands, and never seem to commit the thoughtfulness and patience we wish. I hope this Advent season can be different.

This Advent, you are invited to spend a little time each day in thoughtfulness and prayer.

Each day, a member of our Saint Michael family will guide us toward that beautiful season.

As you read these meditations, some may make you laugh and some may make you cry, but with each meditation, you will be brought closer to Christ.

I give thanks to God for this time, to be able to walk with each of you toward Christmas, and to be renewed in the hopefulness of God’s love for every person. May this season bless you and your family in surprising ways, and may you become more of the blessing God calls each of us to be.

In peace, The Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata Rector

1ST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 1

MARY JOHNSON Renewal Program

Psalm 111, 112, 113, 146 | Amos 1:1-5, 13-2:8 | 1 Thess. 5:1-11 | Luke 21:5-19 Often we define Advent in terms that work for us at any given moment. For instance; After reviewing the readings for today, I began to reminisce about decorating my house for Christmas. I love this time of year! I change my home into a Christmas wonderland. Years ago, three Christmas trees in my house was the norm.

I thought they really made the house look and feel like Christmas! Several years ago, I had an epiphany–it was three trees and a lot of work! Just because you can decorate like crazy doesn’t mean you should. In other words, decorations don’t make for a real Christmas. Fast forward…

As I sat down at my computer to begin writing the meditation for today, I realized that the “holiday season” was fast approaching, and I am not ready! I am not ready for the chaos that is associated with the season. I need a jump start to enter the bumper-to-bumper traffic, packed grocery stores, attending parties, decorating, gift shopping, crowds everywhere, meal planning, cooking, cleaning, meetings, obligations with friends, family, and of course, watching all the Hallmark Christmas movies. I would be remiss not to mention the stress of not forgetting anything or anyone. Don’t misunderstand, I love the holidays …especially Christmas. I know that Advent is a time for preparation, getting ready for the birth of Jesus. My concern is, how am I going to accomplish a meaningful Advent season given all the stressors listed above?

I continued to meditate on the scriptures and realized that the Psalms selected all have a similar theme.

They are a collection of praise, hope, love, and joy. They reflect the concerns at that time they were written.

Interestingly, they still speak to us today. While reading the poetry of Psalms, it became clear that the changes in my life meant to create a meaningful Advent season, were not enough. I need to change my focus – reduce the “noise” that is all around me and spend time reflecting on the meaning of Advent.

Psalms 112 is about those blessed, and it reminds me of the Beatitudes and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

(Matthew chapter 5) Clearly, things in our lives are not always perfect, but God’s love is. As we anticipate Christmas day and prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we should be thankful for the many gifts God has given us.

We can’t control the chaos around us, but we can control how we let it affect us. Make a serious effort to spend more time preparing to receive Jesus. What if the son of God will actually be born on December 25, 2019 in Dallas, Texas? What would you change about your life today? Start by putting forth a conscious effort to make more time for God. Prayer is one way to prepare this Advent season. If it’s not already part of your daily routine, schedule a regular time to pray.

We should take time to examine our own faith. Take time to be with those we love, to find joy in our hearts and to Praise God for all the blessings given to us, those we easily recognize and those we don’t. Make this the most meaningful Advent season you can remember.

Merry Christmas! *Passages in bold have been selected by the author as the subject of that day’s meditation.

DECEMBER 2

KEN BRANNON

Vice Rector

Psalm 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 | Amos 2:6-16 | 2 Pet. 1:1-11 | Matt. 21:1-11 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord…and may [you] become participants of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:2, 4b).

Sometimes our imagination is too small. Sometimes we settle for human understanding.

In today’s reading from Second Peter, the writer reminds us that faith is God’s work, not ours…that grace and peace flow out of God’s abundance and make us participants of the divine nature.

On Sunday, November 3, Saint Michael held a special All Souls evensong in the sanctuary. All Souls is a time to remember the faithful departed whom we love but see no longer. It’s a bittersweet observance.

I didn’t really want to go. It had been a long day and I was ready to put my toes up. I didn’t have an official role in the service and knew I could skip it and not be missed. But my wife, Rachel, was serving as lector and I wanted to keep her company, so we got there early and sat in the front by the lectern. There was the usual hustle and bustle as the various groups got ready for the service: acolytes lighting the candles…choir members arranging their music…priests giving final instructions. It all seemed so typical…so human.

Then the opening chants began and we slowly moved from our reality to God’s reality…from earth’s concerns to heaven’s concerns. The choir was exquisite and lifted us out of our usual musings. The readings were focused and helped us recall the “souls of the righteous” who have made an impact on our lives. The chanting of the names of the recently departed pierced our hearts. Then it was time to come forward and light a candle for those whom we have loved and lost. I lit a candle for Jim and June Young, mentors from college, and it was as if they were standing right there next to me. I was moved by the long line of people waiting to light a candle: so many memories…so many stories.

The last couple to light a candle had lost their son to suicide just weeks before. At this point, the dam broke and tears streamed down my face. I could feel both the magnitude of their grief and the depth of God’s love for them and their son. In that moment, I realized that we are all “participants of the divine nature,” whether we know it or not.

That’s the beauty of the Incarnation. That’s our focus in Advent. God loves us so much that God takes on human flesh and unites heaven to earth and earth to heaven. In Christ Jesus, we discover that even a drop of eternal love can heal an ocean of mortal pain.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

DECEMBER 3

CELISE STEPHENSON Parish Records

Psalm 5, 6, 10, 11 | Amos 3:1-11 | 2 Pet.1:12-21 | Matt. 21:12-22 The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them.

This pearl is tucked away in Matthew between the cleansing of the temple and the chief priests harassing Jesus. It’s tucked away like a prize in a mid-winter stocking. I dismissed it as I might dismiss a grain of sand, since Jesus heals people all over the place.

People have healed me at lunch, in the library, online, during church, on a sidewalk, at a cash register and in a parking lot. The temple exists all over the place. Jesus of Nazareth isn’t here, but The Christ is available everywhere you go.

