Mea culpa. Sermon.

I've not done as good a job as I should in updating this thing. I find that taking care of this blog gets harder and harder during the holidays.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

But it's one of my resolutions to update this blog more regularly now that we're past Christmas Day.

We'll see what happens when Lent rolls around...

I'm posting the sermon I preached today.

1st Sunday after Christmas
Matthew 2:13-23

Dear friends in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Welcome to reality, courtesy of the Gospel of Matthew. Political flight, intrigue, murder, lament – this week's Gospel is a far cry from the serene manger scene we left last week.

It's not that the Nativity which we heard on Christmas Eve is unreal. But it can be misused, forming part of the “pop culture” mythology around the Christmas season. This mythology espouses sentimentality and sugary-sweetness. What comes to mind? A mother, father, shepherds, animals and angels gathered around a sweet little baby – all without a care in the world. Some of our Christmas songs have the same mindset: “It's the most wonderful time of the year. The hap-happiest season of all.” Some of our traditions we're supposed to have also conform to the “pop-culture” Christmas. A time when we're “home for Christmas”, with family and friends, opening gifts, going to church on Christmas Eve, and just in general supposed to feel happy. A sugar-coated holiday, complete with Santa and reindeer and a sweet Nativity scene.

But our realities are much different. Television and the internet carry around-the-clock updates of the current crises in Pakistan and the Middle East. Many of us have lost loved ones at this time of year, or go through depression, or fail to live up to the season's unreal expectations. Against those expectations, Matthew steps in today to give us a much-needed reality check.

But this isn't an easy Gospel for us. It raises a lot of difficult questions, and doesn't give direct answers. Just a lot of fast action and a few Bible references. Joseph and his family flee to Egypt. CNN would call them political refugees, fleeing a ruler determined to retain power by any means possible. King Herod carries out a campaign of infanticide to destroy this newborn King of the Jews. After Herod dies, the refugees return – but not to Bethlehem. Instead, they settle in Nazareth of Galilee to escape the notice of Herod's son and heir, Archelaus.

We're left wondering: How come Joseph is the only father warned to flee Bethlehem with his family? What about those other children? Does God not care about them? Is God really all-loving? And why does God allow rulers like Herod to commit such atrocities?

It's a little too real. You only need to pick up the newspaper or turn on TV to see that innocent people today are betrayed by those charged to protect them. Janet Parker, a pastor in the United Church of Christ, wrote about a visit she made to Rwanda ten years after the genocide and civil war there. She describes walking into a church where those fleeing the massacre took refuge. “As we walked in we faced shelves holding row upon row of skulls – hundereds of them. Children's skulls, adult skulls, whole skulls, and partial skulls...Most of the bones had been gathered and heaped in a shed behind the church. But enough had been left on the floor to assure anyone that here, indeed, a great evil had been committed. Perhaps most horrifying, a skull had been placed upon the communion table and remained, watching us.”

Modern-day slaughters of the innocents shatter any Christmas sentimentality to which we cling. We may resist that reality at this time of year when we're supposed to be so happy. And like Matthew and Job, we don't get easy answers. But they highlight the ultimate truth of the Christmas season, which Matthew refuses to sugar-coat. Jesus, the ultimate Holy Innocent, comes into a hostile, fallen world that preys upon the innocent in order to save it.

As we heard in last Sunday's Gospel, the angel tells Joseph to name the child Jesus because “he will save his people from their sins.” Jesus will not save people from their sins by cheating death. Jesus doesn't escape death in today's Gospel – it is merely postponed for a time. Jesus enters into the realities of our world to destroy the power of death itself by his own death. The writer of Hebrews says, “Since therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.” Any pretension of sugary-sweetness or sentimentality is shattered by the true meaning of the Christmas story. When we look on the baby Jesus, we are looking ahead to Good Friday and the Resurrection which will transform our reality. We know that the power of sin and death has been broken by the One who at this point, cannot even defend himself.

The Isaiah reading today speaks of God's saving presence. That presence can be awfully hard for us to detect sometimes. It is, after all, seen most fully in a child. But remember this – even though we may have difficulty detecting that true presence amid Christmas expectations, Jesus remembers the reality he was born into. He remembers the realities of sin and death in our lives. And especially at this time of year, he calls to us – bidding us to lay down every unreal expectation of this season and of ourselves. He calls us to come, remembering in this meal of bread and wine the reality of his triumph over the powers that would define and destroy him and us. In this way, the writer of Hebrews really has it right – we are brothers and sisters with the one who redeemed us.

Today we give thanks to our brother Jesus, who accomplished this despite the fallenness of our world. Jesus' presence is active where those fallen realities are present, working to bring God's reality – God's saving reality – to people's lives. So let's get real. Come and see the reality of God in Jesus, who destroys the power of sin and death. Come hear the real meaning of the Christmas season. Amen.

