Advent Reflections 2023

Advent Reflections 2023 1

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Advent I December 3, 2023 Sunday of the First Week of Advent Luke 21:5-19 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6 ‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.’ 7 They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’ 8 And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.

9 ‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’

10 Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. 12 ‘But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; 15 for I will give you words[c] and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

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It’s Advent! So, what do I do? That’s always a good question. After all, it’s not Lent. That’s the time when you’re supposed to “give up something” or, perhaps, take on something special you may not have done before. But Advent? What can I do with that?

Sure, we’re looking forward to Christmas and lighting weekly candles and opening little Advent calendar doors. We’re also having more parties than usual, but surely, there’s more to it than that. Looking at Luke 21:5-19 might be a good place to get us started.

Our Lord’s prediction of the Temple’s destruction is certainly an attention getter. His description of international warfare, political chaos, physical plagues, national famines and cataclysmic earthquakes is hard to avoid.

A casual glance at any newspaper or “newsy’ website currently displays dramatic images and statistics of exactly that. Yikes! So again, what do I do?

Perhaps this is one of the best times in recent history to bring up the 3

whole subject of something called “moral compass.” This term is one that certainly seems to be bantered about these days, from one pundit to another, but what does it mean to us personally and how does it have anything to do with our Lord’s scriptural predictions and prognostications?

First, let’s define it. Moral compass, according to Merriam-Webster, “is a set of beliefs or values that help guide ethical decisions, judgements, and behavior: an internal sense of right and wrong.” A second meaning suggests “someone or something that serves as a standard for guiding moral choices, judgements, or behavior.” How do these two definitions relate to Luke?

It seems to me, first off, that Jesus of Nazareth was speaking of far more than an edifice when he predicted the fall of the Temple. All of those “beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God” (perhaps given to ensure their donors’ spiritual security with God), were never going to secure the building or gain the donors a special place in the Kingdom of God. He was looking at the behavior of the donors. Were they, with their beloved Temple, living lives that included justice and mercy, lives that included a real love of their God and their neighbors? And if not, what then? He quickly moved on to a brutally honest description of what human life in a complex world entailed, a world that did then and would after include wars, plagues, famines, earthquakes, and persecutions.

In the midst of it all, however, he added the following: “I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.” That “wisdom,” those “words’” are, of course, the good news of the Gospel. “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”

Here is where we Christians will always have a “moral compass” at the center of our souls. Our hearts and minds and bodies are shaped, are tempered, are molded, are “tattooed” with the teachings and living presence of Jesus Christ. We are, first and always to love our God, to love our neighbors and to love ourselves because God loves us. This is what will keep the “Temple” (wherever or whatever it is) honest and upright. This is what will get us through the painful complexities of human life, no matter how messy they are. This is why the Beatitude’s that begin with “Blessed,” will always point us in the true direction. This is why our personal moral compass will always be guided by our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

This Advent, keep an eye on your moral compass. How’s it going and what are you doing with it? Ethical decisions? Judgments? Personal behavior?

Are they being shaped by God’s love of you? Sure, enjoy this Advent but always, always have that compass with you. Amen Peter Hawes 4

December 4, 2023 Monday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 21:1-11 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ 4 This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 1

‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

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The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, 6

‘Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ 11 The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’

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Reflection: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is joyful and triumphant. He is coming to the people of Israel in the manner foretold by the prophet Zechariah – riding on a donkey accompanied by a colt, her young offspring.

Our Lord is starting his journey to the cross, to his own sacrifice. Yet in this story of triumph, a small but important sacrifice is already being made. Jesus instructs his disciples to procure a donkey and a colt from its owner, giving up his or her main – and perhaps only – way to earn a living.

In that day, beasts of burden transported produce to market, carried little children or the elderly around town, and bore heavy loads from one place to another.

Giving up the donkey, even for part of a day, could mean the difference between a family having enough to eat and going hungry. Likewise, the loss of the colt, which had some future value, was no doubt painful.

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Jesus tells the disciples to say only “The Lord needs them” as they lead the two animals away. And even if the owner is a follower of Jesus, they might have replied, “Oh, no, Lord! Don’t take the donkey. Take anything else but that!”

How would we respond if Jesus commanded us to give up something just as precious simply because he “needs” it? Perhaps we might hear him calling us to contribute to a charity desperately in need of funds; a gift coming from part of an inheritance windfall we had planned to use for our children’s college tuition. What if that call summoned us to leave friends, family and home to work with an international relief organization, feeding and supporting victims of war.

For me, that command comes to mind when my daughter, a child therapist, works with a potentially violent teen-ager. If something goes wrong, what if hospital security doesn’t arrive quickly enough and she’s injured? Oh, Lord, not her! Take anything but her!

As we await the birth of Jesus, it’s worth contemplating how much strength we could muster if we were commanded to welcome the baby in the manager by giving what is most precious in our lives. How would we respond?

Graeme Browning

December 5, 2023 Tuesday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 21:12-22 Then Jesus entered the temple[a] and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 He said to them, ‘It is written, 12

“My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers.’

The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them.