If I could, I would invent glasses that would help me to see into things. I expect that with the approach of the living Christ we are made to see into things properly, so we can find the lame stranded in a cold alley in the dark of night or rescue the blind lost in a field of broom corn scorched in the noonday sun. We heal each other in parking lots and driveways, in person or in print, in prison or in freedom, with silence or with words, everywhere, all the time. We really do.

The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them.

In my father’s patois I would call this slice of Matthew the nan-nan, the good little bit.

So turn your stockings inside out. Inspect every pebble or bit of sand for the good. Go to the temple and heal somebody. Walk home, or to Bethany, to rest, while your death and resurrection approaches.

DECEMBER 4

REGAN WALLACE

Director of Children and Family Ministry

Psalm 12-14, 119:1-24 | Amos 3:12-4:5 | 2 Pet. 3:1-10 | Matt. 21:23-32 In Matthew 12:23-32, Jesus returns to the temple to teach the people. While he was there, the religious leaders and chief priests asked Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” Jesus tells them that he will answer their questions if they answer a question for him first. “Did John’s baptism come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” Fearing retaliation from both the people and from Jesus if they answer either way, they respond that they do not know.

Then in true Jesus fashion, Jesus tells a parable to the priests. A man had two sons. He tells each to go into the field to cut grapes. The first says he did not want to go but later he went. The second agrees but did not go.

Jesus asks, “Who did the father’s will?”. The priests answer “The first.” Jesus then tells them that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter God’s kingdom before them. When John came before the priests righteously, they did not believe, and the tax collectors and prostitutes believed. Even when they saw with their own eyes the priests did not change their minds and believe.

There is a reversal of expectations in this parable; those who are viewed as the antithesis of the “good” believer (a priest), some who have failed to live in the right way (the tax collectors and prostitutes), will be given entry to the kingdom of heaven first. This is simply because they believed in what they saw with all their heart and mind.

There is also a kind of accusation in the parable that some who claim to obey the Father and observe the requirements of the Law fail to do so in reality. Is this who we want to be, as believers, the people of God? I pray that this is not the case.

This parable highlights a very important part of being a Christian. Jesus’ parable is, in the end, a challenge. It asks us how we will respond to the truth of the gospel. Will we change our mind and believe, or not? Will we be the daughter who pretends obedience or the son who turns around and changes his mind?

This Advent season reminds us and gives us time to reflect on one of our greatest beliefs; that Jesus Christ, the savior and messiah of God’s people, was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. What does it mean to live out this belief? How do we show others that this is what we believe in this season of hope and joyful expectation?

DECEMBER 5

STEWART THOMAS

Saint Michael Adult Choir

Psalm 18:1-50 | Amos 4:6-13 | 2 Pet. 3:11-18 | Matt. 21:33-46 The Parable of the Wicked Tenants This is Jesus’ third parable told in response to the Pharisees’ question about the source of Jesus’ authority (21:12-46). First, Jesus poses a counter-question on the authority of John’s baptism, which the leaders were afraid to answer (21:23-27). Then, Jesus tells the parable of the two sons, accusing the high priests of claiming the message from God, but failing live up to it by being obedient. Outwardly, they are devout, religious people–people of God, but God knows their heart, and there they have failed miserably.

Here, Jesus tells a variation of Isaiah’s love-song for a planted vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7): “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” (Matthew 21:33-41).

It is clear that the vineyard in this parable refers to “the house of Israel and the people of Judah.” (Isaiah 5:7), and the reference to sending messengers alludes to Israel’s treatment of God’s prophets. They killed Zechariah by stoning him (2 Chronicles 24:21), beat Jeremiah and placed him in the stocks (Jeremiah 20:2), killed the prophet Uriah (Jeremiah 26:21-23), and “killed your [God’s] prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you [God]” (Nehemiah 9:26). (See also Matthew 5:12; 23:29-37).

In the Isaiah version, the vineyard produces bad harvest, and God destroys it. Here, Jesus gives the story a twist: it’s not that the vineyard grows sour grapes, but that the tenants have forgotten who owns the vineyard.

When the owner sends to collect his produce, these tenants respond as if they own the vineyard, as if their produce is entirely of their own doing.

Sound familiar? How many times do we forget who owns the vineyard in which we toil? How often do we forget to yield the produce of our labors, not hoard it all for ourselves? How often we forget that all we are and all we have comes from God, and we are given a precious gift to toil in his vineyard for a time, to yield good fruit, to render back to God. I will work on this today.

DECEMBER 6

RENÉ SOMODEVILLA Priest Associate for Worship

Nicholas, Bishop of Myra

On this day, the Church celebrates the Feast of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. An obscure Bishop who rose to be Patron Saint of seafarers, sailors, and children. A bit of a strange combination of people until we look at both groups’ shared helplessness. Anyone who has put any time on, in, or around great bodies of water, can attest to their incredible power. To place oneself upon the ocean on any size vessel, is to be at the mercy of one of the world’s most savage elements on the planet. Sailors knew that surrender of control lies at the heart of human life.

In Mark’s Gospel we read of adults bringing children so that Jesus could bless them. They were brought because they were powerless to come by themselves. Although rebuked by the power brokers–the disciples– Jesus sweeps away the restrictions, even as a wave can destroy the most intricate and beautiful sand castle on the beach. The children end up in his arms safe and happy. No matter our size, or strength, we are sailors and children at the mercy of powers beyond us.

Nicholas represents the fullness of benevolence to the most vulnerable human creatures amidst the cruelest and most unpredictable of worlds. He represents gifts and goodness in the midst of an angry world that chooses power over, rather than power with. As Santa Claus, he has the power to transform us for a brief time each year. But we do not need to stop there. We can bring that gift of benevolence, of love and safety to anyone, all year long.

Almighty God, grant, we pray, that your Church may never cease to work for the happiness and safety of children, sailors, the poor, and those tossed by the tempests of doubt and grief.

In Christ’s name we pray. AMEN.

DECEMBER 7

KAREN WILEY

Imaging the Word Bible Study

Psalm 20, 21:1-14; 110:1-7, 116, 117 | Amos 5:18-27 | Jude 17-25 | Matt. 22:15-22 “Praise the Lord, all you nations; laud him, all you peoples.