Daily Office 12.30-1.5

Daily Office Readings
Eucharistic Readings
Sunday
AM Psalm 93, 96; PM Psalm 341 Sam. 1:1-2,7b-28; Col. 1:9-20; Luke 2:22-40



Monday, Dec. 31
AM Psalm 46, 481 Kings 3:5-14; James 4:13-17;5:7-11; John 5:1-15
Eve of Holy Name:PM Psalm 90Isa. 65:15b-25; Rev. 21:1-6



Psalm 96: 1-2, 11-131 John 2: 18-21; John 1: 1-18
Tuesday, Holy Name:AM Psalm 103; PM Psalm 148 Isa. 62:1-5,10-12; Rev. 19:11-16; Matt. 1:18-25




Wednesday, Jan. 2:
AM Psalm 34; PM Psalm 331 Kings 19:1-8; Eph. 4:1-16; John 6:1-14



Psalm 98:1-5 1 John 2:22-29; John 1:19-28
Thursday, Jan. 3:AM Psalm 68; PM Psalm 136 1 Kings 19:9-18; Eph. 4:17-32; John 6:15-27



Psalm 98:1-2,4-7 1 John 3:1-6; John 1:29-34
Friday, Jan. 4
AM Psalm 85, 87; PM Psalm 89:1-29Joshua 3:14-4:7; Eph. 5:1-20; John 9:1-12,35-38



Psalm 98:1-2,8-10 1 John 3:7-10; John 1:35-42
Saturday, Jan 5:AM Psalm 2, 110:1-5(6-7); Jonah 2:2-9; Eph. 6:10-20; John 11:17-27,38-44
Eve of Epiphany: PM Psalm 29, 98 Isa. 66: 18-23; Rom. 15:7-13



Psalm 100 1 John 3:11-18; John 1:43-51

Daily Office 12.23-12.29

Daily Office Readings		Eucharistic Readings
Sunday: AM Psalm 24, 29; PM Psalm 8, 84 Gen 3:8-15; Rev. 12:1-10; John 3:16-21
Monday: AM Psalm 61, 62; PM Psalm 112, 115 Zeph. 3:14-20; Titus 1:1-16; Luke 1:1-25 Christmas Eve: PM Psalm 89:1-29 Isa. 59:15b-21; Phil. 2:5-11		Psalm 71:1-8 Judges 13:2-7,24-25; Luke 1:5-25
Tuesday, Christmas Day AM Psalm 2, 85; PM Psalm 110:1-5(6-7), 132 Micah 4:1-5,5:2-4; 1 John 4:7-16; John 3:31-36
Wednesday, St. Stephen AM: Psalm 28, 30; 2 Chronicles 24:17-22; Acts 6:1-7 PM: Psalm 118; Wisdom 4:7-15; Acts 7:59-8:8
Thursday, St. John AM: Psalm 97, 98; Proverbs 8:22-30; John 13:20-35 PM: Psalm 145; Isaiah 44:1-8; 1 John 5:1-12
Friday: Holy Innocents AM Psalm 2, 26; Isaiah 49:13-23; Matthew 18:1-14 PM Psalm 19, 126; Isaiah 54:1-13; Mark 10:13-16
Saturday, Dec. 29 AM Psalm 18:1-20; PM Psalm 18:21-50 2 Samuel 23:13-17b; 2 John 1-13; John 2:1-11 Thomas a Becket Psalm 126 2 Esdras 2:42-48; Matthew 10:16-22		Psalm 96:1-9 1 John 2:7-11; Luke 2:22-35

Daily Office 12.16-12.22

Daily Office Readings		Eucharistic Readings
Sunday: AM Psalm 63:1-8(9-11), 98; PM Psalm 103 Amos 9:11-15; 2 Thess. 2:1-3,13-17; John 5:30-47
Monday: AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44 Zech. 1:7-17; Rev. 3:7-13; Matt. 24:15-31		Psalm 25:3-8 Numbers 24:2-7,15-17a; Matthew 21:23-27
Tuesday: AM Psalm 45; PM Psalm 47, 48 Zech. 2:1-13; Rev. 3:14-22; Matt. 24:32-44		Psalm 34:1-8 Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13; Matthew 21:28-32
Wednesday: AM Psalm 119:49-72; PM Psalm 49, [53] Zech. 3:1-10; Rev. 4:1-8; Matt. 24:45-51		Psalm 85:8-13 Isaiah 45:5-8(9-17)18-25; Luke 7:19-23
Thursday: AM Psalm 50; PM Psalm [59, 60] or 33 Zech. 4:1-14; Rev. 4:9-5:5; Matt. 25:1-13		Psalm 30 Isaiah 54:1-10; Luke 7:24-30
Friday: AM Psalm 40, 54; PM Psalm 51 Zech. 7:8-8:8; Rev. 5:6-14; Matt. 25:14-30 St. Thomas AM: Psalm 23, 121; Job 42:1-6; 1 Peter 1:3-9 PM: Psalm 27; Isaiah 43: 8-13; John 14:1-7		Psalm 67 Isaiah 56:1-8; John 5:33-36
Saturday: AM Psalm 55; PM Psalm 138, 139:1-17(18-23) Zech. 8:9-17; Rev. 6:1-17; Matt. 25:31-46		Psalm 72:1-8 Genesis 49:2,8-10; Matthew 1:1-7,17

Happy Baptismal Day...to me!