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’, they became angry 16 and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, 14

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“Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself”?’

He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree 18 In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it 17

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and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’ 21 Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. 22 Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’

Reflection: “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”

Today’s lesson starts with Jesus entering the Temple, driving out the money changers. He then cures the blind and the lame before cursing a fig tree for not bearing fruit. The passage concludes with our Lord telling the disciples that “whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”

In just a few short verses, we feel a veritable whiplash of emotions.

In many respects, these verses can be read as a microcosm of today’s world, especially during the season of Advent. We are constantly being pulled between the commercial excess of the secular celebrations of Christmas and the reflective, almost ascetic, preparations for the coming of the Messiah. As always, Jesus points us in the way through these challenges.

When we are faced with the intrusions of the material world, with its focus on appearance and status, Jesus calls us to turn instead to help and support those less fortunate than ourselves. When faced with our own “barren fig trees,” we are called to have faith that we can overcome worldly hungers and receive the blessings of the Kingdom of God. The “money changers” and “those who sell doves” do have a place in this world, and indeed, they have a place in the celebration of the holiday season. What would Christmas be without the secular trappings that most of us have grown up with like Christmas trees, gift exchanges, and Santa Claus. But these should and must not distract us from the spiritual preparations we are called to make for the imminent birth and longexpected return of Jesus.

Doug Scothorn

December 6, 2023 Wednesday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 21:23-32 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ 24 Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I 23

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will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” 26 But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ 27 So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. The Parable of the Two Sons 28 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” 29 He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father[a] went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’

Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the taxcollectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

Reflection: Today’s passage starts with religious leaders questioning our Lord’s authority. Jesus, as he often does, responded with a question. Their response was “we do not know.” He then refused to answer their questions. The reading continues with Jesus telling a parable about two brothers; one of whom said he’d do the will of his father, but did not. The other said he would not do the will of his father, but then he did.

For the majority of the last two decades, I have had the privilege of teaching Godly Play at Trinity. One of the things I have learned is to respond to children’s questions with “wondering” questions. Four wondering questions we typically ask the children after presenting a lesson include:

• I wonder what part of this story you like best?

• I wonder what part of the story is most important?

• I wonder where you are in the story?

• I wonder if there is any part of the story we can leave out and still have all the story we need?

I have found that these questions are helpful in my own reflections and other scenarios in life.

My favorite part of today’s reading is that Jesus refused to answer their questions about his authority. He refused to be pulled into an argument.

We would be wise to follow his example. This is where I see myself in the story. I need to remember not to allow myself to be pulled into arguments, especially with those who are trying to degrade others.

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There are multiple aspects of today’s reading. The one that stands out to me are the two questions the religious authorities ask Jesus. The first sounds very similar to questions we all hear daily in our communities, online and in the media. Who gave you the right to do what you’re doing? I think the irony is that the second question, “who gave you this authority?”, acknowledges that Jesus does indeed have authority to do what he is doing.

What can be left out of this reading? When we ask the children that question, we often marvel and their responses. During Advent, I encourage you to read the daily scripture and consider reflecting and journaling on a phrase, a verse or verses that stand out using the four Godly Play questions. May this practice help guide you prepare for Christmas.

Bonnie Scothorn

December 7, 2023 Thursday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 21:33-46 ‘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. 34 When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ 41 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.’

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Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’

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When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

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Reflection: When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard our Lord’s parables, they realized he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds who regarded him as a prophet.

At this point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is nearing the end of his work and life. He had entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday with crowds shouting and praising him. He cleansed the Temple of the moneychangers and drove them away. He healed the lame and the blind in the Temple. People who did not know him were asking “Who is this man?”. All this commotion attracted the attention of the established religious leaders in Jerusalem.

They were not happy that he had upended one of their profit-making schemes and even less happy that he was doing all these things without their approval.

Naturally, they approached him demanding to know who had given him such authority. Jesus responds by telling parables. While the parable in today’s lesson may seem an odd choice for Advent, it illustrates the entire reason for Jesus’ ministry and sacrifice. In substance, it’s a short history lesson on Israel’s relationship with God. The landowner and vineyard suggest God and God’s people. God entrusts the vineyard to Israel. In time, God sends servants to collect the harvest from the laborers who beat and kill them. Then God sends his Son whom they seize and kill, thinking they will steal his inheritance. Here, Jesus captures Israel’s relationship to the prophets whom they ignored, abused, and often killed. And yes, the parable is pointing to our Lord’s imminent suffering and death.

Matthew then quotes the Hebrew scriptures that speak of a cornerstone which the builders rejected. In that day, the cornerstone was the first stone laid. The entire building was measured and built from that point, supporting the entire structure. Readers know this cornerstone to be our Lord, whom his own people rejected as Messiah and Son of God. That rejection and God’s raising our Lord from the dead would lead to the birth of the Church and the apostles spreading the Gospel.

God always keeps God’s promises. God’s love will never waver. God made the rejected stone the chief cornerstone, building a connection between Jews and Gentiles, offering the gift of salvation through Jesus to the entire world. This Advent Season, let us remember that God’s work is “amazing in our eyes.” The birth of Jesus is the beginning of the revelation of God’s love for all the world.