For his loving-kindness toward us is great, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.”

Hallelujah!”

Psalm 117, Laudate Dominum, with only two verses is the shortest in the Psalter and yet one of the most famous because of its many musical settings. Perhaps the most famous is Mozart’s which has been sung at Saint Michael for decades; often at weddings. With three generations of Wileys now in our choirs, I was feeling pretty good about this choice until I heard from Amos.

Two Questions What Does God Want? Amos 5:18-27 Amos was called by God from a shepherd’s life to the difficult mission of preaching harsh words in a smooth season. After a series of oracles against Israel’s pagan neighbors he turns to an indictment of Israel herself for sin and injustice. With nightmarish images of the Day of the Lord (lions, bears, serpents, darkness, and gloom), Amos tells us what God really wants. Not empty worship and–ouch–not even “the noise of your songs and the melody of your harps” but rather, “justice that rolls down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream.”

Whose Image is Stamped on You? Matthew 22:15-22 Yesterday we read the beginning of this chapter with the famous Kingdom of Heaven parable of the marriage feast, and our rejection of God’s invitation by making excuses for why we will not come to the table. The chapter closes with three scenes of controversy between Jesus and the religious authorities who saw Him as a threat. After some empty flattery the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to entrap Jesus. Seeing their hypocrisy, Jesus asks for a coin which bore the inscription “Tiberius Caesar Pontifex Maximus” because Roman emperors claimed to be deities. Jesus points rather to the true and only source of divine rule, the one true God. “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” We as God’s beloved sons and daughters are stamped with God’s image.

All things come of Thee oh Lord and of thine own have we given Thee.

2ND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 8

MARK DEMLER Acolyte

Psalm 114, 115, 148, 149, 150 | Amos 6:1-14 | 2 Thess. 1:5-12 | Luke 1:57-86 Joy, anticipation, beauty of decorations, parties, friendly gatherings with plenty of food and libation: all common thoughts about the season preceding Christmas. I am particularly fond of transforming our home into a collection of Christmas and Holiday decorations. Traditions like tree trimming, shopping and family meals fill our calendars.

Our Church also goes through a similar transformation. Advent wreaths appear, trees and greenery beautify the spaces, and ministry parties are plentiful. These are the things that manifest themselves in the Advent and Christmas season.

As I read the verses for this meditation, I am struck by the stark contrast in the warnings of Amos to the holiday preparations that I know and love. In today’s terms, Amos is a real buzzkill! Amos warns of destruction and exile for those that enjoy the self-indulgent activities of rich food, wine, and entertainment. We all understand that overindulgence usually brings consequences. The wrath of Amos’ message is extreme in our world, but certainly makes a memorable point.

How do we reconcile this message as we meditate about Advent?

In the readings for today, Psalms 148, 149, and 150 help answer this dilemma. Consistent with the beauty of Advent, these Psalms offer us converse thinking about the coming of Jesus. As an Advent meditation, I choose to think about the joyous messages delivered by these Psalms. Celebrating all of God’s goodness and all his creations, singing his praises in the assembly of the faithful, dancing, making music, and letting us “exult in glory”. These verses of the Psalms reflect the Advent that I like to think about and the Advent that I think God intended for us to reflect on. Let’s enjoy the Season, but always be mindful of why there is a Season.

Praise the Lord!

DECEMBER 9

ELIZABETH LANG Education for Ministry

Psalm 9, 15, 25 | Amos 7:1-9 | Rev. 1:1-8 | Matt. 22:23-33 “Do you think that you look better because you just made a fellow student look bad?” I asked a ninth-grade boy who had put down a classmate. In Matthew the Sadducees use a similar tactic to make Jesus and those who believed in the resurrection look silly. The Sadducees honored the Five Books of Moses (Torah) and did not accept newer beliefs like the resurrection. In this story they try to make the resurrection appear ridiculous so that they look smart. Jesus turned their tactic against them. He used a passage from the Torah to support the resurrection. His main point, however, is that his opponents were wrong “because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.” What if we follow the example of Jesus and look to his scripture? Today we have Amos. Some Christians see Amos as judgmental. There is a difference between judgment and judgmentalism. Judgmentalism condemns others in order to show oneself or one’s group as superior. Judgment reveals truth. Thus, the prophet Amos announces judgment. Amos sees God standing in the midst of His people measuring them against a plumb line. Like a poorly constructed wall, God’s people do not stand true. Trusting in God’s favoritism and in liturgy, God’s people have shown themselves more devoted to the bottom line than to the plumb line that measures righteousness. Judgment shines a bright light on their personal practices and public policy that favor individual success at the cost of the vulnerable. Amos sees no individual redemption that divorces itself from the welfare of the community. Salvation under God’s covenant is communal. Justice and righteousness that advance the well-being of all are the sign of God’s Reign.

Some people say that Christian love and mercy have superseded Jewish justice and righteousness. Love and mercy for whom? Love does not admire greed. Mercy does not take advantage of those at the bottom. I think that Jesus learned from the Torah, the prophets, and psalms that love presumes justice, and mercy includes righteousness. Jesus certainly responded to the physical and spiritual hunger of the needy. I believe Jesus also ministers today to those who long for food, security, and safety and thus for justice and righteousness.

What impedes turning to liberty and justice for all is, I think, a deep anxiety which is not satisfied by enough.

Enough is not enough because we do not measure ourselves by the plumb line that Amos saw in God’s hand but by the super-success of our neighbors. Both Jesus and Amos invite us to gauge ourselves another way.

Of course, to do so requires trust in the power of God to save us. It is our insecurity, rather than our faith, that drives our desire for more and more safeguards.

Faithful God, who spoke through the prophets and Your Son, give us that peace which allows us to spend ourselves for others, so that we may serve the common good and put our trust in You. Amen.

