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advent 3a: leave the GPS at home

December 2, 2010

In Matthew 11 the disciples of John the Baptist confront Jesus wanting to know if he was “the one.” Was Jesus ‘it,’ or should they keep waiting for someone else?

It’s an interesting encounter to say the least. The disciples of Jesus had barely figured out who Jesus really was, and here’s another man’s disciples who seem to have put two and two together.

But, the deeper point here is that they were ‘waiting’ to begin with. And, they were willing to wait longer if need be.

They were waiting for the “one.”

Why? What had tipped them off that something was coming? And what did they think that ‘something’ was going to look like when it got there?

The best clue lies in Jesus’ answer to them: “Go and tell John what you hear and see. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”

Big stuff was happening. Crazy big stuff.

And, it’s what they were looking for.

Because what had tipped them off that ‘something’ big was coming was the prophesy of Isaiah. Seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah had foretold that the Kingdom of God would come crashing to earth and bring peace, justice, and righteousness.

Throughout this year’s Advent observations we’ve been treated to various section’s of Isaiah’s prophesies. And this Sunday, in the 35th chapter we find this: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way.”

In other words, anything that is a ‘little off’ or askew in anyway will be made right. The broken will be made whole. The sick will be made whole. The corners of creation that are dry will be made cool.

“A highway shall be there.”
I love the next verse: “it shall be for God’s people;
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.”

Translation: Even if you’re a dunce that can’t even figure the GPS out, you don’t have to worry because you can’t miss it.

I love that. Mostly because I’m terrible with directions.

Not even I will be able to mess it up.

And, I won’t even need Google maps.

Jesus, John the Baptist, and the church over these past 2,000 years has interpreted Isaiah’s words of wholeness and holiness to be about the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.

When Jesus came via Bethlehem, he made Isaiah’s vision manifest. And, when Jesus comes again, we’ll know the highway all the better. And, we’ll travel the “way” without fear of lion or jackal. There will be cool water at every turn.

And all things that are broken will be made whole. All people who are broken will be made whole.

What began with Jesus’ first advent, will be made all the more complete with his second.

Which, is why since the days of John the Baptist’s disciples, the prayer of faithful Christians has been: Come, Lord Jesus. O come, O come Emmanuel. Bring us your peace, your light, your way.

And while we wait still, we have no need to wait for “another.” We know who we’re waiting for.

advent 2a: prayers of the people

November 27, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Prayers of the People

(These prayers are based largely on the lessons from Isaiah through the Advent-A lections. The main prayers will stay the same, but the initiating and concluding prayers will change, week by week.)

In the hushed anticipation of your coming, O Lord, shine upon us Your glorious Light, that we might be ready for your coming, and eager to pray:

O God, in days to come the mountain of your house will be established, and your joy shall reign. We pray for the church (especially…), that you might teach us your ways and that we might walk in your paths.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

Out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and you, O God, shall judge between the nations. We pray for our nation, and all nations, that your peace would be manifest in every corner of the earth.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

In your Kingdom, O Lord, wolves lie down with lambs and children play with serpents without fear. We pray for the sick, the suffering, and those in distress of any kind (especially…); that you would heal all injuries, comfort all grief, and settle all wrongs.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

In your Kingdom, O Lord, even the wilderness and dry land are glad and rejoice. We pray for those who rejoice this week as they celebrate their birthday (especially… and anniversaries…); that they might obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing might flee away.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

In the fulness of time, O God, you sent your son, to be born of our sister Mary. And his name was Emmanuel: God With Us. We thank you for your Presence with us, and we pray that you might be always present with those whom we love but see no longer.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

O Christ, hear our prayers; and when you come among us like the rising of the sun, may we, Your Church, be ready to meet you and find our home in you. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.

advent 2a: stumped in advent

November 24, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Lectionary / Major Prophets / Old Testament

In a previous life (or so it seems) I worked at a wilderness residential treatment center for troubled boys for two years. It was ‘wilderness’ in the sense that we were outside in tents made of mostly raw materials 365 days a year. It was ‘residential’ in the sense that we lived there.

Most weeks I’d work a 110 hour shift before I then had 48 hours off. Then I’d go back and do it all over again.