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December 8, 2023 Friday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 22:1-14 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.

9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

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‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there

who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless.

13 Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Reflection: Could I please have another passage? Abstract parables loaded with wandering allegory make me feel dense. I really don’t like violence, even symbolic variety, particularly from God. I want to reach out to Matthew and ask if he would “resend” Jesus’ parable, in a revised version, a new format, or AI translation. In fact, I had a fleeting thought of contacting ChatGPT. As I read the verses over and over and over, I learned that this challenging passage is God’s invitation to embrace his Son, to believe, to practice, to become “clothed in Christ” –to accept the invitation to God’s heavenly kingdom. The invitation, beginning with one to the Jews, the geographically and religiously prominent population that Matthew is addressing and the group that is threatening to kill Jesus, is rejected. The story suggests God was furious and punished them.

Then an open invitation is extended, perhaps to the Gentiles, and everyone else– that would be US – whether we are “bad” or “good.” This 11

group fills the wedding hall (but are we properly dressed?). And lo, the wedding host notices a man in the crowd, calling him “friend,” dressed in the wrong attire. He questions him.

The man was speechless when asked how he got in without “a wedding robe.” Did he just wander in - a drifter - shabby, dirty, defiant, or selfrighteous, agnostic, atheist, or worse – an exposed sinner? This person is thrown out of the banquet and is emotionally and physically punished. Is this hell? Is this his day of judgment, or a vision of ours?

Christianity is offered to all. God invites you to the wedding. Our faith is not an exclusive club (even though some may think that). Are there requirements for us: answering the call, finding our place, questioning ourselves, de-dressing our ego and public persona and wearing the “wedding robe”?

Do you accept the invitation to re-dress in God’s Son, Christ? Will you be chosen?

Here’s my prayer for us: May we all forget who we are and embrace who we can become in Christ.

Jennine Hough

December 9, 2023 Saturday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 22:15-22 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ 21 They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ 22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

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Reflection: When some of the leaders of Jesus’ day sought to discredit him, they proposed a question. They thought their question about paying taxes to Caesar would either lose the support of his followers and the general populace if he said “yes,” or set him up for possible treason charges by the Roman government if he said “no.”

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Jesus requested a coin used to pay the tax and asked whose picture was on the coin. Those questioning him answered, “Caesar.” Jesus then responded stating that one gives to Caesar the things that are his, and to God the things that are God’s. For Jesus, there was no comparison or competition between the claims of Caesar and the claims of God. I have found it helpful to remind myself that whatever claims can be made of me by government authorities, or family, or job, or social conventions, none of those nor all of them rise to the level of response that is appropriate to God. All other claims are limited. The claims of God supersede all others and apply to all aspects of life.

God’s claims are for our lives to manifest justice, mercy, compassion, love, humility, and kindness. God’s claims can be summarized in the two great commandments: we are to love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves.

This Advent and always we need never be deluded into thinking that any claims on our lives supersede the claims of God. Help us, O Lord, to know that your claims give more life than the claims of the world, and that following you is far better than chasing after other goals. Give us strength to hold our faith in you, and to love and serve you and others all the days of our life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dennis Fotinos

Advent II December 10, 2023 Sunday of the Second Week of Advent Luke 1:57-68 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.

Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

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On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ 61 They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, 59

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the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorable on his people and redeemed them."

Reflection: I’ve always had a particular fondness for this story from Luke’s gospel – the story of the naming of John the Baptist. The evangelist gives us the family lore surrounding John’s infancy, even including some family gossip about the kinfolk. There’s some initial disagreement about child’s name but, with the help of an angelic visitor, Mama Elizabeth gets her way and the baby is named John, meaning “God is gracious.”

The part of this story that always resonates with me is the question, “What will this child become?” As the mother of two, Nana of four, aunt and great aunt of dozens, and baptizer of scores of children, I never fail to quietly wonder, “What will this child become?”

But the question doesn’t stop there, does it? A neighbor’s child picks up the violin or the bassoon and creates magic. The young lady who babysat for your children earns a law degree and becomes passionate about social justice. You try your hand in a local writing class and the stories pour out of cavernous places in your soul. Sometimes the Spirit wanders into the realm of the ridiculous, whispering to an MBA with a mortgage, a marriage, and a corner office that their services are needed in the ordained ministry of the Church. What will we become, indeed.

At baptism, we are gifted by God’s wise and mischievous Spirit with “an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and love God, and the gift of joy and wonder in all God’s works” (Book of Common Prayer, pg. 308). Notice that these are gifts intended for a lifetime of growing, changing, responding, paying attention, risking failure, and making room for joy and wonder. How do you say thank you for gifts like that?

This Advent, I invite you to read this inventory of gifts as a daily devotion.

Imagine God, your Creator, Redeemer, and Source of surprises, looking upon you with delight and anticipation asking anew, “What will this, my beloved child, become?” Whatever that answer is for you, or me, may we leak God’s light and love into the world as we wait for the One who will come again.