DECEMBER 10

RALPH COUSINS Chalice Bearer

Psalm 26, 28, 36, 39 | Amos 7:10-17 | Rev. 1:9-16 | Matt. 22:34-46 Stop. Before reading any further, grab your Bible. Focus, please, on Matthew 22:34-40. Read and re-read the verses from the Gospel of Matthew. There is no simpler, yet profound definition of how we are to live than these few words. We hear them in the Rite One Eucharist every Sunday. But do we? One of the dangers of liturgy-based worship is that the words become rote, just verbal wallpaper–familiar, comfortable but easily unheeded.

It’s just two simple imperative sentences. And yet, sometimes I fear that in our curiosity and earnest desire to understand the ineffable, a complex accretion of practice, explanation, deliberation and divisiveness has grown around the central core of Jesus’ message.

Some of these words and concepts are alien to Americans in the 21st Century. Even the simplest words drip with cultural context. Without an aristocracy and a social order in which fealty and allegiance are lifelong duties, we cannot fully grasp the first century idea of “Lord.” In our post-Enlightenment, mobile and egalitarian society, the concept of utter, complete and enduring faithfulness to a Lord is hard to fathom. We give loyalty and respect to our boss, if at all, until we are lured to another employer at which time loyalty shifts. We are free to change our minds, even encouraged to push back when we choose. Today we are expected to question authority, to think for ourselves. Yet, Jesus said that loving God and our neighbor are Commandments. Commandments?

In order to love with all our heart, soul and mind it might be best to consider to whom we are asked to give such loyalty. But that’s a tough exercise. We run out of superlatives before even beginning to chalk the boundaries of God. Omniscient. Immutable. Omnipresent. Immortal. Just to name a few attributes of God. How are we to love that which we cannot comprehend? What are we to do? We can look to the Bible, and tradition and literature to see how others have described their encounter with God. And, of course, pray.

Next, we have this pesky commandment to love our neighbor. Gosh I wish He hadn’t said that.

Who is my neighbor? Is my neighbor next door? Or a homeless woman living under a bridge in South Dallas?

Or maybe a family seeking asylum on the Texas-Mexico border? Or a wounded ISIS fighter in Syria? And what does He mean by ‘love’? However, Jesus didn’t say, “if it’s convenient” or “if it’s OK with you” or “if your neighbor looks like you and bathes regularly”. The farther from my doorstep, the greater the sacrifice that love becomes. I admit, deep down, the “love your neighbor” Commandment leaves me conflicted.

Next time you get to page 324 in the Book of Common Prayer, listen carefully.

DECEMBER 11

TERRY DEMLER

Co-Founder of Project Moses

Psalm 38, 119:25-48 | Amos 8:1-14 | Rev. 1:17-2:7 | Matt. 23:1-12 “There is no soundness to my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin” – Psalm 38:3. No health in my bones because of my sin...Because of my sin...

The weight of sin in my body comes in many forms–headaches, stiff neck, fatigue, short temper, tears, longing, sadness–the list is long. These are hiding places for guilt, shame, misunderstandings, distrust, etc. I confess my sin but there are times the discomfort remains. “Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation – Psalm 38:22.

Asking for forgiveness and grace for myself is challenging. Particularly as we begin our Advent journey which should be filled with joyous anticipation for the birth of Jesus. “For my iniquities have gone over my head; they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.” - Psalm 38:4. But then I feel it. My eyes look up and see the brightness of light and mercy that can only come from the Lord. The calm loving hand upon my heart pulling me out of the shadows into the glow of forgiveness. And, I understand that I must also forgive myself. Forgive myself and move forward to work another day and share the coming birth of Jesus. Share the loving grace I have been given. Reach my hand out to my neighbor, feed the poor, work for all those being persecuted because of what they believe, the color of their skin, who they choose to love.

“Give me life in your ways”. – Psalm 119:37. Take this beautiful story of a tiny child being born in a manger who will change the world with his love, kindness and inclusion of all people and allow it to fill me up so that I may go forth with strength, love and courage to share his message.

And just maybe change the world.

Thanks Be To God!

DECEMBER 12

CAROL ROEHRIG Prayer Ministry

Psalm 37:1-42 | Amos 9:1-10 | Rev. 2:8-17 | Matt. 23:13-26 “Do not fret” launches this instructive psalm. David repeated “do not fret” two more times, underscoring his demand for our attention to goodness and away from evil. He invites us to not get worked up or envious of someone evil seeming to come out ahead. As an example, do we ever become annoyed at the person who gets ahead in traffic by riding up the shoulder of the road, or a person getting out of the store ahead of us by taking their overloaded shopping cart into the express lane? Maybe there has been a neighbor who drove fancier cars, took elaborate vacations and lived the high life compared to ours, but later is divulged as a tax evader. Or the professional athlete who held world records, beyond explanation, and captured our attention, and later we learn of doping. Sometimes, all is not what it appears to be. David’s call to action lists the following ways to turn our attention to goodness: “Trust in the Lord and do good” (3) “Commit your way to the Lord” (5) “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (7) “Refrain from anger” (8) “Turn from evil and do good” (27) “Hope in the Lord” (34) “We will inherit the land” calls forth our reward, five times in the psalm (9, 11, 22, 29 34). In David’s time this referred to Israel entering the Promised Land, but also believers submitting to the fullness of God. Contrast this gloried outcome to what happens to evil doers: death, destruction, pierced hearts, up in smoke, stumble and fall.

My favorite line of this psalm, verse 4, sums the message: “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I believe David referred to desires as emotional and not material. Our true wants call for presence with a loved one, or with Jesus. Relationships draw out our goodness. This Advent season instead of focusing on the correct material gift, turn toward time and presence, maybe even without a cell phone distraction. Let us be present in worship, in relationships, and with Jesus where goodness and delight abounds.

DECEMBER 13

PEGGY CARR

Prayer Shawl Knitting Ministry

Psalm 31, 35 | Haggai 1:1-15 | Rev. 2:18-29 | Matt. 23:27-39 This past year, my daughter and I both were diagnosed with breast cancer and we went through extensive treatments. We were overwhelmed with the love of lots of people—many right here at Saint Michael. We received food, flowers, many cards of thoughtfulness and humor, offers to run errands, sit at the house and answer the phone, babysit for Catherine’s 6-month old. We were finally able to accept whatever people brought or offered us because we knew this was coming from their love of God and being the “hands and feet of Jesus”.

