4th January 2013

The eleventh day of Christmas is another without additional commemorations, an occasion simply to reflect on the meaning of God, so far above and beyond human comprehension, and at the same time within the intimate depths of ourselves, closer to us than we are to ourselves. In the both the infintely vast and in the infinitely tiny, God is present, yet can be completely un-noticed and disregarded by humans.

When God takes human nature and joins us on our journey through life in the person of Jesus, God comes in a way we can reckon with and understand. Jesus can still be un-noticed and disregarded, or turned into something which he is not in our interpretation of the reality of encounter with him, but to do so is a matter of choice which ultimately we are accountable for.

Jesus doesn't impose his existence on us, demand recognition. He invited us, by his actions and teaching to think about who he is and who we are, what our life is for and if it is worth living it well. As we learn to read existence from his perspective, to have 'the mind of Christ', we discover depths of reality richer and deeper than we may have thought possible. 

Even the greatest thinkers and searchers after truth, people capable of forging the highest ideals to live by, through their experience and through pure reasoning, find new light shed on their quest by coming to know Him. Reflecting on his story awakens a sense of his presence, and through his presence, a new sense of meaning to all existence.

This is the mystery of the life giving Word made flesh for our sakes.
  

27th December 2012 - St John, Apostle & Evangelist

Of the disciples, John son of Zebedee, James' brother is portrayed as closest to Jesus, leaning on him at the last supper, asking him questions. Tradition regards John as the youngest disciple. 

The Gospel bearing John's name declares it is eyewitness testimony, especially the passion story. In it John speaks of himself as 'the beloved disciple'. Generally his Gospel contains stories and sayings similar to the other three. Instead of sharing passages of text or storyline, John organises and re-tells stories differently, adding reflections and comments, attributing to Jesus some powerful discourses and spiritual sayings. Its poetic and mystical qualities set it apart, to the extent that its universal acceptance by the churches was debated and came later than the other three Gospels. 

It was initially suspected that it was an esoteric gnostic text to be avoided because its version of Jesus' story was not fully grounded in reality. Yet, John's account of Jesus' engagement with life, death and the rootedness of the truth he tells, belongs in real experience rather than fantasy or philosophy. They disclose a writer inspired to evangelise both gnostic and conservative Judaic thinkers. He confronts them creatively to tell the story of Jesus. He begins, proclaiming Jesus as the divine Word revealed in the entire life and body of one person, at home in the reality of this world.

If John was the youngest disciple, he certainly grew up in those three years spent together. As Jesus was dying on the cross he entrusted John with the care of his mother Mary. Tradition has it that he stayed with her until she died in Ephesus, and lived himself to a great age. When he began to write, whether he had companions who shared in writing the Gospel with whom he reflected upon his experiences and all Jesus had discussed with him is not known. His Gospel was the last to become widely known, but it may have been half a century or more in taking its familiar form.

We know much of Jesus' words and deeds, far less about the man. He was habitually self effacing, referring to himself as 'Son of the Man', perpetually pointing beyond himself to the Father. Likewise we know little of John the closest to Jesus, except that his apostolic life revolves entirely about making known the depths of divine reality in Jesus. When speaking poetically of Jesus' ministry and identity, John dares to put into Jesus' mouth words other evangelists are shy of: 'I am', words the God of their forefathers used to reveal His presence to Moses. John had confidence in this truth which others took time to realise and accept. It came from his lifetime's personal experience.

The development of faith with understanding starts from Jesus' humanity and finds fulfilment in acclaiming his divinity. This was how it was for John, and how it is for us too.

   

25th December - Christmas Day

From the stillness and silence of eternity comes the Word - the reason, principal and purpose which brings all things into being. The divine presence and activity at the depths of all time, space and matter, ready to be discovered, marvelled and rejoiced in, ever since humankind became capable of remembering and reasoning. This day, attention is focussed on one human being. A child, as tradition would have it, born in the night, un-noticed, far from home, far from the extended family and neighbours waiting to welcome him.

For those expecting his arrival, he'd be special because he was a first-born son, inheritor of his father's stories, possessions and standing in the community. He would also be another pair of hands to train in a skill, disciplined to work hard and provide for others. How many would have hoped in earnest that he'd have the mind of a great teacher and a heart of such unfathomable faith? 

Some might look into his face and ask, as was their pious habit, Will this one be the Messiah? It was their way of acknowledging the blessing of the birth of a son, no matter whose child he was. At this moment, however, nobody is around to congratulate his parents. They are alone with him, and astonished when shepherds arrive, their eyes alight with the wonder of an experience they've had out on the hillside, guarding animal flocks.

Who were these night watchmen? They slept under the stars, earning their keep as property guards by the owners of the flocks dwelling more comfortably in tents or houses elsewhere. They may have been homeless poor people surviving hand to mouth on the edge of society.

They are exuberant with joy and filled with unusual confidence when they find Joseph, Mary and the child in the manger. They'd abandoned their charges to come and see for themselves, and confirm that they had a real story to tell. It wasn't an idle dream, but a glimpse of something beginning in the Beyond and leading to this place. 