It was one of the most rewarding jobs in terms of immediate gratification. One could easily track the growth of the boys who were sent to us. They came ‘tough’ and they left tender and respectful.

As my supervisor once said, our job there was to ‘save lives.’ He was right.

One of the things we’d do with a boy who was having particular trouble that day, was go ‘stumping.’ The school was on over 300 acres of mountainous woodland.

So, there were plenty of stumps.

This wasn’t ‘punishment’ as much as it was an opportunity. The boy didn’t have to ‘do anything’ other than work at the stump. He didn’t have to say anything. He just had to keep the axe swinging.

Often, the grueling work would serve as a mechanism for opening up the boy’s emotions. The stump would ‘work out’ whatever needed to be ‘worked out.’

And, at the end of the day – after using an axe, a maul, a maddock, a shovel, a tamp bar, and our bare hands – we’d both have the emotional high of finally uprooting the stump.

We’d turn it on its side, and chuck it back into the hole it came out of. We’d cover it up with the dirt that had come out of the whole. And, a few weeks later you’d never know that a stump, and tree, were once there.

At night our hands would hurt. Our back would hurt. Our shoulders would ache.

But, it felt so good.

I have fond memories of ‘stumping.’ Full-time pastoral ministry just doesn’t provide the same opportunities for physical and emotional exertion. (Except, maybe Holy Week?…)

Having such ample opportunities to be so close to stumps, I have some observations.

They are, practically useless – unless you’re looking for something to sit on. They are worthless – There’s a reason they are usually just ground into the ground today. They are incredibly stubborn. Some of the largest roots that hold them to the ground are as hard as iron, and as flexible as rubber. Hitting them repeatedly with an axe hurts, because the axe bounces off. They clamp onto dirt, clay, and rock with such skill, it is as if an engineer or physicist built them. Removing them is painfully difficult.

And, usually, they are dead. Their life as a tree is over. Thus the ‘useless’ ‘worthless’ observations.

And yet, in the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, we are told that a shoot will come out of one such stump, and will inaugurate a Kingdom of peace, justice, and righteousness. Isaiah tells us that all will be ok with the world. Prey will lie down next to predators, and children will play with poisonous snakes with no consequence.

And who shall lead this Kingdom? A little child.

All shall be well.

And, it shall all come from a humble, seemingly worthless, seemingly useless stump.

This grand vision from Isaiah is ridiculous in it’s reversals, and it is ridiculous from its origin. Wolves don’t lie down with lambs. Babies don’t play with snakes. Children don’t lead, adults do.

And nothing good has ever come from a stump.

And, this grand vision from Isaiah is all about the coming of the Messiah. This is as much an Advent text as we’ll find in the scriptures.

The Lord is coming. He is near, and he is on the way. And, when he comes, great and wondrous things will happen. And, when he comes, the humility of the means of his arrival will not only be shocking, but will be missed by most. If not all.

Why do we need to drink in this vision from Isaiah this Advent?

Because our world needs righting. Because we need peace, justice and righteousness – and because we need to know that it’s Jesus who brings these things.

And, if we understood the enormity and radical nature of the Kingdom that Jesus inaugurates on earth – we wouldn’t have the gumption to gush at the cuteness of the babe in the manger.

But, we’d be searching the stumps for a shoot. For a sign of Life. For a child that would lead us through pastures of wolves, lions, lambs, snakes, and infants.

Come, Lord Jesus. And bring your Kingdom.

advent 1a: prayers of the people

November 20, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Prayers of the People

(These prayers are based largely on the lessons from Isaiah through the Advent-A lections. The main prayers will stay the same, but the initiating and concluding prayers will change, week by week.)

In the hushed anticipation of your coming, O Lord, kindle in us the desire to remain awake; that we might be ready for your coming, and eager to pray.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

Out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and you, O God, shall judge between the nations. We pray for our nation, and all nations, that your peace would be manifest in every corner of the earth.

Come Lord Jesus, and hear our prayer.

Come among us O God, and hear our prayers; so that when your Son Jesus comes among us with great might, and in manger mild, we might recognize his face and his voice, and come to adore him. Amen.

advent 1a: hilarious peace

November 18, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Lectionary / Major Prophets / Old Testament

The beginning of the second chapter of Isaiah is the vision of God’s abiding shalom come to earth, as a gift for all people. It’s the peace of God which not only passes all understanding, but which removes even the instruments of potential conflict from the face of the earth.