Fast forward to late October this year and the terrible tornado blew through our area. Many people who were used to being the givers were now the receivers and the stories have been incredible. The students who went around helping clear trees from yards and streets; the woman driving around Preston Hollow passing out sandwiches to the workmen in the yards; the stores and restaurants that offered food to anyone who needed it; the couple who took their grill to a church at Webb Chapel and Park Lane and grilled lunch for all who were hungry in such a damaged area; the people who opened up their homes for those without a place to stay. The list goes on and on. I know that God is smiling down on all of us but especially those who have helped his/her neighbor. Psalm 35 says, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

Psalms 31 tells us, “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord,” “How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you,” and “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, You are my God.” How blessed we are to have such a loving Father to whom we can turn in times of trouble as well as thanksgiving. And that our parish reaches out with assistance to those in need. Saint Michael is focusing on gratitude this year and, as we go through Advent, let us be thankful for all that God has given us as we await the birth of his Son.

DECEMBER 14

MARIA D’ANTONI Stewardship Co-Chair

Psalm 30, 32, 42, 43 | Haggai 2:1-9 | Rev. 3:1-6 | Matt. 24:1-14 Before you read further please take a minute to slowly read and meditate on Psalm 30. Open yourself to the comfort and joy it held for David and holds for you. Meditate of the fullness of the human experience it embodies.

This psalm speaks to my heart. I can be in a blue funk but if I begin praising the Lord my mood lifts. I find encouragement in knowing that the Lord’s anger last only for a moment. Intellectually I know He forgives my transgressions but sometimes I think it is harder to forgive myself. There is a lesson here. If he can forgive so quickly, I must learn to do the same, forgiving myself and others.

In the long dark nights, I do seek him and rejoice in his peace in the morning. I have learned in those troubled nights; prayer lessens the anxiety. Focusing on Jesus ushers in the joy in the morning.

King David got this. He spent a lot of time writing Psalms of praise and worship. David is also a great example of strength and humility. He is someone with whom we can relate. He was a sinner who sought the Lord, or perhaps whom the Lord sought; I think it works both ways. David was not perfect but that did not stop the Lord from loving him, healing him. This is a great example of unconditional love, another lesson to pay attention to.

Psalm 30 was written for the dedication of the temple; some translations say to the dedication of the house of David. The temple David planned was actually built by King Solomon. One explanation that interests me was that the temple being dedicated was actually David’s body. In the psalm David speaks of his own healing. I am touched by this reference to healing. As a member of the Sunday service prayer team I would say that most of the people who come for prayer ask for prayers for healing. Our bodies should be consecrated as temples of the Lord and I think he does hear us when we pray request for healing.

In the final verses David’s mourning is turned to dancing and his sackcloth replaced with joy! This results in a soul which can’t be silent–one that chooses to praise God forever! What would Saint Michael and All Angels look/sound like if we were a church of souls who couldn’t be silent! May our souls prepare his way and swell with his love and joy in this Advent season!

3RD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 15

ARNOLD SPENCER

Mission & Outreach Committee Co-Chair

Psalm 63:1-11, 98, 103 | Amos 9:11-15 | 2 Thess. 2:1-3, 13-17 | John 5:30-47 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done.

Before I was taught poetry, before I learned about rhyming couplets, before I memorized any lyrics from my favorite bands, I knew this prayer: “...Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done...”

How many times have I repeated these words? And yet, as I set out on another Advent season of reflection, if I am being honest with myself, I am not sure I fully understand this prayer. And I certainly know that I am not fully living into this command.

Jesus was intensely focused on this command to implement God’s will and to bring about God’s kingdom.

In the fifth chapter of John, Jesus heal an invalid on a Saturday, and is criticized not only for violating the Sabbath, but for his arrogance and self-glorification in invoking God’s name as he heals the sick. Jesus explains his miraculous actions are not to bring fame or attention to himself: By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. - John 5:30.

How many actions do I take every day that are based exclusively on pleasing God? Perhaps a more productive question, how many opportunities do I have to include this priority in my decision-making?

David expresses his desires toward this goal, saying “You, God, are my God. Earnestly I seek you. I thirst for you. My whole being longs for you ...I cling to you. Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:1, 6. I can feel the intensity with which David is trying to live out God’s will.

It’s a tall order. But I am optimistic. I am on the right path. And I have the right team supporting me, just as Paul assured the Thessalonians: May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.

May we all find the encouragement, hope, strength and discipline to see that a little more of God’s will be done this Advent season.

DECEMBER 16

HILTRUDE NUSSER-TELFER Priest Associate for Pastoral Care

Psalm 41, 44, 52 | Zech. 1:7-17 | Rev. 3:7-13 | Matt. 24:15-31 There is something about the season of Advent that causes us to pause and become more aware of God’s nearness, of God’s presence in our midst. Hope arises in us out of this awareness, we are trusting that God will always be with us.

What we know about God is important, but what we do with what we know about God is even more important.

(Richard Rohr.) What we know about God is that God is about love. Psalm 52:8 “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.”

As we listen to Matthew’s Gospel 24:15-31 we can become fearful of those end time promises. In 2001 I was in Manhattan at the General Theological Seminary for my one year Anglican Study. On 9/11 the two Trade Towers were struck by terrorists in airplanes. I was on my computer and thought at first it was an illusion.

When suddenly the second tower was struck, my son Mark called and warned me and seconds later my phone went dead. The sirens wailed and within the next two hours I became a responder with the permission of the Dean. Several other students also volunteered and we went to the Hudson piers where a makeshift Hospital Complex existed. We were only visited by exhausted rescue workers with need for comfort. The smell from the burning cloud of the Towers was overwhelming and the burning underground wires omitted a toxic stench of another kind. We students were frightened out of our wits as we contemplated, was this the end of our Island Manhattan. In the midst of this horror we went to the chapel to pray. It seemed there was always a small crowd assembled praying and crying. We offered up our prayers for those people found unaware in the towers with no escape in sight. As we found comfort in supporting each other with prayer we realized that time was moving on and it was not the end we had feared.

