Embrace Each Day

Luke 13:31-35

One of the, if not the bloodiest battle in World War II was the landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Tens of thousands lost their lives as they landed on the beach in an attempt to open a line of attack in The German forces. Soldiers were gunned down as the doors of their amphibious landers opened. Bodies dropped by the dozens into shore-waters already stained with blood.

Just as much as these soldiers, most of who were young men, were willing to give their lives to fulfill their duties, they were also scared, frightened to the point where they found it impossible to move.

Brig. Gen. Norman Cota was most likely the oldest soldier to set foot on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He was highly decorated, remembered for his leadership, his courage, his ability to visualize a battle and his preparation of his men. He is best remembered, though, as the D-Day hero who personally led traumatized soldiers through a gap off of bloody Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.

Before landing on Omaha Beach, Cota had warned his men of the terrible confusion they’d encounter that day, and he was right. Troops landed in the wrong places and the German defenses were stronger than anticipated. The Allies couldn’t get a foothold on the beach under intense enemy fire and around obstacles and mines.

About one hour after the invasion started, Norman Cota rode a landing craft into a crossfire of bullets, artillery and mortar. As the story is told, he strode upright across the beach toward a group of soldiers pinned down by enemy fire next to a sand dune. It was then that he may have uttered his most famous words: “Gentlemen, we are being killed on the beaches. Let us go inland and be killed.”

As he walked the shores of the beach, he came across a unit of men representing the 5th Ranger Battalion. He asked their commander, “What outfit is this?” When told, he replied, “Well, damn it then, Rangers, lead the way!

"Rangers lead the way!" is now that elite unit's official motto.

The Germans had put up wire fences to obstruct the Allies' path off the beach. A soldier placed a Bangalore torpedo – a tube filled with high explosives – under one fence and blew it away. The first soldier through the breach was killed by sniper fire. The men following him froze. Cota saw what was happening and raced into the breach. He led the surviving soldiers through the gap in the fence and up a steep bluff to overtake a German gun embankment.

None of this is to say Brig. Gen. Norman Cota was without fear. I’m sure he feared for his life. What Gen. Cota did was be an example of what is needed to begin saving the lives of those he was put in charge of.

Brig. Gen. Norman Cota put duty and what he understood as his calling before himself.

A lesson we also learn from Jesus Christ in today’s story from Luke.

Lent offers us the opportunities to take a look at the stories of Jesus’ journey towards the cross and reflect where we are on our own journey. Lent also offers the opportunities to take an honest look at our relationships and see if there is anywhere among them we need to focus on in order to find reconciliation. What are introduced to in today’s scripture is a view into Jesus’ heart and mind as he does the same.

Jesus is on his journey towards Jerusalem, a place he absolutely knows will bring him death. As he gets closer, walking through the small villages which surround the great city, he is approached by a small group of Pharisees. This would be a surprise to the first readers and listeners of Luke’s Gospel as there seems to always be a wall of dissension between the priests and Jesus. Perhaps this is Luke’s way of introducing the idea that not all people are followers of a single mind and that these particular Pharisees have discovered a better way to live their lives.

Maybe the life of Jesus now matters to these Pharisees.

To get back to our story, Jesus tells the Pharisees to go and tell that “fox” to mind his own business. My guess is that being called a sneaky, elusive four-legged animal was just as bad a name they had for others when Luke was written. Like being a “brood of vipers.”

He tells those Pharisees to report what they see; that Jesus is “throwing out demons and healing people.” Not only is he doing these things, but he will be doing them today and tomorrow. Jesus doesn’t plan to stop doing what he sees as his duty. Jesus doesn’t plan to stop doing what he sees as his calling and purpose for being a presence in the lives of those around him.

Then, Jesus gets prophetic. “On the third day I will complete my work.”

Luke gives us two insights in this passage. First, the idea that because of the life-work of Jesus, people’s minds and hearts can be changed. Second, the idea that at some point Jesus’ work on this earth will be completed. In fact, it’s on the 3rd day, the day we now associate with Jesus’ resurrection, that his work will be completed.