Weapons of war are beaten into tools of trade. And the ways of warcraft are no longer taught.

God’s peace will one day reign, says Isaiah.

Hallelujah, for that.

And, yet, in this passage God is identified specifically as the “God of Jacob,” and the peace is directed towards the “house of Jacob.”

In this passage of peace the great patriarch “Jacob” is invoked twice.

“So what?,” some might say. God goes by many titles in the Hebrew Bible, and Jacob (whose name later changes to “Israel”) is the father of the nation.

Move on, because there is nothing to see here.

But, Isaiah could have used any of the other titles of God here. He could have invoked the names of Abraham, Isaac, or Moses.

But, he didn’t.

Instead he invites us to conjure up Jacob in our imaginations.

The interesting point here is that in this passage of peace/ shalom, we’re reminded of a patriarch whose life seems to be the very antithesis of shalom.

Jacob is the guy who picked fights in the womb. His birth was a race, which he lost, but in which he was reaching out to grab the ankle of his brother to hold him back. His childhood and youth are chock full of conflict, lies, theft, and sibling rivalry par excellence. When he goes out on his own, his most intimate experience of God was a wrestling match. He has conflict getting married, and then in his relationships with his wives (ahem…) there is great consternation and ill will.

And then, as if that isn’t enough, eleven of his brothers take it upon themselves to take the twelfth brother, beat him to a pulp, throw him down a hole, and sell him as a slave to a bunch of foreigners.

Yeah, this family puts the “fun” back in “dysfunctional.” Jacob is the poster-child for conflict.

And, I think that’s the point here.

That “the God of Jacob” is the harbringer of Shalom for the whole world… is a point that is meant to wake everyone up.

In a way, it’s a punch line. But, when the laughter clears, the truth remains: if God can raise up a holy nation from the family of Jacob/ Israel, then God can be the impetus for bringing true peace on earth.

Politically, the topics of nuclear weapons and the defense budget are back on the front page. Some want to slash both, and some think that such thinking is a short-sighted fool’s errand. But, whichever side of the debate you’re on… how likely is it that all weapons in our nation, and all nations, will all be broken and repurposed? How likely is it that all wars will not only cease, but the craft of war will no longer be taught or encouraged?

Well, those are punchlines too. And they always have been.

But, our God turns punchlines into holy reality. And, when we see the Kingdom of God, that’s what it will look like. Weapons into tools. All nations together with no need of war.

Shalom.

And, just before you get discouraged, or think is crazy talk…notice how in this passage God’s peace in our world and our lives does not depend on us having our act together. God works in spite of us.

It is God who does it.

And, it’s Jesus who came to begin it.

O come, O come Emmanuel.

Christ the King (year C): prayers of the people

November 16, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Prayers of the People

Based on Canticle 4, the Song of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed us.

Bless the nations, tribes and kingdoms of the world, O Lord, with your tender mercy, and with the light you give to those who sit in darkness.

Hear our Prayer, O Christ, for you are the King of Kings.

Bless our nation, O Lord, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve you without fear.

Hear our Prayer, O Christ, for you are the King of Kings.

Bless your Church, O Lord, and those who minister in your Church (especially…); that your people might give the knowledge of salvation to the whole world.

Hear our Prayer, O Christ, for you are the King of Kings.

Bless those who are sick, in pain, lonely, or in any distress, O Lord, (especially…); that they might know the mercy your showered on our forebearers.

Hear our Prayer, O Christ, for you are the King of Kings.

Bless this community of faith, O Lord, (especially those who celebrate birthdays this week… anniversaries…) that the dayspring from on high would rest on us.

Hear our Prayer, O Christ, for you are the King of Kings.

Bless those who have died, O Lord, (especially) and guide their feet into the way of peace.

Hear our Prayer, O Christ, for you are the King of Kings.

Lord God, you sent John the Baptist to be Prophet of the Most High, and to go before the face of your son; end us into the places of darkness with your light, and without fear; that all may know of your mercy, peace, and love. Amen.