Sam Faeth

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December 11, 2023 Monday of the Second Week of Advent Matthew 22:23-33 The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, 24 ‘Teacher, Moses said, “If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.” 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother.

26 The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman herself died. 28 In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.’

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Jesus answered them, ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you

by God, 32 “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.’ 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.

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Reflection: “Define your terms . . . or we shall never understand one another.” The nun who was my debate coach also taught French. That quote from Voltaire was one of her favorites. I suspect she would have particularly enjoyed today’s reading of Matthew’s account of the confrontation between Jesus—upstart itinerant preacher—and the Sadducees—the priestly class that represented the Jewish old guard.

Jesus and his followers were widely known to preach the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees were just as widely known for their rejection of that belief. In the 22nd chapter of Matthew, the priests attempt to trick Jesus by posing an absurd hypothetical situation.

Drawing on the rules for “levirate” marriage stipulated in Deuteronomy 25, they frame a scenario in which seven brothers die, each leaving his wife to a surviving brother. Finally, the hand-me-down wife dies also. “In the resurrection,” Jesus’ adversaries ask, “whose wife will she be?”

Jesus is quick to set them straight. “You are wrong because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.” The reference to “the scriptures” is Jesus’ subtle rebuke of the Sadducees’ reliance only on the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch. Jesus, as did the Pharisees and unlike the Sadducees, recognized the latter books of what we call the Old Testament. Those books contain passages that point to a resurrection of the dead.

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What about Jesus’ reference to God’s “power?” At the most elementary level, he is suggesting that even conundrums such as the shared-wife scenario are no match for God. Then, in elaborating, Jesus zeroes in on the Sadducees’ unvoiced assumption: that the resurrection of the dead is tantamount to reviving dead bodies, resuscitating them, enabling them to return to their prior lives.

No, Jesus declares authoritatively, there is no marriage in the resurrection at the last day. The resurrected are like angels, unfettered by earthly relationships, obligations, systems, and structures. Resurrection is transformation, he suggests – a thorough-going reordering of values and priorities. It will turn all of life upside down.

Even as Christians profess their belief in the resurrection—in the Apostles Creed and elsewhere—many share the erroneous understanding of the Sadducees. Many of us reduce our relationship with God to a transaction, in which devotion is pledged in exchange for more of the same—more security, more comfort, more “blessings” (The “prosperity gospel” is but one example of this unbiblical notion).

But this is not what Jesus intends for us nor what God has in store. As the name of this liturgical season implies, we are called to adventure, to move into a future that is ambiguous at best. Our reward is not a guarantee of safety, but the companionship of the One who gives life.

Lee McAuliffe Rambo

December 12, 2023 Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent Matthew 22:34-46 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ 37 He said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

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Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42 ‘What do you think of the Messiah?[a] Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ 43 He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 41

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’”?

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If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ 46 No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

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Reflection: “When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

We often pass a sign outside a country church with all ten commandments posted in serious Gothic print. In order to read it, we would need to stop the car, but we never do. We pretty well know them, or used to. They can be a trifle problematic.

My view of the Law passed so dramatically to Moses on Mt. Sinai has changed over the years. The first shift was when I heard in a sermon that they were descriptive rather than prescriptive: they give a picture of how a good person behaves, rather than dealing out impossible rules. That was a relief. How can you keep from coveting another’s possessions? I can forgo the ox and the ass, and certainly the wife, but I definitely might covet my neighbor’s landscaping or her beautiful posture. It’s a normal human emotion.

In today’s passage, a smart-aleck Pharisee lawyer tries to trick Jesus into saying something that will make him look foolish or even heretical. He asks, “which commandment is the greatest?” When you think about it, some do seem more important than others.

Our current society maintains its severity toward the “thou shalt not kill or steal” portion, but attitudes toward the Sabbath proscriptions have changed since my childhood. You can buy or labor at just about anything.

My grandmother, who wouldn’t even play cards on Sunday, would have a fit. Then there’s adultery. Depending on your interpretation, many view adultery very differently from even a hundred years ago. Today, Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne would not be wearing a scarlet “A.” She would be getting a degree in fashion design and co-parenting with Arthur Dimmesdale. And then think what Freud did to the concept of respecting our parents. If that lawyer could see ahead a few thousand years, his hair would stand on end!

So, regarding this confusing, troubling issue with the Law of Moses, Jesus simply tells us (and the obnoxious Pharisees) “You shall love the Lord your 17

God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and first commandment.” He offers no grounds for interpretation or misinterpretation.

He then adds, “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Loving God and loving your neighbor are two aspects of the same command. The linchpin, the cornerstone, the deep-down heart of our faith, the Church that surrounds us, and of our lives is love. Just love.

How simple and how wonderful.

Erwin Gunnells

December 13, 2023 Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent Matthew 23:1-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[a] and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6 They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. 9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

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Reflection: I remember my father coming in the door after a long meeting or some other event when I was a young girl. He would throw his keys on the side table and he would look tired and glassy-eyed. My mother would ask about his event, and he would say, “It’s a long story and it’s not very interesting.”