Mary marvels, and ponders in her heart on what has happened, realising what she and Joseph already knew in their hearts is true for everyone welcoming this good news. God has chosen to come and be with humankind, starting not with the elite of successful people, those at the peak of evolutionary progress, but with those left behind in the race for life, those with little or nothing to show for their existence, those forgotten, un-noticed. 

All are beloved children, all matter to their Maker, all have potential to become much more than they imagine of themselves. It's the fact of great fear which inhibits their growth to fulfilment. Now this great fear is overwhelmed by great joy - it is the joy of love divine all loves excelling to be made known in the life of this one born to us, given for the life of the world.

 

24th December - Christmas Eve

Joseph lives and works several days journey from his place of origin. Colonial rulers require his return to the place his clan belongs to register his identity for taxation. It will lose him a week of income earning and family time, just when Mary is about to give birth to this child whose origins and identity are wrapped in heavenly mystery. For their sakes he must do what is entrusted to him to do.

Bethlehem, village of King David's clan, was the heartland of Jewish national identity and aspiration, although its offspring spread far and wide from the necessity of having to ply a trade to earn a living. Nazareth was culturally as distant from Bethlehem as could be imagined, up in the Syrian border land, where races religions and cultures co-existed for centuries. Nobody knows how long the families of Mary and Joseph were settled there, but it's clear they had no relatives to call upon to offer them hospitality at the end of their journey south to Bethlehem.

With Mary close to giving birth, their journey was one that would be sure to end with uncertainty about where they might stay, however briefly, for the inevitable wait to be registered by the Roman authorities. It's always the poor, vulnerable and dependent who are forced to wait by the wealthy, powerful and capable. There are no concessions or privileges available to a man with a wife heavily pregnant and close to giving birth.

At the very time they need to be in a safe secure space for a healthy birth, they are forced to be utterly unsettled by a system which wants everything from them and gives nothing to them. They are displaced persons, dispossessed of real dignity or worth by state law enforcement.

In chaotic parts of the world, because of war, famine or poverty, despite best humanitarian efforts to alleviate conditions, this is still what happens. Mothers are compelled to give birth wherever they find themselves, no matter how difficult, dangerous or dirty that place may be.

With no family to welcome them, and no room for them at the inn, the one public place of hospitality for strangers and travellers, they take refuge in an animal shelter for the arrival of their baby. We know nothing of whether or not they were alone in their predicament, whether a provision of a stable was an act of good-will on someone's part, or a place furtively acquired, as is often the case of a homeless person finding a resting place.

In this story, regardless of what his parents are enduring, all eyes are on the arrival of one who is unknown, coming to his own people un-recognised and un-welcomed, despite centuries of waiting in anticipation for this day to dawn. In faith, they are ones who have trustingly said 'yes' to their part in this unique moment of cosmic history.

16th December 2012

When human beings communicate, words which are uttered (especially if they are similar sounding) take their meaning from context, emphasis, and pacing. If there were no pauses or silences between words it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to establish what is being said. Stillness and silence are therefore an essential part of making sense of life, thinking, speaking and finding meaning in everything.

In Advent, Christians wait to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. St John the Evangelist introduces his Gospel not with a birth story but with a declaration of the cosmic significance of his life. It expresses belief that this man is God come in human flesh, to share human existence and reconcile humankind with its creator, restoring awareness that everyone is a child of God. 

Jesus is here described as God's Word 'through him all things were made'. Word here is more than simply speech, it is thought expressed in action. The One who is beyond human knowledge, the God who 'hides Himself' is made known to us, as fully as we are able to comprehend, in this man Jesus.

We open up reach out in stillness and silence to the unknown beyond. From silence this Word which is Jesus is uttered. A man like ourselves becomes the focus of attention, a man who never ceases to point beyond himself, back to the unknown beyond which he confidently addresses as Abba (Daddy) Father.

Getting to know and love Jesus by reflecting and meditating on his story is not an end in itself. He not only invites us to find our true selves in relation to him as friend, Lord and master, saviour and redeemer, he also invites us to look with him to the unknown beyond with the same secure familiar intimacy as he does - calling God 'our Father in heaven'. Christian prayer addresses God as Father 'through Jesus Christ our Lord' for this reason.

The actions of Jesus' ministry distinguish him as a healer showing compassion to the sick and poor. He is one who restores the rejected and lost to their proper place in society. He confronts hypocrisy and injustice, speaks with wit, wisdom and depth about the things of God. Finally he offers his life freely and sacrificially to reveal the truth about God, and pardons those who take his life. In all these actions can be seen how "God so loved the world".

Through Jesus we are shown what it means to say "God is love. Those who dwell in love dwell in God, and God dwells in them." Digesting this fully is a lifelong effort. While we learn through doing, it's in the 'non-doing' of practicing stillness and silence that its meaning for us personally is understood. From this inner contemplation, the Advent of the Word is made real.