Christ the King year C: praying with awe

November 11, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Lectionary / New Testament / Paul

So, I took one for the team this week.

You’re welcome.

I was so excited about Paul’s high prayer in Colossians coming up in the lectionary this week… that I got an idea. It’s such a deep, rich, velvety prayer… that it reminds me in some ways of a truly great piece of chocolate.

And, while having this idea, I just so happened to be by a Godiva Chocolatier.

(You see where I’m going with this?)

So, I went in and bought a white-chocolate covered strawberry. I wanted to start munching on it right there and then, but then I found a seat, pulled out the Colossians text, and began my slow intentional way through that little piece of heaven. (I’m talking about the strawberry. Of course.)

AHHHHhhhhh. Yes. They are indeed one and the same.

I’m not sure the little strawberry was worth the almost 8$ I paid for it (!!!!) (It was more expensive than my entire lunch.) (Though, since it was for sermon prep maybe I can expense it? Or at least claim a tax deduction for business purposes?…)

But, oh yes, it was good.

Paul’s prayer at the beginning of the Letter to the Colossians isn’t like a Godiva chocolate-dipped strawberry. It’s like swimming in a pool of them.

“May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Now, that’s a prayer.

And, it’s a prayer that makes me wonder if we haven’t lost some of the mystical dialogic nature of prayer over these past 2000 years. And, I’m not talking about liturgical prayer (though some of what is coming out these days masquerading as liturgical prayer does have some serious questions hanging over it.)

But, as far as we can tell Paul isn’t quoting from some ancient liturgical text here. He’s just praying off the top of his head here.

I’m one of those who thinks that Paul does quote liturgical texts from time to time, like the Christ Hymn in the second chapter of Philippians. I think that was Paul clearly using a familiar hymn from the Early Church.

But here, he’s just praying. And, I’m not just talking about the language here – I’m talking content too. Paul is praying for strength, and patience, and joy. He recognizes Jesus as the one who is the source of redemption and the one who saves us from darkness.

And, he’s praying, not for himself, but for his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae.

This text is a long shot from the standard wee-jus prayer that’s drawn out over the potluck supper like a thick train of molasses.

Paul didn’t just blurt this out – he was formed in this kind of prayer. Maybe he was taught to pray like this. Maybe he taught himself. I like to think the Holy Spirit taught him over years and years of deep prayer.

Prayer isn’t meant to impress anyone. But, it does speak of who we’re praying to. On this Sunday when we’re remembering the Reign of Christ our Great King and High Priest… let’s try and summon it up within ourselves, and our congregations, the desire to address our Lord as the one who drives out the darkness and who grants us inheritance with the saints in light.

If you forget how to do that… find a Godiva’s.

‘Expense it’ if you have to.

proper 28c: prayers of the people (based on the 1st song of Isaiah)

November 6, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Prayers of the People

Surely, God, it is you who save us. We will trust in you, we will pray to you, and we will not be afraid.

We pray to you, O God, for the nations of the world, their leaders, and all people; for you are our stronghold and defense.

We give you thanks, O Lord, and we call upon your name.

We pray for our nation, O God; for those who serve this nation in her armed forces, for all in authority, and for the liberty you so freely give us; that may we might draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation.

We give you thanks, O Lord, and we call upon your name.

We sing praises to you, O God, for you have done great things. And we pray with rejoicing for all who we love and who we share life with. (Especially those celebrating birthdays… and anniversaries…)

We give you thanks, O Lord, and we call upon your name.

We pray to you, O God, for the sick, the suffering, and all who are in distress of any kind (especially…); make your deeds known among them that your name may be exalted.

We give you thanks, O Lord, and we call upon your name.

We cry aloud with the inhabitants of Zion, those whom we love but see no longer (especially…), and for this community of faith (especially our clergy…). May your Church below and your Church above ring out your joy always.

We give you thanks, O Lord, and we call upon your name.

Lord Jesus, you are the great one in the midst of us. Hear our prayers and come among us with salvation and rejoicing. Amen.

proper 28c: where’s the action?

November 6, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Creation / Eschatology / Lectionary / Major Prophets / New Testament / Old Testament

In London, on Whitehall, not far from 10 Downing Street, is a massive monument, called the Cenotaph, set up to remember Britain’s fallen soldiers. At first glance, it’s not much to write home about. It’s big and rectangular and granite.