As previously mentioned, Lent is a time to reflect on the journey of Jesus to the cross, and just where our same journey might be laid. This week we are being asked to answer one question: When will we be able to say that our work will be completed.

You might be asking yourself, “Just what is my work?”

There is an answer given to us in the Gospels, writings of Paul, and other epistles of the New Testament. Over and over we are told our job is to make better the Reign of God.

Matthew 6:33 says, “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Acts 28:30-31 says of Paul, “He lived there for two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” Luke 17:20-21 tells this short story: Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.’ The prayer we recite or sing every week has us asking that when the kingdom of God comes, God’s will should be done here on earth as it is in heaven.

Just what, then is the kingdom of God?

Author and theologian Frederick Buechner tells us “If we only had eyes to see and ears to hear and wits to understand, we would know that the Kingdom of God in the sense of holiness, goodness, and beauty is as close as breathing and is crying out to be born both within ourselves and within the world; we would know that the Kingdom of God is what we, all of us, hunger for above all other things, even when we don’t know its name or realize that it’s what we’re starving to death for. The Kingdom of God is where our best dreams come from and our truest prayers are answered. We glimpse it at those moments when we find ourselves being better than we are and wiser than we know. We catch sight of it when at some moment of crisis, a strength seems to come to us that is greater than our own strength. The Kingdom of God is where we belong. It is home, and whether we realize it or not, I think we are, all of us, homesick for it.”

The kingdom of God is as close as breathing and is crying out to be born within ourselves and within the world. The kingdom of God is home, and we are all homesick. The kingdom of God is all of us and each of us. The kingdom of God is the fulfillment of making this world a better place for us and for those around us.

How we do this is up to each of us, and is according to the gifts we have been given by God to accomplish God’s goal. How do we find and develop these gifts? That’s what Lent, and the time beyond Lent, is for.

Some of us will recognize we like to cook and decide to make and serve meals for places like Next Step Shelter or River of Life. Some of us will find we have a lot of time on our hands and might look for places to volunteer to help, such as with places like Easter Seals or Ewa Elementary School. Maybe some of us like to make phone calls and visit others and can find time to be with church members who have a difficult time coming to church. Maybe you just like to do labor and can show up at the church to mow lawns or move pews or polish wood.

The gifts we possess vary as much as we are different people. The one thing we should try to understand in this time of reflection is how to best discover and use the gifts we have to make the kingdom of God a better place, so that when we or those around us finally breathe in the presence of God, the kingdom we all live in, is what God had intended for us since the day of creation.

Will it be easy? No. Will we find what we are seeking in the next few weeks? Probably not. But, that doesn’t mean we stop trying. It might be a lifetime before some or most of us get to that place where we belong. Remember, though, that we never travel alone. God is always in our presence, Jesus is always by our side, we have friends and family who are as close as we let them be, and just as important, you have you.

At midnight every September 11, Elsie Clark hangs a banner on the fence alongside the front yard – memorial of her house to the 39-year-old son who perished at the World Trade Center. The banner reads: “In Loving Memory Benjamin Keefe Clark 9/11/01”

Her son was not a firefighter or a police officer. Benjamin Clark was a chef.

A morning that began with him preparing meals for the people at the Fiduciary Trust Company suddenly led to him becoming as brave as any first-responder. A Fiduciary official would later credit Clark with saving hundreds of lives as he made sure that everyone in his department along with everybody else in the company’s 96th floor offices in the South Tower was safely exiting the building.

He then paused on the 78th floor to assist a woman in a wheelchair, which led him to helping others out of the building, Benjamin Clark never made it out of the building that day. His mother reflects, “He could have gotten out, everybody else did.”

His mother credits some of his courage to him having been a Marine for eight years.  “My son was a Marine, so you know he wasn’t going to leave anybody behind,” she says, “He was always there to help.”

Upon seeing others suddenly in the most mortal danger, his everyday decency had become uncommon courage. A chef known for his fabulous meatloaf and for remembering everybody’s name and favorite meals had proven as courageous as if he was a veteran of the New York Fire Department.

