Jesus

Jesus, Enter this Dark World again

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Massacre of the Innocents, ​Giotto, via Wikimedia Commons
 
Dear Jesus,

It’s a good thing you were born at night. 
This world sure seems dark. 
I have a good eye for silver linings. 
But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. 
These children, Lord. 
Innocence violated. 
Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. 
Trigger-happy. Ticked off. 
We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. 
Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. 
But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. 
The shepherds were nightshift workers. 
The Wise Men followed a star. 
Your first cries were heard in the shadows. 
To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. 
It was dark. 
    Dark with Herod’s jealousy. 
    Dark with Roman oppression. 
    Dark with poverty. 
    Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. 
Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. 
You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. 
Won’t you enter ours? 
We are weary of bloodshed. 
We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. 
We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

Max Lucado, 1955-, Texas pastor and author, written after the Sandy Hook shootings, 2012
source: Christian Post
 
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Matthew 2:16-18

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious,
    and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
    who were two years old and under, 
    in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
 
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
  “A voice is heard in Ramah,
      weeping and great mourning,
  Rachel weeping for her children
      and refusing to be comforted,
      because they are no more.”
 
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Where is a dark place in your world where Jesus needs to enter anew?

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Defend the cradle of my mind

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
The Three Wise Men, by Henry Ossawa Tanner, via Wikimedia Commons
 
Come closer to me, closer still, O Power of the Holy Trinity.  
Enter into my consciousness more deeply 
    than thoughts and emblems of the world can.
In the same way as a wise mother, when she conceives,
    prepares and embellishes a cradle for her child,
    so prepare and embellish my mind for that which will be begotten from You,
    O Beauty and Purity.

Many evil thoughts lurk like serpents around the cradle of Your Son.
And many wicked desires emerge from my heart and seek the cradle of Your Prince,
    to poison Him with their arrows.

Defend the cradle of my mind,
    and teach my soul how to give birth and care for an infant.

Shroud in deep darkness 
    the journey of all malevolent visitors coming to see my newborn son.
And raise aloft a most radiant star 
    over the way of the Wise Men from the East,
    men who are truly wise, 
    because they are coming to visit my most precious child with three gifts—
    faith, hope, and love.

Come closer to me, still closer, my majestic Lord.

Nikolai Velimirovich 1881-1956 Serbian Orthodox monastic
Prayers by the Lake, source, edited
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Matthew 2:9-12

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, 
    and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them 
   until it stopped over the place where the child was. 
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, 
    and they bowed down and worshiped him. 
Then they opened their treasures 
    and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, 
    they returned to their country by another route.
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How is your mind vulnerable to harmful thought patterns?
How can reflecting on the personhood of Jesus help protect your thought life?

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Becoming Real Human Beings

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The Nativity, ​El Greco, via Wikimedia Commons
 
You became human, really human.
While we endeavor to grow out of our humanity,
    to leave our human nature behind us,
    You became human,
    and we must recognize that You want us also to be human –
    really human.
Whereas we distinguish between the godly and the godless,
    the good and the evil, the noble and the common,
    You love real human beings without distinction. . . .
    You take the side of real human beings and the real world
        against all their accusers. . . .
 
But it’s not enough to say that You take care of human beings.
This sentence rests on something
    infinitely deeper and more impenetrable,
    namely, that in the conception and birth of Jesus Christ,
    You took on humanity in bodily fashion.
You raised your love for human beings
    above every reproach of falsehood and doubt and uncertainty
    by yourself entering into the life of human beings as a human being,
    by bodily taking upon yourself
    and bearing the nature, essence, guilt, and suffering of human beings.
 
Out of love for human beings, You became a human being.
You do not seek out the most perfect human being
    in order to unite with that person.
Rather, You take on human nature as it is.
 
after Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906 – 1945 German Lutheran theologian and martyr

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John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
    and we have seen his glory,
    glory as of the only Son from the Father,
    full of grace and truth.
 
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How do you value your own humanity 
   in light of the reality that God chose to become a human being?