In a way the 24th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel reads like a three–act play about the end time. Each contains a description about events to come and each ends with a renewed call to discipleship in the here and now.

Matthew is a good psychologist as well as evangelist. So Mathew describes, for us believers, virtues that we can practice whether the sky is falling down or not. So the Gospel describes vividly all kinds of dangers awaiting us, but there is no time to plan or to cope. The truth is that Christ comes again and again, that God has planned no limit on coming to the world, but is always on the way to us here and now. We are only required to notice, to be aware.

To God be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

DECEMBER 17

TIFFANY LAMOTTE

Director of Youth Ministry

Psalm 45, 47, 48 | Zech. 2:1-13 | Rev. 3:14-22 | Matt. 24:32-44 The reading from Matthew today starts off with the parable of the fig tree and how it can mark the changing of seasons. We all know the signs of changing seasons, maybe it’s the colors of the leaves changing or the days getting shorter. The temperature changes, we celebrate different holidays, and our surroundings seem to change some. As we continue through the season of Advent we are all too aware of what’s to come soon.

There are Christmas lights and decorations everywhere we go, some have even been up since the beginning of November! We are furiously running around town to get just the right Christmas present for everyone on our list, maybe we are planning for trips to see family and friends. This season of Advent tends to be a time of anything but quiet reflection and preparation of our hearts for the incredible gift of Christmas.

The parable of the fig tree is a reminder for us to notice the approaching seasons by the signs in nature around us. As this reading continues, Jesus says in the same way, we will know that his return is imminent because of the signs. I have to say though, I’m not so sure I would notice all the signs. Sometimes I feel like I am wrapped up in so many “things” happening in my life that I don’t take the time to notice what’s right around me. For me, the season of Advent is a perfect example of being “too busy” to see the signs all around.

I don’t particularly like to think about the moment when Jesus is going to come back. Maybe it was reading too many of the Left Behind series growing up, but that thought has always made me a little nervous. Maybe those nerves also come from thinking I might not be prepared for his return. Have I done everything I can to look for the signs of his return? Am I loving my neighbor as myself? Am I slowing down to notice the signs of God all around me?

As we continue through this season of Advent I encourage each of us to take a moment each day to notice our surroundings. To find gratitude in all the blessings of our lives. To prepare our hearts for the gift of Christmas, not all the gifts under the tree, but the gift that was given to each of us so long ago in a quiet stable. Advent is a season of preparation; are you prepared?

DECEMBER 18

MARY ANN WEBSTER Enneagram Study

Psalm 49, 53, 119:49-72 | Zech. 3:1-10 | Rev. 4:1-8 | Matt. 24:45-51 The readings for this day–only one week before Christmas–do not square with all that is swirling around me.

From the scripture, we are being warned about wealth, yet the TV is blaring “More, you need to go buy more.

Buy big and expensive,” shout the advertisements. The readings today are prodding us - in Psalm 119, we are urged to strive to be good. Psalm 49 should be a stark warning to our obsession with material goods as it candidly reminds us we will take nothing with us when we die. In Psalm 53, I feel as if someone is speaking emphatically to not be and live like the godless ones because the promise is clear–Israel will be restored. And then I begin to get a clearer vision of what a true Holy Christmas might look like when the LORD is speaking to Joshua, but it could certainly be spoken to you or me. “In that day, says the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.” Zechariah 3:10.

One of my understandings has come to be that change is the only constant in our lives. This year all the same people will not be coming through my door. Whose threshold will I be crossing that I have not crossed before?

I remember a Christmas long ago when our children were young but old enough to grasp the inequities of this world. Our church was doing the traditional things of gathering gifts of clothing and toys for a family as well as providing a dinner for that family, but here was the difference. My little family of four took all that we had assembled and divided for the special family that was ours, and we delivered it to them. There was true joy in that space. And we were, if just for a while, in the spirit of being under the same fig tree or vine. We were briefly, and I believe God is constantly calling us to be.

To anticipate the birth of Jesus as we celebrate each year, perhaps the change that needs to be a part of our life is to keep reading beyond the birth narrative to see if we are following in the Way to be the people we have been called to be.

DECEMBER 19

MARY LESSMANN Associate for Spiritual Growth

Psalm 33, 50, 59, 60 | Zech. 4:1-14 | Rev. 4:9-5:5 | Matt. 25:1-13 Matthew can be a big buzz kill. He emphasizes the final judgment more than the other Gospel writers, using the phrase ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ six times! Today’s parable is one of the stories Matthew tells when warning about the final judgment.

Ten bridesmaids–five wise and five foolish–await the arrival of the bridegroom. The bridesmaids fall asleep waiting. When the bridegroom’s imminent arrival is announced, the five foolish bridesmaids, who are low on oil, try and borrow some from the wise bridesmaids. They say ‘no can do’ and the foolish scurry off to get more oil. By the time they return, the bridegroom has arrived, everyone has gone into the feast, and the door is shut. They call out to the bridegroom through the door but he refuses to let them in, insisting that he doesn’t know them.

I really dislike this parable. I don’t think any of these folks come off looking good. The bridegroom has caused the crisis by being late. And when he finally gets there and starts the party, he wants to judge the foolish bridesmaids for being late? And look at the ‘wise’ bridesmaids. Yes, they were prepared–they had plenty of oil. But they fell asleep waiting just like the other bridesmaids. And how selfish and snarky not to share some of their oil with the other girls? You can almost hear them saying, “See, this is what happens when you don’t prepare properly. We’re always the ones who have to bail out people like you. Well, not this time. What goes around comes around. Go get your own oil.” And I’m not happy with the ‘foolish’ bridesmaids, either. Maybe they’re the type that assumes someone else is always going to pick up their slack or bail them out. Maybe they’ve skated through life on their charm or their looks and they would benefit from having to cope with the consequences of their actions…or inaction. Yeah…I don’t like any of them.

