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The Good News Written

The Wisdom of Chwen Jian A. Lee and Thomas G. Hand (A Taste of Water: Christianity Through Taoist-Buddhist Eyes):

If God is transpersonal being as such, then my personal action along with every other being is nothing but the manifestation of God. This has been the experience of all the mystics. Mechtild of Magdeburg says, “The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw — and knew I saw — all things in God and God in all things.”

Galatians 4.4-7 (New Revised Standard Version)

⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent [God’s] Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of [God’s Child] into our hearts, crying, “Abba!…” ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Luke 2.22, 24-31, 33-35 (New Revised Standard Version)

²²When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, ²⁴and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit rested on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ²⁹“…Now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples…” ³³And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

The Good News Proclaimed

Mary and 7 Spiritual Principles

by the Reverend Doctor Robert L. Griffin on December 26, 2010, at the Sunshine Cathedral MCC

We have celebrated Christmas Eve and Day with the glorious announcement that a unique baby was born.  Matter of fact, I would consider all births to be miraculous. When we consider how life is perpetuated, and that every amazing person on the planet got here through the process we call birth… well, it is kind of miraculous.

And yet, what was unique about Jesus’ birth is that we have been talking about it in various faith communities, traditions and circles for over 2000 years, as if it had happened just two days ago. If this was a play on Broadway, it would be the longest running show and second would of course be Cats!  (Though, I have been made to feel my age once again by learning that our new volunteer coordinator, the Rev. Brain Hutchison, was only 2 years old when Cats opened.) Continue reading »

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Advent 4, Love Sunday

The Good News Written

The Wisdom of C.S. Lewis

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

The Wisdom of Sufi Philosopher Muhasibi:

The Love of God in its pure essence is really the illumination of the heart by joy because of its nearness to God, the Beloved. You see, love, in solitude, rises up triumphant and the heart of the lover is possessed by the sense of its merging with the Beloved. And when solitude is combined with secret communion with the Beloved, the joy of that union overwhelms the mind, so that it is no longer concerned with this dimension and its material things.

Luke 1.26-38 (New Revised Standard Version, adapted)

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a [young woman] engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The [young woman’s] name was Mary. ²⁸And [the angel] came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am [unmarried]?” ³⁵The angel said to her, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord…” Then the angel departed from her.

The Good News Proclaimed

Joy in Life

by the Reverend Elder Nancy Wilson on December 19, 2010, at the Sunshine Cathedral MCC

“Kiss today good-bye! And point me towards tomorrow, I did what I had to do, what I did for love. . .”

Now, all you musical comedy queens, I count myself among you, are going to be humming that song from “A Chorus Line,” all through my sermon. . .!

Mary, the mother of Jesus could have sung such song – what she did for love indeed pointed her towards many tomorrows, filled with hope, passion, adventure, sorrow and miracles. Continue reading »

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Advent 3, Joy Sunday

The Good News Written

The Wisdom of Rabindranath Tagore:

The course of human life is like that of a great river which, by the force of its own swiftness, takes quite new and unforeseen channels where before there was no current. Such varied currents and unpremeditated changes are part of God’s purpose for our lives.

John 1.19-23, 26-28 (New Revised Standard Version)

¹⁹This is the testimony given by John when… priests and Levites from Jerusalem [asked] him, “Who are you?” ²⁰He confessed…, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” …²²Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer… What do you say about yourself?” ²³He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make [a clear path for] the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. ²⁶John [then said], “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, ²⁷the one who is coming after me…” ²⁸This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

The Good News Proclaimed

Joy in Life

by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins on December 12, 2010, at the Sunshine Cathedral MCC

At the end of the First Century, more than a quarter of a century after the destruction of the Temple and almost 70 years after the execution of Jesus, the writer of “John’s” Gospel compares the erstwhile Temple system with its “priests & Levites” to the Messianic tradition the writer represents.

Those representing the “old” Temple system ask if John is the fulfillment of the legend that the prophet Elijah might one day return. John denies being Elijah; he also denies being the messiah.

The writer then places John into the Isaiac prophecy, claiming that he is a herald announcing the way of the “Lord.”

Of course, Lord Caesar’s Empire had killed Jesus and destroyed the Temple, so to call Jesus “Lord” was incredibly seditious. The writer will go on to affirm that not only is one of their own “Lord” (over/against Lord Caesar), but “our Lord” (the person we choose to symbolize hope and empowerment) didn’t stay dead in any ultimate sense. Resurrection people just won’t stay dead (or certainly won’t let the threat of death deter them from anti-oppression work)! Continue reading »

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Advent 2, Peace Sunday

The Good News Written

The Second Advent Candle: PEACE

“As the budding flower bursts into bloom; as the glowing light kindles into flame, may the spirit of life and love bloom and flame within us, with ever-renewing light and love.” (Dorris Dow Alcott)

Isaiah 40.3-5 (New Revised Standard Version)

³A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ⁴Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. ⁵Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

2 Peter 3.13-15 (New Revised Standard Version)

¹³But, in accordance with [the] promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found… at peace, without spot or blemish; ¹⁵and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Matthew 3.1-12 (NRSV)

¹In those days John the [Baptizer] appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ²“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” ⁴Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, ⁶and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham [& Sarah] as our ancestor[s]’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham [& Sarah]. ¹⁰Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Good News Proclaimed

P.E.A.C.E.

by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins on December 5, 2010, at the Sunshine Cathedral MCC

The reading from Isaiah (40.3-5) shows valleys being built up and high places being leveled, which are metaphors for overcoming obstacles and experiencing peace beyond challenges.

The second reading from 2^nd Peter (3.13-15) also calls for inner peace as a means of surviving turmoil. The early church had hoped for a literal return of the one they believed to have been the Messiah. But the one they called messiah didn’t prove to be a warrior king helping them fight for independence from the Empire, but was instead a preacher, teacher, and healer who was finally executed by the Empire. Since he didn’t raise an army in life, they imagined him returning one day to finish the work of saving his people from oppression.

But that never happened, did it? So, while the Messiah was taking his sweet time returning the writer of 2^nd Peter says, we continue to wait for things to improve…even when they don’t improve on our time schedule, we choose to not give up hope. And that advice is meant to fill his readers with peace. In fact, the writer clearly has a passage from Isaiah in mind; verse 13 says, “we wait for new heavens and a new earth where justice is at home” which sounds very much like Isaiah 66.22 which reads, “As the new heavens and the new earth…shall endure…so shall your people and your name endure.” Things can get better; don’t give up until they do. Continue reading »