“There were a lot of heroes that day,” Elsie Clark reminds us, “and many seemingly ordinary civilians who would demonstrate astonishing bravery at other times and places such as the Aurora movie theater shootings and the Sandy Hook school massacre and the Oklahoma tornado and just about any other place where horror suddenly struck.”

Again and again, people threw themselves upon others in an effort to shield them. We have seen it so often that it seems to be at the core of what it means to be a true American. What we rightly admire in people who serve in our military, firefighters, police officers, and others who race into harm’s way also rest in each one of us and lay in wait for that moment when we, too, will be the one who are willing to give our life to save the lives of others. Who knows, maybe the reflex to hold a door for the next person coming out of a store or offer an elderly person a seat on the bus can, in other circumstances, propel you to react in such a way as to put other’s lives before your own.

The journey to the cross is not an easy one. Yet, it’s a journey we all take. God gives us gifts according to our abilities and it’s up to us to develop those gifts to help others on their daily journey to the cross. Each day we move a step or two closer, and each day comes with its own revelations into just where we are on our individual journeys.

God is always with us. Amen.

On One Condition

Luke 4:1-13

Hello to all of those who share your love on this Valentine’s Day, which by my count is all of you. I’ve never been one to think that Valentine’s Day belongs to only those in or seeking a committed relationship, rather the day belongs to everyone who wanted to say or do something special for someone they care about. Cards, candy, flowers, and trinkets all in some way can be shared between any individuals who wish to do so. Don’t you think?

Of course, in my years working with teenagers and young families, I can say there have been many Valentine’s Days that have come and gone with at least one heart being broken. I remember one such time; a day when a young woman was devastated because she felt betrayed by the one she loved.

It was after school and I was sitting alone in the classroom, correcting papers or reading student’s papers. The building was quiet, which I guess should be expected on Valentine’s Day in a high school. Of course not everyone was with a Valentine, but for the most part all of the couples had left campus.

The silence was broken by the sound of heavy feet in heels, and from the sound, I had guessed those feet were moving fast. Before I knew it, one of the female students had rushed into the classroom; her face red, her eyes angry. She didn’t notice me at first as she walked by, swearing obscenities as she did. Through her words, the ones that were not riddled with vulgarity, I could make out she maybe she was mad at her boyfriend for not doing something or getting her something for Valentine’s Day. I was so far from the truth.

I could imagine her anger. Earlier in the day she was decorating a homemade card with hearts and kisses, she was writing “I Love You” on red and white balloons, she was even showing everyone the pink cookies with red and white sprinkles she had baked for him. I’m sure that if she went through all that trouble she was expecting at least something small in exchange.

I called out to her to see if she was okay, which startled her. She called back, “Oh, Mr. Randy. I didn’t know you were here." She walked over, sat down, and began to tell me what happened. Now, the story I’m about to tell you may bother some of you, it sure bothered me that day and for a while afterwards. But, we have to trust that in the end everything turned out as it should have.

She told me how her and her boyfriend decided to meet afterschool at his house to exchange Valentine’s Day gifts and how she was looking forward to it all day long. Their plan was to not see each other all day so when they exchanged gifts it would be a surprise. I told her I saw the card and balloons and her cookies and asked her if that was what she was going to give him. She said that was only a part of it and that she had bought him a hat he had really wanted for a few weeks.

Just as planned, they met at his house after school. His parents were not home so they were alone. He put on some music and they danced.  As she told the story, her voice began to quiver as she held back a big cry. After they danced and talked for a while, telling each other how much they loved one another, the time had come to share gifts.

She rushed out to her car to get his gifts, and when she went back into the house he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She called out for him and he called back, his voice coming from his bedroom. She walked in, her cookies and flowers and ribbon-wrapped box in hand. The room was dark, and when her eyes adjusted she had seen that he was sitting on the bed in only his underwear.

I remember when she first starting going out with this guy. She had made it clear that she had never been nor did she want to be in a sexual relationship, and he said he was alright with that. So, when she saw him sitting there, in the dark and all but naked, she didn’t know what to think.

She gave him the balloons and the card, then handed him the box and told him to open it. He did, and smiled and kissed her to say thank you. He held on to her hands and told her what his gift was: he wanted to offer himself completely to her as a sign of commitment he would be with her forever.

