All the inner glitter of Christmas

And outer giving of time, treasure and talent

Deplete abundance

Every pore in this body

Thirsts for calm and peace

My soul is drawn to the water’s edge

Where Luke speaks of bigger things to come

But for now

Swimming in the memory of my baptism

I wash away the debris of 2012

Ready and clean

For 2013

We will be back in 2012 (after we rest up from the holidays & holy-days).

Peace & Joy to you all!

Joy and Stacee

 The lesson here, for me, is to greet each person with a readiness and willingness to see the goodness in them, first and foremost.   Today’s reading inspires me to welcome warmly all who cross my path with expectant joy.

I offer the following prayer from the Irish Jesuits for your reflections and revelations revealing where God is greeting you in your life:

The Presence of God:  God is with me, but more, God is within me.  Let me dwell for a moment on God’s life-giving presence in my body, my mind, my heart, as I sit here right now.

Freedom: A thick and shapeless tree-trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture and would never submit itself to the chisel of the sculptor who sees by her genius what she can make of it.  I ask for the grace to let myself be shaped by my loving Creator.

Consciousness: Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I can afford to be honest about how I am.  How has the last day been, and how do I feel now?  I share my feelings openly with the Lord.

The Word : I read today’s scripture and I listen.

Conclusion: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.

 Today’s beautiful reading gives hope to new beginnings and life to fresh starts emerging out of old problems.  Scripture pairs the innocence of a youthful Mary to the wisdom of an elderly Elizabeth.  Honoring the full bloom of the feminine, vulnerable and lovable, I offer the following prayer from the Irish Jesuits for your reflections and revelations revealing where God is waiting to hear your own “YES, open my heart Lord!” emerge out of the “NO, don’t go there” areas of your life:

The Presence of God:  God is with me, but more, God is within me.  Let me dwell for a moment on God’s life-giving presence in my body, my mind, my heart, as I sit here right now.

Freedom: A thick and shapeless tree-trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture and would never submit itself to the chisel of the sculptor who sees by her genius what she can make of it.  I ask for the grace to let myself be shaped by my loving Creator.

Consciousness: Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I can afford to be honest about how I am.  How has the last day been, and how do I feel now?  I share my feelings openly with the Lord.

The Word : I read today’s scripture and I listen.

Conclusion: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.

 As I read today’s scripture below, I feel both anxiety and relief.  My nerves are frayed from too much of too much.  What lesson will the pain of exhausting have to teach me if I don’t expand my perspective and slow down enough to show up for the moment unfolding now?

I offer the following prayer from the Irish Jesuits for your reflections and revelations revealing where God is working in your life:

The Presence of God:  God is with me, but more, God is within me.  Let me dwell for a moment on God’s life-giving presence in my body, my mind, my heart, as I sit here right now.

Freedom: A thick and shapeless tree-trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture and would never submit itself to the chisel of the sculptor who sees by her genius what she can make of it.  I ask for the grace to let myself be shaped by my loving Creator.

Consciousness: Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I can afford to be honest about how I am.  How has the last day been, and how do I feel now?  I share my feelings openly with the Lord.

The Word : I read today’s scripture and I listen.

Conclusion: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.

I offer the following prayer from the Irish Jesuits for your reflections and revelations revealing where God is touching you:

The Presence of God:  God is with me, but more, God is within me.  Let me dwell for a moment on God’s life-giving presence in my body, my mind, my heart, as I sit here right now.

Freedom: A thick and shapeless tree-trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture and would never submit itself to the chisel of the sculptor who sees by her genius what she can make of it.  I ask for the grace to let myself be shaped by my loving Creator.

Consciousness: Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I can afford to be honest about how I am.  How has the last day been, and how do I feel now?  I share my feelings openly with the Lord.

The Word : I read today’s scripture and I listen.  Please read today scripture on our website.

Conclusion: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.

On Day 20 we hear more about John the Baptist.  In this particular passage, Jesus calls John a burning and shining lamp who illuminated the path toward Christ. When I imagine a world without Christ, one that knows no peace or hope, I am grateful for all the people willing to be shining lamps lighting the way toward Jesus, the ultimate light of the universe.  During Advent we sit in the darkness and anticipate the light that is to come. Those who willingly open their hearts to let God shine through offer a glimpse of the Savior to those around them.  Who knows what else John wanted to accomplish in his lifetime or what dreams he had to set aside to be the voice crying out in the wilderness?

On Day 21, we read the long list of generations God used to prepare the perfect lineage for Jesus.  While I was attending the San Francisco Lighthouse Church, the Reverend Jeff Garner was installed as Pastor. On his very first Sunday he preached a message from this exact Scripture and although I am sure his message was full of many deep and theological points to ponder, what I remember was this: God can use imperfect people to carry out His will.  In our messiness, He meets us and we become part of His plan.  Our ability to clean up our act or earn our badge of righteousness is not part of the equation.  I have always been grateful to Pastor Garner for highlighting for me the women who show up in Jesus’ lineage.  Some of the men who were included were also full of mistakes and graceless acts, but the women came from the other side of the tracks.  Tamar’s confused and desperate actions show a woman bent on motherhood who was used, abused and discarded by men. Rahab was a prostitute who had a personal great awakening and a life changed by loyalty.  Ruth was a foreigner who chose the family of God over her own people, and Bathsheba was the beautiful adulteress who allowed herself to be seduced by the King.  None of these women were examples of sexual purity or perfection, but God chose THEM to help create His plan of redemption.