Here’s my redeemed version of the parable. The wise bridesmaids share their oil with the foolish bridesmaids because they know on any given day they could find themselves in the other group and it would be nice to know that someone might be gracious enough to help them out. Then none of them had enough oil to keep the lamps going long enough, but they were all present when the bridegroom arrived. And it didn’t matter once they got into the wedding feast because there was plenty of light for all.

This better reflects the teaching Matthew gives us just a few verses later. Here we’re told, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or sick or in prison – or without oil – and took care of you?” And Jesus answers, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these – or a foolish bridesmaid – you did it to me.” According to Matthew, this is what gets you into the wedding feast.

DECEMBER 20

NELL ANNE HUNT Good Shepherd Ministry

Psalm 40, 51, 54 | Zech. 7:8-8:8 | Rev. 5:6-14 | Matt. 25:14-30 Psalm 40 A Psalm of David This psalm is all about waiting patiently even when you are “in the pit.” Realistically I have never been in a pit but metaphorically I have felt like I was in a pit.

Emotionally, financially, and relationally I have been in and out of pits throughout my life. David says he waited patiently for the Lord when he was in his pit. I have frequently run out of patience when I am waiting on the Lord from the anguish of my pit.

And David mentions that many pit–people turn to the proud and to those who lapse into falsehood. In other words, instead of trusting that the Lord will be there for you, you put your trust in those with quick fixes, dubious “truths,” and arrogant words. After all, it’s faster. It’s more popular, and it seems that everyone else is doing it anyway.

But David says: Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done And Thy thoughts toward us.

There is none to compare with Thee: If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

In other words, move into the glass half full stage and count your blessings. The pit problems pale in comparison when you start calculating your blessings. And with great joy, David says: I have not hidden Thy righteousness from the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips.

Another show stopper. Who wants to go around without restraint upon our lips? What about the sensible admonition never to discuss religion and politics? But here is David promising that he will never restrain his lips. Obviously he understands that God calls us to speak up for his values in an effort to praise his name.

As Episcopalians we are prone to keep the God talk to a minimum. Our faith is deep but we prefer to keep it embedded in our hearts.

It was refreshing to me to read about how many Episcopal bishops were speaking out against harsh treatment of immigrants, not for political reasons but for religious ones. It seems they were referring to Jesus’ command to “welcome the stranger” and to our baptismal commitment to “respect the dignity of every human being.”

Obviously tearing apart families and putting children in cages was not in line with their faith.

Perhaps during Advent we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to help others out of their pits. And if we are suffering inside our personal pit, we can trust without a doubt that the Lord will never forsake us.

DECEMBER 21

BOB JOHNSTON

Associate for Contemporary Worship

Psalm 55, 138, 139:1-23 | Zech. 8:9-17 | Rev. 6:1-17 | Matt. 25:31-46 “The Physical Matters” The Gospel lesson (Matt. 25:31-46) can be startling but is appropriate as we head into the final few days of Advent. The passage pulls together a number of Advent themes. We are reminded that Advent calls us to reflect on the second coming of Christ, prepares us for the Feast of the Incarnation, and calls us to repent in what some have called a “mini-Lent.”

We do not base soteriological (doctrine of salvation) on a single passage of scripture. Yet if we did, the Gospel lesson assigned today might disturb many of us. Standing alone, it indicates that salvation focuses on materially helping others. Did you feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, help the sick and visit those in prison? We’re not provided with a spiritual formula for salvation, but a call to be active in the physical world helping others. Fortunately, other passages make it clear that salvation is ultimately about grace. Still, this passage urges physical action and makes for a great reflection at this point since it touches on all the Advent themes.

In touching one Advent theme, the passage reminds us that judgment is coming. The passage presents a judgment scene with people being separated. We will be there some day and are reminded that though we’ll be holding on to grace, we’ll be called to give an account of our lives and how we cared for the least of these. We’ve all been taught that Jesus will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Have we pretended otherwise?

Touching on another Advent theme, we’re reminded indirectly of the Incarnation when God took on human flesh – the miracle that we will celebrate fully in three days. The Gospel passage reminds us that God cares about the physical needs of the least in this world. He does not ignore the physical needs of others. He certainly does not abhor the physical – and we’ll soon reflect on how God entered the physical world as a human. He not only took on flesh, he entered earthly life in a humble way: as a baby in a stable. God cares about the physical and hallows it.

A final Advent theme surfaces here as we reflect on the judgment scene of the Gospel lesson. We’re again invited to reflect on how our behavior does not line up with God’s desires. Jesus tells this story to encourage repentance and action. So, we must ask ourselves hard questions. In what ways have we ignored the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and imprisoned? In what ways have we held back from empowering the church financially and otherwise to engage in serving the least of these? Jesus cares about the physical and the least of these, and He calls us to follow Him in doing the same.

May God bless you as you continue on this Advent journey.

4TH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 22

DEBBIE HAYHURST Ladies Bible Study

Psalm 8, 24, 29, 84 | Gen. 3:8-15 | Rev. 12:1-10 | John 3:16-21 On this Advent Sunday over 2000 years ago the answer to misery’s cry was about to be voiced. Not only was a young Galilean, Jewish woman heavy with child but the entirety of creation was pregnant with anticipation.

For the anointed one, the everlasting light was soon to illumine the dark night. In the little town of Bethlehem, a new era was to be born.

A Reflection on Psalm 24 Who is the King of Glory?

Shall we ascribe to Him? The Name above, the One of LoveThe child of Bethlehem.

The other cheek, the One so meek, The Lord, our God HaShem.

Who is this King of Glory?

The Prince of Peace is He. Lift up and rise, our Shepherd’s nighBorn now to set us free.

Consume our fear, Christ draw us near.

Hosanna, Praise to Thee.

Who is the King of Glory?

Swing wide the ancient gate.

The One so high, my AdonaiRedeemer of all hate.

The silent Lamb, the slaughtered Ram, My righteous, strong Breastplate.

When I received my readings, I was excited to learn that three out of the five readings were from the Psalms.

