Grow! Feast of Holy Family I Samuel 2:18-26 Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 Christmas C 1

^{I Samuel 2: 21} 

And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.

^{Luke 2:51} Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
 ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Psalm 148

¹¹Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!

¹²Young men and women alike, old and young together!

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.

Colossians 3

²⁰Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord.

This week more than many it is easy to see the connection in the lectionary passages! 

As I am still in the 'note' process of crafting a sermon which must be preached twice this Sunday, I will simply share some 'thoughts.' 
Forgive my randomness; there is no rhyme to these reasons yet.

"Obey" stands out. But I hate that word. When it applies to me. Now, when it applies to my children, well, that is much better. 

But then "grow" has risen to the top of the cup also. 

"Favor" is third in the running.

"Young" or "Child" is fourth. 

Increasing in wisdom and stature and favor.

This is the only account of anything to do with the childhood (between birth and baptism/entry of ministry) of Jesus in the four Gospels.

The Gospel of Luke is written as a journey. 
This is the first journey that Jesus takes to Jerusalem.

We continue to learn about the reversal of expectations.
Jesus was not born in Jerusalem as a 'proper' Jewish king should. 
But here we find him in Jerusalem, in the Temple, conversing with the religious leaders like a 'proper' Jewish king and his parents do not expect it.
The child teaches the parents. 
The rabbis/teachers are amazed by the child. 
Yet the parents have provided the tradition of going 'up' to Jerusalem for Passover. They have provided structure of the community of faith. 
Jesus was given a rich heritage of faith.

Jesus is 12, he is not 13, which would make him a man according to Jewish tradition.
Then there is the preaching path that takes us to 'family conflict during holidays.' Maybe I shouldn't touch that one.

A case study of what a father can do to keep children off drugs.
1. eat dinner with his family
2. do homework with his children
3. take his children to church/synagogue/place of worship

What is the next step to take after Christmas? 

ll that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

 ^{(JRR TOLKIEN THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING)}

"Not all those who wander are lost," is the most famous quote from the Lord of the Rings series.

Jesus was wandering but he was not lost. 

What do we learn from children?

Content? Advent 3 C Zephaniah 3:14-20 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-18

 ^vs 

^{Philippians 4 10}

I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. ¹²I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³I can do all things through him who strengthens me.(NRSV)


These words were written by the Apostle Paul during one of his imprisonments. Most believe it was during his last incarceration: in Rome. 
I remember reading this as a child wondering how anyone could be content in any circumstance. But as a 40-year-old I can now say with Paul , I know what it is like to have little and I know what it is like to have plenty. Thankfully I've never been in prison as a prisoner, only to visit. And it is horrible place. If you have never visited someone in prison, you should.

If Paul was in Rome, he was under 'house arrest,' probably not so bad as when he rotted in a prison in Ephesus, chained to the wall, his back having been flogged. But even then he would have said the same: I know what it is like to have little. 

I know what it is like to have little. I have never been homeless. But as a child my family lived without a phone, or car, many times. We had barely enough; often there was one choice for food; beans or macaroni or potatoes. I know what it is like to dig down the couch hoping for a enough change to buy a box of macaroni and cheese. I know what it is like to be ridiculed for poverty.

I know what it is like to have little. One Christmas my dad was out of work. My brother and I were 6 and 7. We had just returned to church after years of being away. Our church family heard we were in need and multiple times we opened the door and found food on the porch; left by a nameless Good Samaritan. 

I know what it is like to have little. 

Paul knew what it was like to have plenty. He was a Pharisee; he was a Roman Citizen. He had privileges and he had used them to persecute people; as one of power. But since meeting Jesus he had used the power to preach; before being booted from the synagogues he showed up in his Pharisaical robes and was asked to speak. He used every chance he could to tell of this Risen One he had encountered on that Damascus Road.

I know what it is like to have plenty. I sit in a comfortable recliner in soft clothing inside a snug house with a warm puppy curled at my feet. I have multiple choices of food in my fridge; I just downed an orange juice and a grilled cheese. There are wrapped gifts under my tree. I have a car; I have a smart phone; I am typing on my own laptop. 

But do I know what is like to be content? Contentment is not as easy as 'little' and 'plenty.' Contentment is a choice. If I have little, as a healthy American I can work for plenty (yeah I know the economy is going you know where in a you know what but you get my drift). Contentment is something that I must choose. And there is always more out there.

 MY CULTURE DOES NOT WANT ME TO BE CONTENT. To be content would mean not consuming; and of course, our economy depends upon my consuming what I do not need. 

^{Luke 3 10}And the crowds asked him [John the Baptist], “What then should we do?” ¹¹In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.”
What kind of a tax collector would do that?

 ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

Satisfied? Is that the same as Content? What do you think?

Advent 2 C Luke 3:1-6 Malachi 3:1-4 Psalm 126 Prepare! Cont.

Malachi reminds us that the next time he comes it won't be as a baby but a judge. I don't like that. I'd much rather hold a baby than face a judge.

People are more generous around the holidays. Angel trees are rapidly taken care of. The today show had collected more than 14,000 toys as of yesterday.

But what about the rest of the year? When the children are hungry and the toys have been sold to buy food? What then of our generosity? Where are the thousands of donors?

I would rather preach a fluffy happy message about the love of Baby Jesus. But the Scripture doesn't allow it.

Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-4 Year B

Today my family & I delivered groceries, something we do once a month with the local Catholic worker house. It is a chaotic sort of crazy event, esp. the Christmas delivery. About 30 people fill over 200 bags of groceries & then we divide up and deliver them all over the city.

We are given lists of people who have requested food. Today we approaced a door that had a padlock on the outside. The mail was overflowing from the mailbox. Obviously there was no one home. What to do? The next delivery was a duplex. I knocked on the wrong door. "They are over there." She pointed. Four tiny children ran outside, one a 3 year old boy in only a shirt & underwear. It was 38oF. I asked her if she needed food. She said yes. We brought the bags we had left.

The grateful thank yous from the children break my heart. Last month some kids came screaming to the door when we delivered, so glad to see us.

Our leader calls this organized anarchy. It's called Food Equality and redistribution. Whatever it is, it feeds hungry children at Christmas.

So different, the two views I've had this weekend. Last night I shopped at SuperTarget with the rest of the city. Lots of last minute runs for toys and stocking stuffers. I saw no tree or lights at the house where the hungry children lived.

I ask, which is closer to the stable where Jesus was born? What child understands Christmas better, the one receiving food in their hungry belly, or the one seeing a pile of gifts under a fancy tree? Don't get me wrong, I love giving & receiving gifts...but my heart is breaking today. Because I saw Jesus with a runny nose and bare legs run out in the cold, so glad to get a box of Rice Krispies 5 days before Christmas.