That sentiment came back to me as I read this passage. I wanted to have scripture with imagery and spiciness, but here we are, Jesus preaching again about the signs of hypocrisy among the faithful – among them “phylacteries broad and fringes long.” A phylactery is a box with scripture that was strapped to a man’s body during particular prayers, and the fringes were tassels to remind wearers of God’s commandments. Those who wore them could be assured that they would be looked upon as men 18

who were serious and devout. The scribes could draft legal documents because they were knowledgeable of the law and the Pharisees were a religious sect who were scholars of Mosaic law. The scribes and Pharisees looked down on those who did not meet all their standards which they themselves held to be the law of the land.

Jesus was obviously disturbed by those who cared more about how righteous they appeared (with their phylacteries) than about acting with true love of their neighbors. He says that “the greatest among you will be your servant.” In other words, those who humbly serve God are the ones who are great among men. The scribes and Pharisees believed themselves to be good men of God, yet they didn’t treat others with love. Herein lies their hypocrisy. It is comparable to the person who takes a stand to protect and conserve the earth but drives a big gas guzzling SUV. Jesus calls them out on their double standards. And Jeus calls them, and us, to a higher standard wherein we care more about following in Jesus’s way of love than about appearing righteous.

Dillon Manly

December 14, 2023 Thursday of the Second Week of Advent Matthew 23:13-16 ‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

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‘Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.” 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, “Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.” 19 How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21 and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; 22 and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.

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‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice 23

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and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practised without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and selfindulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,[c] so that the outside also may become clean.

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Reflection: Who were “the Scribes and the Pharisees” and why does Jesus serve them such harsh words?

I was raised to believe that the Pharisees and Scribes were religious meanies who just seemed to enjoy making other people feel bad. Any time I read about them, my thought process went something like this: Well, I’m not a religious jerk who enjoys other people’s pain, so this probably doesn’t apply to me. But, boy, do I know other people who really need to hear this challenge from Jesus.

This, however, is not a terribly accurate (or charitable) reading of these ancient Jewish thinkers. The Pharisees were a movement with a particular goal. Because they felt that the temple had been compromised in the previous 200 years or so, they were trying to make a space where God would be pleased to dwell with them, as God had dwelt in Solomon’s temple. They were trying to make their homes and their lives a proper and inviting place for God to dwell. And so, they became consumed by and uncompromising in the task of making their lives, their families, and their selves fit for God. Well… I want that.

I want my work, my home, and my life to invite God’s presence. At my best, I think there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make that happen. So, it has become difficult for me to resent the Pharisees.

Unfortunately, it has also become difficult for me to distance myself from them. Woe! One by one, Jesus levels a damning critique of some of the most recognizable practices of the Pharisees, made all the more damning by his characteristic dramatic flair. Their zealous evangelism, their oathtaking, their tithing, their cleanliness, their appearances, their honor for the tradition that came before them – these are all good things, and still Jesus has a woe for each of them.

I don’t mean to be harsh or to be self-flagellating. But if the Pharisees’ diligent pursuit of life with God still earned them reproof, I think we should be just a little bit nervous of our ability to weasel our way out of woes that Jesus may also have for us.

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Do we seek converts, only to turn them into mini versions of ourselves?

Do we take meaningless vows?

Do we focus on the minutia, only to neglect the weightier things?

Do we keep our appearance clean, while our hearts rot?

Do we pay lip-honor only to the long tradition of God’s people?

Do we lock people outside of the Kingdom of God? P.S. if you’re keen to learn more about the Pharisees, may I suggest Shaye Cohen’s From the Maccabees to the Mishnah?

Peter Hartwig

December 15, 2023 Friday of the Second Week of Advent Matthew 23:27-39 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. 28 So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

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‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” 31 Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. 33 You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation.

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‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you, desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”’

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Reflection: How satisfying it is to see evil called out for what it is! In today’s passage, Jesus offers an unsparing critique of the religious leaders of his day.

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Jesus describes the scribes and Pharisees as “great white washed tombs” with nothing inside but “bones of the dead and all kinds of fifth.” They look perfect, but inside they are full of decay. This reminded me of a previous boss I had. She dressed really well and her hair was always styled and shiny. Her pin striped suit was perfectly pressed. An image of flawlessness and power. She even wore three inch heels that made this clickety clack sound when she came down the hall. Hearing the clickety clack caused everyone to run and hide. I always put a bedsheet on my shoulder to look like I was in the middle of changing a dirty bed and could not be disturbed. She was a hypocrite who like the scribes and Pharisees was beautiful on the outside and evil on the inside.

Once, to make the nursing schedule easier for her, my boss changed everyone from 12 hour shifts to 8 hour shifts. This change deeply impacted my family life. I also worked every Sunday night and did not go to church for many years. During these times of extreme injustice it felt important to compare notes and discuss wrong doings to protect others.

Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their unjust leadership, calling them “snakes and a brood of vipers” (what a great image! It reminds me of the clickety clickety heels of doom, like the rattle on a rattlesnake). But then Jesus turns with compassion to those they’ve harmed. Jesus wants to protect the children of Jerusalem like a mother hen, to draw them to “brood under her wings.”