I’ll never forget that look of deep pain in her eyes, that look of betrayal from the one she thought loved her as she was and without any conditions. All she could muster to say next was she turned around and ran out of that house. She began to cry that cry I know all too well – the cry that says my heart is torn into pieces and there’s nothing that can fix it.

After a few moments she settled down and continued in a voice that was both angry and sad. She said to me, “You know what he actually said to me to try and make me get into bed with him?” I shook my head. “He said that if I really loved him I would let him give me his gift. He actually said if I loved him I would let him.”

This time she broke down and stayed broken for a good 15 or 20 minutes.

Time moved forward for her. She had good friends who protected her and kept her company; friends who really did love her unconditionally. Through their strength she found herself again, and before too long she was able to laugh and enjoy life the way she had always done before. After a while I told her how proud I was of her to be able to move on and she told me that it wasn’t easy, but she remembered how I always talk about unconditional love, and that helped her get through some of her days.

Conditional love – the belief that if someone is to be loved they must act or say things in a particular way. It’s the understanding that if someone’s love is to be returned, they must first do something for you.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. More than being tempted, however, is that when Jesus was at his weakest – hungry and exhausted – the devil tries to lure him into a relationship based on conditions.

If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread. If you will worship me I will give you all the kingdoms of the world. If you are the Son of God throw yourself down and make God prove God loves you. If you do the things I am asking you, you will know who really loves you, because love has conditions.

If you deny who you really are as a person, if you follow the exact same kind of thinking I do, if you close your eyes to society’s problems, if you only associate with people like us, if you change to become the person I want you to be, if you can give to me more than I can give to you, then I will love you because love has conditions.

My friends, love has no conditions. Especially where Jesus Christ is concerned.

We are currently in the beginnings of our yearly Lenten journey. Lent is that time we take a look at where our relationships are. Today’s question, therefore, is: Are we putting conditions on those relationships we seek to reconcile?

Are we saying to those in our lives – siblings, parents, colleagues, strangers – that we want to love them, but first we need to know if they think and act like us? Are we saying to ourselves we want to love who we are, but first there are some things we need to change? Are we saying to God that we want to love God, but first we need to find the time, or the right way, or know what we’ll get in return?

Love has no conditions.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in- law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table, but the elderly grandfather’ s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he tried to grip the glass of milk it spilled onto the tablecloth.

The old man’s son and daughter-in- law started to become irritated with the mess. “We must do something about dad,” said his son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.” So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. It was here the old man ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner together as one. Since the old man had broken a dish or two as well, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather’ s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. Their four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father and his wife noticed their son playing with small wooden sticks on the floor. The dad asked the child, “What are you making?” The boy paused and simply responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words left the parents speechless as tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather’ s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Love has no conditions.

God is with us always.  Amen

On The Other Side

Luke 9:28-43a

One of my favorite commercials is the one with two neighbors, one cleaning his lawn mower and the other looking over a short hedge at that neighbor’s lawn. He says something like, “I wish my lawn looked as good as that.” To which the reply is, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the.” And as he realizes what he’s saying he stops and says, “Oops, sorry.”

His neighbor simply bows his head and walks away, perhaps in the realization that things just might be better on the other side. Really, though, haven’t most of us thought the same thing at least once in our lives. We take a look at our situations and see others who are doing better than us and wonder if we’ve made the right choices, with our next thoughts sometimes being, “I’m going to be more like others so I can have as good a life as them.”

The truth is, and I speak from experience here, the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence. What I learned is that the grass is as green as you make it on your side of the fence.

I’m not sure if I’ve shared that I used to sell cars. My first job in the automotive business was that of a used car salesman and I’m not sure if I should admit this, but I did pretty good. I remember that first month in car sales. I was closing 2 or 3 deals a week, out-performing all but one other sales person. I worked smart, learning everything I possibly could about the business. I learned exactly what it takes to make “the deal” and vowed to be the best salesperson at our little used car lot the following month.

The following month came and I literally sold absolutely no cars for 4 weeks straight. Nothing. Nada. ‘Ole.