And finally we arrive at Day 22 and visit the famous passage of Mary agreeing to help bring us a Savior.  Although Mary exemplifies purity and innocence, the characteristic that sticks out in this passage is her willingness to serve.

Even a quick glance through these three passages is enough to see a connecting thread.  Regular human beings become heroes when they surrender to God’s plan. Imperfections, mistakes and painful journeys can be rendered lovely by abandoning ourselves into His arms of mercy and love.  Perhaps beyond any other gift we have on offer is our willingness to follow where He leads.  Who knows what story He is writing that I might get to be in?

When the messengers of John the Baptist had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. “What did you go out to the desert to see a reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine garments? Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously are found in royal palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom Scripture says: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.

I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.” (All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

During the busy weeks leading up to Christmas, I am finding that my moods and general disposition are swing dancing.  Up is down and loud is the new quiet.  I can move from teary and nostalgic to angry at the driver ahead of me very quickly.  I love on my children with tenderness one moment and sigh in exasperation at them the next.  As part of my ongoing growing-up work, I try to stay away from a black and white view of the world. (Everybody loves me and I am fantastic can promptly lead me to, no one likes me and I am hideous.  Big swing.)  Searching for the nuance in my days, in my relationships and in the Kingdom of God is my ultimate goal. Go for Grey, Joy is my mantra.

But when I read Jesus’ words, I suspect He was speaking to a whole bunch of Joys.  They were curious about John the Baptist, and He gives them information in the form of a little taunting.  Were you looking for a reed of grass or a fancy dressed man? he asks them. Apparently there was nothing in between those two things.  In this same conversation, Jesus tells them that not only was John the Baptist the greatest man in the Kingdom of God, he was also far beneath the person who was the least in the Kingdom.  Huh?

And whadayaknow?  Those black and white thinkers way back then didn’t get it either.  They followed the letter of the law but the Essence of the Spirit, even when It was speaking directly to them, was lost on them. A big part of my journey to let go of the swing is to welcome humility into my daily practice.  When I don’t feel pressured to have all the answers, I don’t seem to fluctuate as much either.  I can see myself through His eyes and follow His lead a little better.

As the pressure of the holiday increases to meet expectations and get a ton done each day, I will focus on the humilty needed to keep Jesus in the center of my view.

At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

When the men came to the Lord, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”

At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. And Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.  And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

I am a big fan of John the Baptist.  I do crazy really well and spotting a fellow eccentric is great affirmation. John was the super bold, proclaim-ey kind of outrageous, so I find it sooooooo interesting that in this little passage he may have had a teensy tiny moment of weak faith.  He may have even (gasp) doubted a little bit.

When reading the Gospel of Luke chronologically, I see that prior to this miniature faith crisis, John had baptized Jesus, watched the sky open and heard the voice from Heaven boom.  Yep, that’s right.  Then later, after all of that powerful stuff, perhaps in frustration or confusion, he sends some friends to ask Jesus if He was the real deal.

I think John might be my separated-by-birth-thousands-of-years-later-spiritual twin.  We’re both crazy and we’re both quick to doubt.  When my daughter is doubled over in pain, I turn to Jesus and say, are you the healer or shall I look for another?  When I am stressed about money, I turn to Jesus and say, are you the provider or shall I try to fix this on my own?  When I see children bullied and ostracized I turn to Jesus and say did you come for the broken hearted or what?  When I let my bitterness lead me, I turn to Jesus and say, are you the comforter or shall I turn to things of this world?

Patiently He does for me what He did for John’s friends.  Jesus guides me to look at all He has done before I ask yet another stupid question.

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went.  The man came to the other son and gave the same order.  He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.

Which of the two did his father’s will?”  They answered, “The first.”

Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did.  Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

I love spotting “Kingdom Principles” in Jesus’ stories.  So much of what He said was upside down and downright confusing to the people who were listening.  The culture was established, and Jesus appears to have had a ball turning it on its end.  Frankly, some of the things He said that I whole-heartedly embrace are still mystifying to me.  Really, Jesus?  The meek will inherit the earth?  When I look around at the power brokers right now, I can see that they are anything but meek!  Are these kingdom principles for real?  Are we actually strong when we are weak?

In today’s reading, Jesus tells the pious and religious leaders that prostitutes and tax collectors will find it easier to enter Heaven than those who have upheld the religious law.  I wonder how much shock value Jesus was going for when he named those two occupations.  These were the male and female versions of the lowest level of humanity, and yet He elevated them to a place of quick access to heaven.  What did He mean by this?  Surely He didn’t mean that sleeping with men for money or stealing people blind got you closer to God?  No, what He meant is that the outcasts of society were aware of their need for rescue, and those of us who depend on our own “goodness,” have yet to realize what is on offer.

I am reminded of a church website I stumbled across several years ago. The name of this church is (literally) Scum of the Earth.  I guess there is simply no way to attend a church with this name without being made aware on a weekly basis of your place before God.  They take their name from the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 4:10-13, which says, We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.  We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;  when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.

During Advent, I long to become more aware of His presence.  I can get caught up in my appearance of sophistication and togetherness, when what I really ought to focus on is my emptiness that only He can fill.  I am grateful that my life’s journey has not taken me to the despair of prostitution or robbery in order to see my need for Him.  But in the upside down world of Jesus, I am grateful for the difficulties and setbacks that have served to realign me to His principles.

Today I stand with all the prostitutes and swindlers of the world and with an open heart and outstretched arms I boldly call out to the Savior who meets me right where I am.  Come, Come quickly I pray.