The important end lesson is to always have hope. Jesus predicts that injustice will be rectified, and good will win over evil. For “Blessed is the one that comes in the name of the lord.” I know my boss eventually changed jobs, and I don’t know if she ever felt a punishment. But goodness has come out of that situation for me, and ultimately, I’m grateful that Jesus shows us here how to lament, how to name injustice, and how to seek shelter under his wings as we hope for good to prevail.

Georgiana Hogan

December 16, 2023 Saturday of the Second Week of Advent Matthew 24:1-14 As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 Then he asked them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

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When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ 4 Jesus answered them, ‘Beware 3

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that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Messiah!” and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8 all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

‘Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.

11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But anyone who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

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Reflection: Many years ago, I attended the Disciples of Christ/ United Church of Christ joint assembly. It was a momentous occasion as these two churches were meeting together to celebrate their common roots and build a closer relationship. One of the highlights of that assembly was the after-session I attended with William Sloane Coffin.

William Sloane Coffin was an ordained minister with a long history of leadership in the civil rights and peace movements. He was a dynamic and engaging speaker, but I do not remember what he said that night. What I do remember is that he went to the piano and led us in one of the most spontaneous and joyful hymn sings I have ever heard! I remember thinking to myself, “How on earth does this man who has seen so much injustice and suffering…and fights an uphill battle every day …how can he possess such joy?”

In a sermon, Reverend Coffin said, “When things go badly in the kingdoms of this world, as invariably they do, given the callous insensibility that turns human beings away from their neighbors in preoccupation with their own troubles, or with dreams of aggrandizement– in such bad moments, many people turn from God saying, ‘How could God permit such bad things to happen?’ Instead of becoming alienated from their faith in God, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to become alienated from their mislaid hopes in human beings, alienated from shallow notions of automatic progress, from sentimental notions about the ‘nobility of man’?”

I think this is what Jesus is saying in today’s passage. Yes, there will be wars, famines and earthquakes in this imperfect world that we live in. But keep the faith…trust in God. And just how do we do that? By embracing the great joy of this holy season: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear 23

a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, ‘God is with us.’” Matt 1:23 Mary Howell

Advent III December 17, 2023 Sunday of the Third Week of Advent John 5:30-47 ‘I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

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‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true.

33 You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.

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‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 I do not accept glory from human beings. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’

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Reflection We live on a busy street in West Asheville. In the last year, I can recall two single-car accidents, late at night, that involved telephone poles. In each case, the driver “took out” the telephone pole, cutting off power to 24

neighboring homes for a few hours. Usually, the police come and sort out the mess. Eventually, the power company comes to restore the power.

In the next few days, they return with their yellow flags, red traffic cones, hard hats, and jack hammers to replace the damaged pole.

On our morning walk, following the latest wreck, I stopped to visit my neighbor—a delightful eighty-something man who has lived in West Asheville most of his life—as the wreck had also taken a portion of his fence. “What happened last night?” I asked. He responded, “A lady was driving north on Louisiana and crossed the center line and hit two telephone poles. A neighbor took a video. The police said she had not been drinking. The driver said she was swerving to keep from hitting a dog.” He paused, rolled his eyes, and continued, “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before!”

“Why don’t you believe it?” I thought to myself. You have the testimony of the driver, the documentation of the police report, a neighbor who witnessed the event, the traffic signs that imply a pattern of wrecks on the street, an overpopulation of dogs in West Asheville, and yet, you roll your eyes!

In today’s passage, Jesus is trying to convince the Pharisees that he is the Son of God. Jesus offers several rationales to convince them, starting with the testimony of “him who sent me”; then the messenger John the Baptist “testified to the truth”; the visible record of “the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me”; and ultimately the scriptures--“If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” Yet, they “do not believe him whom he has sent.”

I don’t know if the lady swerved to keep from hitting a dog. I don’t know if the Pharisees “rolled their eyes.” But I do know that it is hard to give up the way that I have learned to view the world and accept a new version of a story. Is that what Jesus is asking us to do? Will you roll your eyes?

Frances Smyth

December 18, 2023 Monday in the Third Week of Advent Matthew 24:15-31 15 ‘So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17 someone on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18 someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great 25

suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

23 Then if anyone says to you, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “There he is!”—do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs[b] and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, “Look! He is in the wilderness”, do not go out. If they say, “Look! He is in the inner rooms”, do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

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‘Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

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Reflection: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven … and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:29-30 These verses sound terrifying but, as in much of scripture, a little context can be helpful. As Jesus prepared his followers for life without him, the apocryphal language he used was taken mostly from the book of Daniel, and these phrases would have been deeply familiar to his audience.

Jesus’ promise to return, even in the face of earth-shaking troubles and misfortunes, would have been much more comforting than frightening to them.

My former boss, The Rev. Rich Webster, said about all these warnings that “all the meanness and tragedy and heartbreak (Jesus) describes just sounds like the evening news to me. So, I wonder if there isn’t something here besides a warning of the end of time, something for here and now and for you and me?” So, I wondered what meaning I could find for me (maybe for us) in these cryptic words today.