I should mention here that in the automotive sales business we were paid by commission. 100% commission. No car sales meant no paycheck. It also meant the threat of losing my job because the company still had to pay my medical benefits and payroll taxes. I was a liability to the company and even worse I was a liability to my livelihood.

Let me back up a little. Before beginning a career in the automotive business I was in the restaurant business. I began working at the age of 16 as a dishwasher/bus boy/janitor and worked my way through the ranks until I found myself in management around the age of 23 or 24.  I stayed in the restaurant business for close to 14 years, and one day I simply said, “There has to be something better than this.”

A restaurant manager will work at least 60 hours a week, with no less than 6 days dedicated to the job. I found myself with no time for anything, or anyone, else. In retrospect, the problems of my first marriage had a lot to do with my never being home. It wasn’t the only factor, but it played a large roll.

One day I was looking through the newspaper, not really looking for another job, and saw an ad for an automotive salesperson. “Good money”, it said. “Lots of free time”, it said. “No experience necessary”, it said. That ad wasn’t the deciding factor for me to get into the car business, but after a period in my life where my life choices were making life a lot more difficult than it needed to be, automotive sales seemed a lot better than staying in the one business I knew better than anything.

I hopped the fence, looking for greener pastures.

Moving forward, to my 4 weeks without a sale. I was called into the sales manager’s office where he told me what I was expecting to hear; I had to start performing or I would lose my job. I told him I understood and went outside to the car lot, found a nice quiet place between a couple of cars, and contemplated my next move.

A voice called out, “hey.” It was that salesperson who I had vowed to be better than, and he came and sat next to me. “Get fired yet?” he asked me. “No, not yet, but soon.” I replied.

He then told me something I took with me through the rest of my automotive career, and through the rest of my journey in life. He said, “I’ve seen it happen to the best of us, heck, it even happened to me. We recognize our talent, we know we’re good at what we do, and we bask in that knowledge for too long. We think that because we were the best at what we do we can’t possibly ever lose. Then we lose and we have to figure out what to do next.”

He continued, “My advice to you is this: quit before they fire you because you don’t have what it takes to use your knowledge and talents to better the lives of those around you. You, my friend, want to rest in your greatness and simply be the best.”

He walked away, and I was mad at him for suggesting I quit because I didn’t have what it took. Then I thought about all of his words, and you know, he was right. When I first started selling cars I wanted to help people. I wanted to help them find a reliable car that fit into their budget. I had no other motive. It wasn’t until I started to be a “winner” that it became more about me and less about them.

I picked myself up from my place of solitude, or should I say solo-tude, and sat by my new friend’s side and told him I wasn’t going to quit. He looked at me and smiled and said, “Good, and just in time, go help that couple who just walked on the lot.”

I did just that. I put no thought about what I was going to make in this deal and only thought about what I could do to best assist this couple in finding a car. I made the sale that night, but more than that I realized that the grass really is only as green as you make it.

It wasn’t easy hearing the truth that I was stuck in my own glory. Most people really don’t like to hear that they only care about one thing, especially when that one thing comes at the expense of doing good for others. Today’s story is a reminder of just that, of getting stuck in the wonder of God’s light that we forget to share that light with others.

The story of the Transfiguration is one of my favorite stories in the bible. I really get caught up in the imagery of it all. Clothes flashing as white as lightning, a descending cloud with the voice of God coming from it, the appearance of Moses and Elijah, and even the sleepy disciples really bring to life how Jesus was filled with the light of God and became spiritually changed on that mountaintop.

During the years I’ve also noted how Peter was all but admonished for making an incoherent request to make a dwelling place for the three men, reminding us that nothing can hold the power of God’s light. What I’ve not seen as much as I’ve seen it this time around is what happens when the disciples and Jesus get down from the mountain; when they get to the other side.

I believe that Peter’s intentions were good, that he saw an opportunity for them to dwell in the greenest grass possible, but neither Jesus nor God nor the other two men would have anything to do with those plans. Instead, Jesus takes them all down the mountain and, in response to a request from the crowd, removes an evil spirit from someone’s son.