I find the poetic language of the Psalms to be both compelling and provocative. The language of poetry resonates; of course, as an originally oral medium, the echoes and reverberations of the Psalms create songs of both celebration and mourning. However, I find that the poetic language of the Psalms also resonate with something deeply hidden within us. The Psalms speak to so many of us because the language of poetry invites personal reflection, awakening within us our repressed fears, doubts, as well as our hopes and dreams.

Walter Breugmann states in his book, Praying the Psalms, that poetry “can evoke new forms of human life which even the power of arms and repression is helpless to prevent” (p. 28). These themes of bondage and freedom are extremely prominent in the Psalms. Scholars speculate that Psalm 24, written by David, King of Israel, celebrates the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem after being held captive by the Philistines. ​For my reflection, I wanted to honor the form of the psalms by writing a poem while expressing the anticipation of the birth of our Lord just as the people of Israel celebrated the return of the presence from captivity. In a way, the birth of Christ ushered in a new era of freedom; no longer was God contained to a singular and separate place, as he could now dwell within each one of us.

The Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of God to the people. Can you feel the people’s excitement as the procession enters the city with the ark? Can you see David dancing before the Lord with all his might?​ May we emulate David’s joyful abandon this season and celebrate because within each of us reigns the Holy of Holies. Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel has come!

DECEMBER 23

MELANIE MCGILL Recovery Advocates

Psalm 61, 62, 112, 115 | Zeph. 3:14-20 | Titus 1:1-16 | Luke 1:1-25 Writing this Advent Meditation was a journey for me. I had to block out distractions, including my phone, iPad, email, Instagram, Netflix, even the World Series! I had to focus my attention on the scripture to discern what God is speaking through his Word. I had to understand what was happening in the context of people, place, and time, as clues to what the scripture is revealing. Finally, I had to ask myself how to apply the scripture in my daily life.

My comments/questions are in italics.

Luke dedicates his book to a friend, Theophilus, which means “lover of God.” Was Luke dedicating it to all “lovers of God,” including us today?

Luke introduces Zechariah, a priest, and his wife Elizabeth, a descendant from a priestly family. They were devout followers of the commandments and rules, both advanced in age. Just ordinary people. Elizabeth was labeled “barren” in a culture where childless women were mocked and shamed. But Zechariah didn’t divorce her so he could father children with a different wife, according to custom at the time. He must have loved her deeply. Both of them had prayed for a child (how many years?), but now Elizabeth was past the age of conception.

When Zechariah was doing his priestly duty, he was chosen to enter the sanctuary to offer incense. How excited he must have been, maybe even a little nervous? When an angel suddenly appeared to him he was paralyzed with fear! The angel announced that Elizabeth would conceive a son, who will be great with the spirit and power of Elijah, to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

After Zechariah voiced his disbelief, the angel introduced himself as Gabriel, God’s messenger. I don’t mean to be irreverent, but my imagination ran away with me... what did Gabriel look like? A man? Was he glowing? Wearing white robes? Did he have a halo? Wings? Why can’t we see angels today? Or do we, but we don’t notice?

Gabriel declared Zechariah unable to speak because of his unbelief. Elizabeth was overjoyed at her unexpected pregnancy. A miracle at her age! When she gave birth, Zechariah regained his speech and was filled with joy!

Their prayers were answered in God’s time. When will my prayers be answered? Do I have enough faith to be patient?

God chose these ordinary people to do something extraordinary! Could he choose someone ordinary like me?

Am I paralyzed with fear? What is God calling me to do if only I would believe?

I can apply this scripture in my daily life if I will: Remember God for who he is, and for what he has done in his great redemption story.

Ponder what God has done in my life, and what opportunities he is giving me to share his gospel of grace.

Pause to take my eyes off the world and lift my gaze to Christ, to express gratitude and adoration in prayer.

Delight in God’s Word. Won’t you join me?

CHRISTMAS EVE

DECEMBER 24

CHRIS GIRATA Rector

Morning Prayer - Psalm 45, 46 | Baruch 4:36-5:9 | Gal. 3:23-4:7 | Matt.1:18-25 Evening Prayer - Psalm 89:1-29; Isa. 59:15b-21; Phil. 2:5-11

And he gave him the name Jesus. – Matthew 1:25 One of my favorite moments in any baptism service is when I ask the parents and godparents to “name this child.” Names matter, and their importance in the ancient world is even greater than today. For Jewish families, naming a child meant that there was a sacred commitment to raise and protect the child. The relationship between parent and child takes on a new significance with a name, as does our relationship with God at the moment of our baptism.

Throughout the Bible, names matter in some big ways. God’s story is filled with moments of change and renewal when God gives someone a new name. When God creates a new covenant with Abram and Sarai, the moment is marked by a change in their names to Abraham and Sarah. In addition to signifying a new beginning, names often imply a quality of the relationship between a person and the community. When God told Sarah that she would conceive a baby, she laughed because of her advanced age. The son she bore was named Isaac, which means “to laugh.”

As we celebrate Christmas Day, the biblical importance of names comes full circle when Joseph chooses to name his son Jesus, which means “to deliver or to rescue.” Jesus’s name becomes a critical part of his identity and becomes central to helping his followers understand his purpose. When Joseph names Jesus, Joseph is committing to the care and nurture of the boy, while also anchoring his hope (and the hope of his people) in that little baby. Similarly, naming implies a hopefulness about the future.

Think of how we use names. We don’t often name inanimate objects, nor do we name animate objects of little significance. We give names when we hope to have a meaningful relationship, such as our pets, and we certainly take great care in the naming of our children. We know, at a very deep level, that names matter.

Consider your name. Who gave you your name? Perhaps your name comes from your family of origin, as my middle name does. Or perhaps your name is new to your family, as my first name is. However, we received our names, they became a gift to us for the journey of life. They were given to us by people who held great hope for who we were and who we would become.

This Christmas, we celebrate the gift of our rescue, our deliverance, by the life and love of Jesus Christ. May you receive the blessing of God’s sacred gift upon you, knowing that you have been given the name of Christ, with all the faith, hope, and love with which it was given.