When I was a teenager I had a morning paper route. EARLY, and often COLD. In warmer months I could ride my bike; but in winter, when the traction was poor, I walked. How I yearned for, craved the sunrise! Would the half-light of dawn ever yield some warming rays to restore my numb fingers? Folks in church pews this weekend may be numbed by the Christmas grab-bag or a year-long wrestle with power and possessions. Cold of heart and weary of spirit, they/we wait with skepticism for any word from God. Scripture for the Fourth Sunday in Advent presents an attitude of Presence, even as the Dark Side seems to grow without holy restraint.
The prophet Micah seems to have spoken during the Assyrian intimidation of Israel (740-722?) and perhaps even witnessed the devastation of Judah by Sennacherib (701?). Much of his recorded message is of doom’n’gloom–BUT in today’s reading, 5:2-5a, a ray of hope shoots forth. “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel….he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.” The inheritor of David’s majesty is to come from the smallest, the poorest, the most unlikely backwater–just as David himself was the youngest and perhaps the weakest of other candidates. The God who is to hallow a feed-trough for cattle will show up where least expected.
We’d have better chance of getting into the reading from Hebrews, 10:5-10, if we were more steeped in the tradition of sacrifice offerings. Yet the writer does indicate God’s pleasure in taking human form, that is, becoming very man of very man, in order to show that wonderful and eternal things are displayed even & especially in the hopes and fears of one who grows older and eventually dies. “And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ once for all.”
We preachers can be anarchists, delighting in that which is counter to the prevailing value system. So we smirk with Mary in the Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55–“…[God] has looked with favor on the lowliness of [God’s] servant….” God has scattered the proud, brought down the powerful, and sent away the sated, leaving their food for the poor. This must be threatening and embarrassing to the minions of Law & Order in all ages. Mary’s song exults that God has turned the world upside-down, and calls those still yearning for the dawn to expect even more than they dare!
Since I’m small of stature and poor of pocket-book, I’ve always been disregarded by society’s bigwigs. This weekend’s readings help me to find my voice, even as Holy Starburst puts a finer light on that morality which has been discarded as impractical. May the Child of Christmas be your day-star too.
God Bless Us, Every One Horace Brown King
My attempts to explore lectionary passages assigned to the upcoming weekend may be found each Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
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