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The message I get is that Jesus understands how difficult and frightening it can be to live in this world in any age. Wars, divisions, mass shootings, threats – it often feels that our very foundations are being shaken. And in these words, I hear what I think the original hearers of Jesus’ words would have heard – a message of enduring hope.

As we watch and wait and prepare for the coming of the Christ again this year, I am always heartened by Jesus’ declaration that in difficult times, the times when we are most broken, he will be with us. I am made confident that the image of God will show up in this community of people - living, breathing, hurting, celebrating, broken people. As we at Trinity come together, bearing our wounds and our baggage, our joys and our pain, together, sharing each other’s burdens, we can take our brokenness to God and be healed, be made whole.

And, when our broken and healing community can then testify to the love of God in Jesus Christ, the risen one, the one who promised to be with us, the one for whom we wait, when we can open ourselves up, scars and wounds and all, and invite others – broken and wounded in their own unique ways – to experience this life-giving, healing love of the returning Christ, that is when the trumpets sound and the glory of God is revealed to a hurting world. (quotation from the Rev. Richmond Webster, Sermon, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, AL, 11/17/2013) John Mark Ford+

December 19, 2023 Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent Matthew 24:32-44 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

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‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be 36

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left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Reflection: “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

When my sister was a teenager, she rather halfheartedly took piano lessons from our neighbor across the street. After each lesson our piano gathered dust until the next week when, thirty or so minutes before her lesson, she would feverishly try to make up for her lack of preparation. Needless to say, she was not ready, and her lessons were miserable for both her and for her teacher. This was when my sister KNEW the time and place but still failed to prepare! How many of us have been guilty of the same?

Advent teaches us what it means to wait, watch, and prepare. Although we know that the season culminates with Christmas, it gives us a glimpse of the vigilance required for this discipline. We do not need to fear the day of Jesus’ coming as we have no idea when that will happen; however, we can live our lives today in a way that will glorify Him. So, prepare, watch, and wait, but rejoice in knowing that Jesus is with us now!

Leslie Welker

December 20, 2023 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent Matthew 24:45-51 ‘Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked slave says to himself, “My master is delayed”, 49 and he begins to beat his fellow-slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. 51 He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Reflection: When I did a cold reading of my assigned passage, I felt like I had won 28

the prize in Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery.” I also wondered if self-determination is what dooms the wicked slave. Or is he predestined to be cut into pieces? I know from experience that I am capable of being both slaves, or both sides of this slave if it is one person. The faithful slave is easy to understand. The difficult question is where did the evil slave learn that his actions are OK? I say from the master.

Generational trauma passes seamlessly across time and soon we no longer know why we do things. It is custom. It is how we have always done it. The disruption, as shown by the faithful slave, is to grasp that we are all sought

by God for reconciliation. The evil slave instead learns from the master to beat his fellow slaves. He fails to feel the Master’s love, doesn’t recognize God’s reconciliation.

Every being in the universe knows the difference between right and wrong.

Hanging on to the right, feeling God’s reconciliation, is saving grace.

Chris Kamm

December 21, 2023 Thursday of the Third Week of Advent Matthew 3: 1-13 ‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.

8 The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” 9 But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.”

10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” 12 But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

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Reflection: Who doesn’t think about what heaven might be like? Since childhood, we have conjured up notions of how or what heavenly bliss might be like.

Today’s reading references a wedding party. Will heaven be like that, full of fine food, wines and entertainment? Perhaps all flavors of chocolates and ice cream? Being with loved ones, our parents, our grandparents, and our children, are often components of these blissful thoughts. The common 29

thread in all of this is joy. No one thinks heaven will be anything less than joyous. But are we prepared for this joy? What kind of joy will this be?

How do we prepare ourselves to receive, understand and partake in it?

Sure, material things that give us pleasure in this life are satisfying to the senses. But heaven is not about our human needs. It’s about our heavenly needs. Human needs are easy to both satisfy and prepare for. That’s an easy kind of joy and fleeting. Perfect and eternal joy is being united with our God, our creator, the one whom we worship and thank for all of creation. So, how do we prepare for our union with our Creator?

In years gone by, monastics spent a lifetime of prayer and abstinence to better prepare for their union with God. By being deprived of the sensual things of life, they thought they would be better prepared for the ultimate life with God. From nothing, they thought, came everything. With surrender of all, they were able to possess all. Advent used to be observed as a mini-Lent, when deprivation would give rise to great abundance and joy during Christmastide.

Most of all, Advent is a time to ponder eschatology, or end times. This shouldn’t be something terrifying. It doesn’t mean the end of the world. It doesn’t mean the end of civilization. It only means the end of one kind of time and the beginning of a new time. And, of course, our Christian faith gives us hope that the new will be better than the old. We believe that in the new time God will be in total control of things, and not the imperfect forces of human civilization. Life, as we know it, will become more just and more fair. There will be no weeping or gnashing of teeth. There will be complete joy. But how do we prepare for that?