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Understanding the Mystery of your Incarnation

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Adoration of the Christ Child, School of Jan Joest, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
 
O Lord Jesus Christ,
   make me worthy to understand
   the profound mystery of your holy incarnation,
   which you have worked for our sake and for our salvation.
Truly there is nothing so great and wonderful as this,
   that you, my God, who are the creator of all things,
   should become a creature,
   so that we should become like God.
You have humbled yourself and made yourself small
   that we might be made mighty.
You have taken the form of a servant,
   so that you might confer upon us a royal and divine beauty.

You, who are beyond our understanding,
   have made yourself understandable to us in Jesus Christ.
You, who are the uncreated God,
   have made yourself a creature for us.
You, who are the untouchable One,
   have made yourself touchable to us.
You, who are most high,
   make us capable of understanding
   your amazing love
   and the wonderful things you have done for us.
Make us able to understand the mystery of your incarnation,
   the mystery of your life, example and doctrine,
   the mystery of your cross and Passion,
   the mystery of your resurrection and ascension.

Angela of Foligno 1248-1309 Italian Franciscan tertiary
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Hebrews 1:1-3

Long ago, at many times and in many ways,
    God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
    but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
    whom he appointed the heir of all things,
    through whom also he created the world.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,
    and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
After making purification for sins,
    he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
 
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How do you understand the incarnation of God’s son?

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The birth of our Savior

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Nativity with St Francis and St Lawrence, Caravaggio, via wikimedia commons
 
 
When waves of pain contort Mary’s body
her face is cramped and pale
Her eyes scuttle apart like crabs
The waves pull, recede again

and attack more violently
She clings to the wagon wheel,
grits her teeth, and her screams
terrify the beasts in the stable

Joseph, pacing nervously,
stumbles and falls
At last, seated, he strokes her back,
grasps her hand; his strength flows into her

Then a tremendous power moves within Mary
Like the sun emerging from a mountain ravine
the infant’s head appears slowly, deliberately
Joseph grips it in both hands

Now the baby’s cry flies out, rends the night
Joseph’s doubts dissolve
On the straw bed
Mary peacefully shuts her eyes

Yorifumi Yaguchi, 1932- , Japanese Mennonite poet and pastor
Readings from Mennonite Writings New & Old
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Galatians 4:4-5

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son,
    born of woman, born under the law,
    to redeem those who were under the law,
    so that we might receive adoption as sons.

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Imagine what the birth of Jesus was like for Mary and Joseph.
How can you give thanks to God for the humble, beautiful birth of Jesus?

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We welcome Your Arrival

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
The Birth of Christ, Albrecht Altdorfer c.1513, wikimedia commons
 
Night has fallen; the clear, bright stars are sparkling in the cold air; 
    noisy, strident voices rise to my ear from the city, 
    voices of the revelers of this world who celebrate with merrymaking 
        the poverty of their Savior. 
Around me in their rooms my companions are asleep, 
    and I am still wakeful, thinking of the mystery of Bethlehem.

Come, come, Jesus, I await you. . . .

I am a poor shepherd; 
I have only a wretched stable, a small manger, some wisps of straw. 
I offer all these to you, be pleased to come into my poor hovel. 
I offer you my heart; 
    my soul is poor and bare of virtues, 
    the straws of so many imperfections will prick you and make you weep
    –but oh, my Lord, what can you expect?
This little is all I have. . . . 
I have nothing better to offer you, Jesus, 
    honor my soul with your presence, adorn it with your graces. 
Burn this straw and change it into a soft couch for your most holy body.

Jesus, I am here waiting for your coming. 
Wicked men have driven you out, and the wind is like ice. 
I am a poor man, but I will warm you as well as I can. 
At least be pleased that I wish to welcome you warmly, 
    to love you and sacrifice myself for you.

Amen.

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli 1881–1963 also Pope John XXIII
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Luke 2:4-7

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, 
    to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
  because he was of the house and lineage of David, 
    to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 
And she gave birth to her firstborn son 
    and wrapped him in swaddling cloths 
    and laid him in a manger, 
  because there was no place for them in the inn.
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What is one sacrifice you can make to welcome Jesus anew this Christmas?

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We ask for Good Tidings

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Angels Announcing Christ’s Birth to the Shepherds, Govert Flinck, wikimedia commons
 
Dear God:
The newspaper brings nothing new
    only an old, old story of war—
    more bombing, more shooting, more bloodshed.
    One more family wailing a funeral song.
Against the backdrop of brutal images,
    we hear the old, old story of an angel with good news,
    who brought good tidings of great joy for all people.

