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The following sermon is from the Sunday following
Christmas. It was in
"dialogue" form: with Dr. Katherine Kurs. What follows are "notes
from the dialogue." Holy Innocents Isaiah 63: 7-9; Matthew 2: 13-23 12-30-01 I always thought this day was an important one. It's a
reminder that Christmas is not just
about "glory to God in the highest", but about what Julie Polter calls
the "down and dirty" too… This Sunday we commemorate the slaughter of the
innocents, the children murdered by Herod after the birth of Jesus. For the
ancient church, they were the first martyrs, the first saints. But remember…
they didn't volunteer for anything, they were just born.
They had the bad luck to be born at a particular time. Secular histories
of the day don't even record this event. That doesn't mean it didn't happen,
only that it was just too common. That's the way it has been.
And always has been always will be. We know enough about this. All who died on 9-11 were
innocent. They too, didn't
volunteer, they just got up, got dressed and went to work, that's all. And
I know that it's not part of any master plan. Despite Matthew's skillful efforts
to create a literary scheme, having Jesus live out the whole history of Israel
in his life, thus like another Joseph he must go into Egypt, like Moses, cross
back out again. This murder of the
innocents is common, is archetypal. I know that on 9-11, God, like Rachel, wept
inconsolably, in shock, surprise and utter sadness. So this Christmas, we don't need a reminder.
This Christmas is like no other. Even Christmas Eve at my house, the
discussion turned to our lives, our understanding if the events political and
military since 9-11. It was not
even a typical debate. These issues force us to go to our deepest places, from
our innermost selves, to speak in the unique ways each of us has claimed to
organize our understanding of the world. Because
of the intensity of the feeling, it can make understanding more difficult.
And like parallel lives, we pass each other on different planes. Even
last night sharing dinner with friends another argument on how the war should be
developed, where it should go next. The discussion was edging towards debate,
arguing about where to go. Our Christmases in recent years have been
celebrations of excess. Now we can come closer to what those old, twelve day
long celebrations with roaring fires and boar's heads and song were all about.
Did you see the editorial in The Times? The one called "The Third Verse of It said, in part, "Christmas comes not to ratify wealth or measure
prosperity but to brighten the hungry darkness of winter, to offer warmth in the
dire cold, to signal spiritual and physical renewal, to forestall for a few days
and nights what the rest of the year cannot promise to forestall…But what this
Christmas should restore to us is the joy of paying close attention, paying heed
to each other." The good news is, as we are reminded by the prophet
Isaiah (63: 9) "It was no We have had important anniversaries of deaths to remember
this month: John Lennon, 12-9; Abraham Joshua Heschel, 12-23.
Today we remember Benedictine It is often said during Advent that Christians need to
seek ways to newly "birth" Christ in the world. Instead, Christians need to simply incarnate themselves, to
be utterly present in the world. Only
when we are able to remain awake to the real sufferings and joys of the world
can we hear God's call and act upon it." Sometimes when I reflect on the time before 9-11, I feel
like I've been half-asleep, kind of sleepwalking through life…maybe for years.
Then comes this great awareness. And
its still frustrating, irritating, when you feel the old ways of seeing, doing,
being; pulling you back again. So, let us give birth to ourselves.
Be awake, be alert, be present. If
we make one resolution, let it be to be fully alive and to know one another.
Amen |
Copyright © 2001 West Park Presbyterian Church
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