When I think about meeting God face to face, I can’t help but think about Moses on Mount Sinai. Moses didn’t seem to have any expectations for his encounter. He didn’t seem to think about it. It just happened. Moses was just being Moses until God called him, until God called him to be more than just the Moses that Moses thought he was. He prepared himself by being the Moses who God expected him to be. He was called into holiness without any notice, and, as a result, without any preparation. It was joyous. Indeed, he was so joyous he had to wear a veil. Let’s follow in the footsteps of Moses. All we really need to do is to be our true selves; not the person who we want to be, but the person God wants us to be. This is our singular quest in life. This is how we find holiness. This is how we prepare ourselves for uniting with our God in eternal life.

Bob Zito

December 22, 2023 30

Friday of the Third Week of Advent Matthew 25:14-30 ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” 21 His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” 23 His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” 26 But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

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Reflection: “His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.” For me, Jesus uses the story of the talents to help us understand that as Christians, we have a responsibility to use what God has given us to bring him glory and honor. The first two servants in the parable invest the talents and are rewarded. The third chooses not to invest but buries his talent instead. The treatment of the servant who buried his talent seems harsh, but in reality if we do not 31

follow God’s teachings, then we can’t expect to hear the reply “Well done, good and faithful servant…”

How do we use the gifts God has given? As we approach Christmas, we are about to celebrate God’s greatest gift to us, His son Jesus Christ. In Godly Play, we say: God made Mary to be the mother of God. And the Word was born a wordless child. The Gospel of John begins “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Then verse 14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is our gift to share through our words and actions. As we are told in the parable, we can’t just sit back and keep the gift to ourselves, we must share God’s love and be a witness for him. We do that, the prayer book says, by following Christ, coming together week by week for corporate worship, and working, praying, and giving for the spread of the kingdom of God. I love the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rosetti, especially the last verse.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Let us be strong in our faith and give of ourselves to the glory of God, so that at the last, we may hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Nancy McCorkle

December 23, 2023 32

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent Matthew 25:31-46 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40 And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[a] you did it to me.” 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44 Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45 Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

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Reflection: This gospel reading certainly has the potential of causing discomfort. We are two days away from celebrating the birth of Christ, yet we are reminded that when Christ comes again we will be sorted, the sheep (the righteous, kind and caring) from the goats (the stubborn and selfish). Along with that reminder are instructions on how to be a “sheep.” The instructions are basically to “see Christ in everyone.”

Ironically, the holiday season tends to bring out the worst in us, rather than the best. We are often competing with others for parking spots, getting cut off by less-than-competent drivers, and fixating on getting that perfect gift. Yet, the gospel reminds us to be caring, generous, and loving.

I know that I am guilty of being less-than Christ-like, we all are. It’s the human condition. Thankfully we have a God that loved us so much that 33

He sent His son into our cold and broken world to save us all. As we draw nearer to Christmas, how will you see Christ in total strangers? How will you be Christ to total strangers?

Brad Wilson

Advent IV December 24, 2023 Sunday of the Fourth Week of Advent John 3:16-21 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

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‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’ 17

Reflection: Why is it that today’s Christmas Eve text comes from a Gospel that seems to know nothing about angel song, a musty stable and its crude manger, shepherds or Magi visitations, a brilliant star and the holy family? Why, indeed?

What if the Fourth Gospel is, in its entirety, the Christmas story from beginning to end? Read its 21 chapters. Hear the Baptist announce, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Lean in as Jesus, the Word made flesh, tells us he is the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life. For all our Christmas decorations, trees, and lights, here’s Good News that doesn’t seem to need Bethlehem’s stable.

The first fifteen verses of John’s third chapter tell us about Nicodemus, who meets Jesus “by night.” This elder religious leader plies cobblestoned alleys, slipping into a small room where oil lamps cast dancing shadows on stone walls. He and Jesus chat. In one of the Bible’s most enigmatic narratives, our Lord tells the old man, “You must be born again.” We lean in. What does that mean? How can that happen? How does that happen?

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If John knows the Bethlehem story, he doesn’t include it because he doesn’t need it. For him, the birth most needed takes place not in a stable, but in us. How can that be? Off stage, a voice answers our “How?” with the most beloved sentence in all Scripture. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

I wonder. What if Nicodemus is a metaphor for every Christmas pilgrim?

We come to Jesus from some darkness of our making, drawn to this One we readers know is the Light that “shines in the darkness” (John 1:5).

This One invites us into a wondrous new birth. John’s Gospel tells us we can become the manger in which the gifted life of God becomes our life, eternal life, joyous, Christmas life!

As today turns into tonight, we will gather to celebrate one of our faith’s most joyous liturgies. John bids us to journey through the gathering darkness, the biting chill, the shadows that ever lengthen knowing that night is neither our destination nor our home. As Nicodemus did, we step out of the darkness, drawn by the Light of the world, given the Bread of Life, to hear anew this Christmas Good News. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone—even you and me—who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”

Tim Owings

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Cover Art Ainsley McClure Age 9

Trinity Episcopal Church 60 Church Street Asheville, North Carolina 28801 828-253-9361 www.trinityasheville.org

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