Angel of Bethlehem, we long to hear your song again this day.
We want good tidings for countries in crisis.
We want good tidings for people who long to govern themselves.
We want good tidings for soldiers caught in webs of violence.
We want good tidings for all who grieve, and who see no end to grieving.
We want good tidings for terrorists whose actions spread fear and anguish.
We want good tidings for ordinary people who long to live in peace.
We want good tidings for children, who long to inherit a country
    where peace has blossomed.

Jesus, our Savior,
    you escaped Herod’s best-laid plans.
May your Spirit of peace be born again this year
    in the hearts of all who work for peace.  Amen.

Carol Penner, Canadian Mennonite pastor and professor
leadinginworship.com  source 
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Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.
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In what ways is the coming of Jesus the best news that the world needs to hear?
Who is one person that you can share this news with?

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Come, O true Light

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, via Flickr
 
Come, O true Light!
Come, O eternal life!
Come, O hidden mystery!
Come, O indescribable treasure!
Come, O powerful one,
    who always creates and re-creates and transforms
    by your will alone!

Come, you whom my wretched soul
     has desired and does desire!
Come, you who alone go to the lonely
    for as you see I am lonely!
Come, you who have separated me from everything
    and made me solitary in this world!
Come, you who have become yourself desire in me,
    who have made me desire you,
    the absolutely inaccessible one!

Yea, O Master, just as you remembered me,
    when I was in the world
    and, in the midst of my ignorance,
    you chose me and separated me from this world
    and set me before your glorious face,
so now keep me interiorly,
    by your dwelling within me,
    forever upright, resolute;
that by perpetually seeing you,
    I, the corpse, may live;
that by possessing you,
    I, the beggar, may always be rich,
    richer than kings;
that by eating you and by drinking you,
    by putting you on at each moment,
I go from delight to delight
    in inexpressible blessings.

Symeon the New Theologian 949–1022 Byzantine Orthodox monk
source
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John 1:9-10

The true light, which gives light to everyone,
    was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him,
    yet the world did not know him.
 
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When have you experienced the presence and love of God most powerfully?
Remember some of those times in prayer and praise.
 

God, we greet your coming in Jesus Christ

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Altarpiece of the Seven Joys of Mary, c 1480 France, via Wikimedia Commons
 
We greet your coming, God, with wonder:
You come to be with us;
    yet you remain far greater than we can imagine.
You are near;
    yet your wisdom sets you apart from us.
You appear among us;
    yet we cannot describe your glory.

We greet your coming, God, with repentance:
We are more or less satisfied with ourselves;
    but your presence exposes our sin and failure.
We are self-confident;
    but you challenge our confidence in ourselves.
We are proud of our understanding;
    but you show us that we do not know everything.

We greet your coming, God, with joy:
We had no true idea of what you are like;
    but you have shown us yourself in Jesus Christ.
We felt our human life could be of no importance to you;
    but you have shown its value by appearing among us as a man.
We are aware of the gulf between us and you;
    but you have bridged it with love.

God, we greet your coming in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Caryl Micklem 1925 – 2003 English Reformed minister
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Psalm 77:11-14

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders
    you have made known your might among the peoples.
 
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How can you greet the coming of Jesus with wonder, repentance, and joy?

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Glide down into my longing soul

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
​Simeon in the Temple, Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, wikimedia commons
 
O sweet and true Joy,
O sweet and true Joy,
I pray Thee come!
Come O sweet and most desired!
I pray Thee come!
Come O sweet and most desired!
Come my Love, that art all my comfort!
Glide down into a soul longing for Thee
                                             and after Thee with sweet heat.
Kindle with Thy Heat the wholeness of my heart.
With Thy Light enlighten my inmost parts.
Feed me with honeyed songs of love,
    as far I may receive them
    by my powers of body and soul.

Richard Rolle 1290–1349 English writer, Bible translator and hermit
The Encyclopedia of Prayer and Praise
 
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Isaiah 61:10

I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
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What are some ways you can express joy praising God 
    as you anticipate the coming of Christ?

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