Jesus shows us all that we cannot do God’s work by staying on the mountaintop to bask in God’s light, instead we must go among the people to find ways to share that light with those who most need it – the angry, the downtrodden, the sick, the abused, the lonely.

This coming Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. Lent is when we take the opportunity to honestly look at our relationships. How are we in our relationship with each other? Do we do our best to bring others into the light of Christ? How about our relationship with ourselves? Can we take an honest look at the person we really are and say we’re ok with whoever that person might be?

What about our relationship with Jesus Christ? Are we doing everything we can to continue to grow into his message of unconditional love and acceptance? Are we doing everything we can to follow his commandment to love God with everything we are, to love our neighbor, and to love ourselves?

We have a lot to think about going into Lent, but mostly we should be thinking about how we can best accept, grow, and share the light, the life-force of God, into our lives and out to the lives of those around us.

According to the Christian calendar, today is the last Sunday in the Epiphany, the time when God’s light is revealed to us. I find it fitting that the story of Jesus’ transfiguration, of his change into a more spiritual presence, comes just before Lent. The story helps us to see God’s light come to completeness in Jesus while at the same time look beyond that, to the other side of this moment, and into what we are being asked to do.

No two of our journeys will be the same. Maybe some of us need to work on our relationship with our self, while others might need to work on our relationships with others. Either way, we all need to see how we can make better our relationship with, and through, Jesus Christ.

Often during Lent I am asked, “What will you be giving up?” This year, instead of thinking of it in those terms, I’m going to think, “What do I want to improve?” I may fine tune my diet or start walking to improve my health. I may make more phone calls to friends and family and church members to improve relationships with others. I might even take on the task of reading the Book of Acts once again to improve my knowledge of the struggles of the early church.

Whatever I decide to do I do know one thing: I won’t be doing any of those things for myself. I’ll be sure to plant some good grass, water it often, make sure it gets a lot of light, and when I have a nice, soft turf I’ll invite everyone to come and share it with me.

God is with us always.  Amen.

We Are God’s Beloved

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

The lectionary is a very good tool to use for planning worship services. The way it follows the church calendar and offers passages from the bible for the message-giver to open their minds and heart as to what is the massage for that particular week can honestly be both challenging and rewarding – to me at least.

It’s not just what’s in the lectionary passage for the week that can be challenging, but also what is left out of the lectionary choice. Today’s selection is a prime example of how this can be.

Because the verses I want to talk about are not printed in today’s bulletin, I need to ask you to grab a bible from the pews and open it to the Gospel according to Luke. Once you’ve found Luke, turn to chapter 3, and we’ll be reading from verse 15.

Verses 15-17 reads as follows: “As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’”

I believe we talked about this passage during Advent, and how it follows John the Baptizer’s answer to the question about what more those who are gathered need to do besides be baptized in water and proclaim themselves the rightful heirs to Abraham’s promises. In case we forgot; the answer was to share whatever we can with those in need as well as not accumulate or take more than what is needed through deceitful practices and to be happy with what we have.

We also talked about the literary funnel-like construction of these passages and how Luke begins talking about the ancestors, moves into the nation of Israel, then to the crowds gathered where he focuses on a few. He then talks about a more intimate baptism by someone who will come into our very being and clear out the chaff, or the junk we store within us, getting rid of it forever. This action by the one who is coming will leave only the good wheat, cleaning our souls, hearts, minds, and lives.

This is where we pick up the passage, reading what the lectionary has left out. Let’s continue from verse 18: “So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.”

Why is reading these particular passages important to today’s message? Let’s take a closer look to see if we can answer that.

The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and John clearly state that it’s John the Baptizer who baptizes Jesus. Each one of those Gospels have very similar proclamations by John, and each of those Gospels has either a telling of the event which happened after Jesus was baptized or John himself speaking as an eyewitness to that account. Either way it is clear that Jesus is baptized by John in the river, and as he comes out of the water the skies open and a Spirit descends like a dove upon Jesus and a voice from the Heavens proclaims Jesus as God’s beloved.

Not so in the Gospel according to Luke. Let’s read those verses again, focusing on verses 19 and 20: “But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him (John) because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.”