And that seems about it.

However, if you dare to look a little closer, you’re in for a little treat. The four vertical corners reach out of the earth and point high to the sky. The untrained eye will see only a simple rectangle. But, that is not so. The four sides are angled ever so slightly and with such great precision, that if you were to follow the four sides straight up their vertical lines would meet at 980 feet in the sky over London.

The slight bend is hardly noticeable, but it is there, and to great effect.

Sometimes the same thing happens with human ideas. They start out looking good. They seem straight enough. But if you follow them for long they aren’t straight at all.

Such is the modern Christian understanding of Heaven. People have taught “when we die we go to Heaven” for so long that it has become a common belief of our faith.

The reasoning goes that we are here on earth for a while, and then we spend eternity somewhere else. In other words: we’re outta here.

Follow that with the common evangelical belief in the rapture, and we might not even have to wait until we die to get outta here. We might be driving our car, flying a plane, or sitting at our desk – and whoosh. We’re gone.

But, that is not the truth of the Bible. Weird not outta here. We don’t go “somewhere better.” If we do, it’s only for a short while. And then we come back.

Because God is making all things new.

The whole story of God begins with the words: In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.

The first glimpse of God that we are given in the Scriptures proclaims clearly that 1) God creates, and 2) God creates all things here and all things above.

In our lesson from Isaiah this week not only is all that conjured up, but God dreams about it happening AGAIN. God dreams of creating, and especially creating NEW things.

“For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.”

In Genesis God created the first Heaven and the first earth. Here in Isaiah, and again in Revelation, God makes them anew.

In Revelation when all things are made new Heaven comes down and joins earth. The Heavenly city of Zion descends to earth in all its glory, with the lamb at the center of the throne.

It comes here.

If you’re going ‘up’ when you die, you might just pass the action which is headed the other way.

Good luck with that.

The vision of Genesis, Isaiah, and Revelation witnesses in powerful, recurrent, and poetic ways that our great God is a Creator: meaning God likes to create. And, the Scriptures witness to that aspect of God in which he creates things “new.”

Part of the preacher’s task is to do the hard work of straightening up the lines that have shifted over time. It’s hard work because people don’t like that. People like to think of grandma being ‘up there’ and one day we’ll go ‘up there’ and we’ll all live happily ever after.

And that’s nice.

But the real deal is that were all coming back HERE when it’s created new.

And, in case you missed it: the new creation has already begun. It began in Christ. It began with Resurrection. In the Resurrection Jesus was made so new that his followers didn’t even recognize him. They thought he was the gardener. They thought he was a stranger. He walked through closed, locked doors.

He is made new. And, in baptism WE are made new.

And one day the whole kit and caboodle will be made new. And here we’ll be.

Maybe even the monument on Whitehall will be straightened out.

How do you change commonly held comforting ideals? How can you do it with grace and present an even more comforting future?

proper 27c: prayers of the people

November 2, 2010

by Fr. Rick Morley

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Prayers of the People

Let us pray to Our Lord Jesus Christ, himself, and God the Father, who loves us and gives us grace.

Let us pray for all the faithful People of God (especially…), that we might always give thanks to God.
Hear our plea, O Lord, and give heed to our cry.

Let us pray for our nation and all in authority, that your spirit, O God, would abide among us.
Hear our plea, O Lord, and give heed to our cry.

Let us pray for all the nations of the world, that the whole earth might fill God's house with splendor.
Hear our plea, O Lord, and give heed to our cry.

Let us pray for our families, our friends and our neighbors (especially those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries this week…), that we might behold your marvelous works.
Hear our plea, O Lord, and give heed to our cry.

Let us pray for those who are sick or in distress of any kind (especially those on our prayer list…), that you would hear their cry, O God, and help them.
Hear our plea, O Lord, and give heed to our cry.

Let us pray for those who we love, but see no longer (especially…), that they might be surrounded by your Presence, O God, until that day when we are all united with you around your throne.
Hear our plea, O Lord, and give heed to our cry.

Gracious God, you are near to those who call upon you, be near to us and hear our prayers, and as we praise your name forever and ever. Amen.