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It\u2019s been a little chilly lately, and the chill makes me think about that holy night when the baby Jesus was born, unprotected from the elements in a cow\u2019s stall. And the fact that the light of the world was born in the quiet and darkness of night focuses our attention on the liminal nature of Christmas.<\/p>\n
The word \u201climinal\u201d is one of those terms loved by seminary types. It\u2019s often used to describe that \u201cin- between\u201d state when we (or, in this case, the world) are at the threshold of major change. Certainly this is true of Christmas, as the birth of Jesus Christ was God\u2019s best and last attempt to lead God\u2019s people to reconciliation with God and with each other. But it\u2019s interesting to reflect on the earlier use of the word, when the threshold was not major change, but perceptibility. The liminal nature of Christmas works both ways: Christmas is not just the inbreaking of God\u2019s kingdom on this earth, but this revolutionary act was noticed by almost no one.<\/p>\n
Christmas nowadays is a global marketing phenomenon and, for some, a moment to connect with family and friends and our hopes for a better world. But that first Christmas, for us Christians, was a rare moment when the barrier between heaven and earth was broken, and in the Christ child, humans were able to witness the Divine inhabiting and transforming our mortal state. (Another such moment was Good Friday, on the other end of Christ\u2019s journey on earth.) And who witnessed it? Mary and Joseph, the angels who appeared to a few shepherds, and the animals who shared their stall with the holy family. Despite our aspirations to spread the gospel to all the world, Christianity grew out of a small minority of people living in a small, occupied state, not as a conquering empire.<\/p>\n
And this is good news, I think. God often chooses small entry points into world history, and of course Christmas is the most dramatic example. If God can become one of us through a poor couple, displaced by geopolitical forces beyond their control, God can surely work today through small voices, little churches, and perhaps even more people who are displaced by geopolitical forces beyond their control. We seem to be crawling out of the pandemic, but there is no major declaration that it is over. Instead, we take one tentative step at a time out of the darkness, still uncertain and with heightened awareness to the dangers of illness and climate change, racism and poverty, war and hatred.<\/p>\n
And yet we do see light\u2014and we have the opportunity to reflect the light that we receive. On Saturday, Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church presented a Messiah Sing-a-Long, sharing the news of Christ\u2019s birth through beautiful music. Yesterday, Westminster Presbyterian in Pasadena was the beautiful setting and host for Harlan Redmond\u2019s ordination, a service that brought together people from over a dozen Christian church traditions and at least a couple of folks who themselves are preparing for ministry\u2014a moment when new ministry was celebrated and inspired, and people from many backgrounds and perspectives could come together and rejoice in our shared love for Christ and for our brother Harlan. Tonight, Claremont Presbyterian hosts the third talk in their series on \u201cIndigenous Peoples\/Native Realities\u201d which not only enlightens us settlers on the Indigenous experience, but also offers insights on relations with the Creation and each other that are new or have been forgotten. And we are thrilled to have offered the Immigrant Accompaniment Organizer position to a very well- qualified person\u2014we are not yet able to announce the name, so you\u2019ll have to hear the good news in the new year!<\/p>\n
I see Christ\u2019s light shining through this presbytery; sometimes I feel shy to admit it because the dominant narrative of the world is so negative. And certainly there is much we need to be wary of (get your boosters and your flu shot, and don\u2019t be afraid to wear your masks!), and much need that we must respond to. But it occurs to me that we are now the small group of folks who are witnessing God\u2019s inbreaking into today\u2019s world, and it is our job to share the good news to this land of deep darkness.<\/p>\n
We know there is darkness, but out of darkness comes new life. Out of the darkness of trial comes compassion and the strengthening of the human spirit. Out of the darkness of space comes the warm and life-giving light of the sun. Out of the darkness of night and Mary\u2019s womb comes the baby Jesus. May we give thanks for the darkness and the light, knowing that in all circumstances, God is with us. May we give thanks for the darkness and the light, and for the companions who take us through it all. May we give thanks for the darkness and the light and point this world to the new life present in both.<\/p>\n
Most of all, may our hearts be filled with the hope that comes with Christmas, and may we live into that hope\u2014in our churches and families, in our work and our play. I look forward to seeing Christ\u2019s light shine through you, throughout 2023 and beyond. Merry Christmas!<\/p>\n
In Christ\u2019s love,<\/p>\n
Wendy<\/p>\n
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The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. Isaiah 9:2 It\u2019s been a little chilly lately, and the chill makes me think about that holy night when the baby Jesus was born, unprotected from the elements in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1920","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27351"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27354,"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27351\/revisions\/27354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}