15 years ago today, I was formally received into Christ's One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church at Bethany Lutheran Church in Elkader, Iowa. The pastor who baptized me...is still my pastor! He's been a great mentor to me as I study for the ministry.

I must say, though -- it was strange being baptized at eleven years old. If it had been done in the Baptist church (in which my parents were members), it would have been the status quo. But Lutherans traditionally baptize infants -- and there I was, probably one of the oldest baptizees ever.

Not that I wasn't welcomed -- to the contrary. The people of Bethany have always been kind, supportive and loving people. But when you come from a believer's baptism tradition, which isn't seen much in Norwegian Northeast Iowa, you tend to get noticed!

But, my vicarage at Luther Memorial has shown me that there are many unbaptized adults. I've witnessed one adult baptism this year, and the new members list shows me that there are a number of adults who were received by baptism in the past few years

So maybe I'm not as odd of a duck in the Lutheran church as I think!

Daily Office 12.9-12.15

The readings on the right are for Daily Eucharist. Feel free to ignore them.

Sunday: AM Psalm 148, 149, 150; PM Psalm 114, 115 Amos 6:1-14; 2 Thess. 1:5-12; Luke 1:57-68
Monday: AM Psalm 25; PM Psalm 9, 15 Amos 7:1-9; Rev. 1:1-8; Matt. 22:23-33		Psalm 85:8-13 Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 5:17-26
Tuesday: AM Psalm 26, 28; PM Psalm 36, 39 Amos 7:10-17; Rev. 1:9-16; Matt. 22:34-46		Psalm 50:7-15 Amos 5:18-24; Matthew 18:12-14
Wednesday: AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48 Amos 8:1-14; Rev. 1:17-2:7; Matt. 23:1-12		Psalm 103:1-10 Isaiah 40:25-31; Matthew 11:28-30
Thursday: AM Psalm 37:1-18; PM Psalm 37:19-42 Amos 9:1-10; Rev. 2:8-17; Matt. 23:13-26		Psalm 145:1-4,8-13 Isaiah 41:13-20; Matthew 11:7-15
Friday: AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35 Haggai 1:1-15; Rev. 2:18-29; Matt. 23:27-39		Psalm 1 Isaiah 48:17-19; Matthew 11:16-19
Saturday: AM Psalm 30, 32; PM Psalm 42, 43 Haggai 2:1-9; Rev. 3:1-6; Matt. 24:1-14		Psalm 80:1-3,14-18 Sirach 48:1-11; Matthew 17:9-13

Daily Office 12.2-12.8

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Happy Church New Year, that is. It's the first Sunday of Advent, and we've begun another cycle in the lectionary.

The Daily Office lectionary, on a two-year cycle, goes back to Year B, while the Revised Common Lectionary goes to Year A, the Year of Matthew.

May God's blessing be upon us all as we begin a new year.

Sunday:

AM Psalm 146, 147; PM Psalm 111, 112, 113
Amos 1:1-5,13-2:8; 1 Thess. 5:1-11; Luke 21:5-19

Monday:

AM Psalm 1, 2, 3; PM Psalm 4, 7
Amos 2:6-16; 2 Pet. 1:1-11; Matt. 21:1-11

Tuesday:

AM Psalm 5, 6; PM Psalm 10, 11
Amos 3:1-11; 2 Pet. 1:12-21; Matt. 21:12-22

John of Damascus
Psalm 118:14-21 or 16:5-11
1 Corinthians 15:12-20; John 5:24-27

Wednesday:

AM Psalm 119:1-24; PM Psalm 12, 13, 14
Amos 3:12-4:5; 2 Pet. 3:1-10; Matt. 21:23-32

Clement of Alexandria
Psalm 34:9-14 or 103:1-4,13-18
Colossians 1:11-20; John 6:57-63

Thursday:

AM Psalm 18:1-20; PM Psalm 18:21-50
Amos 4:6-13; 2 Pet. 3:11-18; Matt. 21:33-46

Nicholas of Myra:
Psalm 78:3-7 or 145:8-13
1 John 4:7-14; Mark 10:13-16

Friday:

AM Psalm 16, 17; PM Psalm 22
Amos 5:1-17; Jude 1-16; Matt. 22:1-14

Ambrose of Milan:
Psalm 27:5-11 or 33:1-5,20-21
Ecclesiasticus 2:7-11,16-18; Luke 12:35-37,42-44

Saturday:

AM Psalm 20, 21:1-7(8-14); PM Psalm 110:1-5(6-7), 116, 117
Amos 5:18-27; Jude 17-25; Matt. 22:15-22

Bible study update

Our Bible study topics have changed since I last posted on them...oh, about 2 months ago. Here's the updated schedule. All studies begin at 7:30 PM in the lounge.

Dec. 5th: Jonah (because you just can't study Nahum without Jonah...)

Dec. 19th: Ruth

Jan 2nd: The letters of John (come to this Bible study and you'll read THREE WHOLE BOOKS of the Bible!!!)

Remember, we have Evening Prayer on Wednesday nights in Advent in the sanctuary at 7:00 PM.