I like the Common English Translation which says, “But Herod the ruler had been criticized harshly by John because of Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife, and because of all the evil he had done. He added this to the list of his evil deeds: he locked John up in prison.” Herod locked up John in prison. John the Baptizer is in prison, and Jesus has not yet been baptized.

Who, then, did baptize Jesus?

Let’s turn to the first part of verse 21: “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized.” Or as the Common English Translation reads: “When everyone was being baptized, Jesus also was baptized.”

It’s in the following realization that everything I thought I knew was challenged: We aren’t told who baptizes Jesus; we are only told that Jesus was baptized with others. Jesus was part of the crowd, Jesus was one of those gathered, Jesus was just one of the guys. He joined in with everyone else and was baptized as part of the gathered folk. No proclamation at his baptism, no opening of the heavens or voices from above as he comes out of the water; Jesus’ baptism is ordinary.

What happens next, however, is what the message of Luke’s Gospel, as well as the message of his follow up book which records the Acts of the Apostles as the Christian church is born and expanded. Please read with me the 2nd part of verse 21 and verse 22: “Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” Reading that again from the Common English Translation, “While he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. And there was a voice from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.’”

If you remember the literary construction of the passages we spoke of earlier, you will remember that John speaks of an intimate cleansing of our selves when we are baptized by the one who is coming after him. That person, the one whom Luke is foreshadowing in his Gospel, is the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who will come into us, empty us of all the bad stuff, and leave only the good stuff.

We see here in the intimate setting of prayer what is the message of baptism in Luke’s Gospel. We are baptized as common individuals within a part of a group of people, entering into the church community of fellow followers of Christ. We make an outward gesture with the words we say and the covenants we promise, to do the best we can to be faithful to the church of Jesus Christ and to grow in our faith as best we can. It’s when the Holy Spirit fills us, though, that we hear the voice of God proclaim us as his beloved; as the one who God dearly loves.

I’m not sure if I shared this story with you, a story of when I was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit as I struggled with one of my core beliefs of Christianity. I do know I have said that seminary had a way of shaking my faith, but when that faith was restored, nothing can ever shake it again.

The issue was the virgin birth. There is so much comparison in seminary made to the language of the 1st Century listeners of the Gospel, that the point is made strongly that the stories which tell of the virgin birth of Jesus is similar to the stories told of the virgin birth of all great leaders who are thought to be a direct descendant of a god; especially Caesar. The arguments which were made about these similarities, and the possibility that Jesus’ virgin-birth narratives might just be a way to put the focus on Jesus as the Son of God, not Caesar, made me think, really think about where my faith was.

I had come to terms with all the other core parts of my faith. I know that Jesus is part of a trinity which includes the Spirit as well as God, I know that Jesus performed miracles, I know that Jesus was put to death on the cross and was resurrected on the 3rd day after that death. But, the virgin birth was one core part of my faith I was having a difficult time with.

One day, as I was driving to a meeting about my ordination process, my dilemma began to surface. For the most part whenever I began to struggle with the birth story of Jesus, I was able to distract myself and move on. Not this time; nothing was going to make this difficult struggle go away.

I want to clarify something before I go on. Seminary did not, nor does it in any way teach that the virgin story is not real. Seminary didn’t, and doesn’t, tell people how or what to think or feel, or accept as truth. What seminary did was open my mind and heart to other possibilities which may or may not explain some of the stories in the bible. The “truth”, if we want to call it that, is what my mind, heart, soul, and body came to accept without falter.

To continue my story, there I was, driving on the H-1 through Kalihi, when I just couldn’t take the struggle any more. I was literally obsessed with one single decision: was or was not Jesus born to a virgin mother.

It was just before the breaking point, just before pure frustration took over, that I stopped and prayed. No, not stopped my car on the freeway, but stopped my obsessive behavior. I asked God for guidance, I asked God to take from me the pain I was going through.

That’s when I suddenly felt a presence unlike any I’ve felt before, and heard a voice which said to me, “Randy, does it really matter what others say or think? Search your heart for the truth.”

In that moment I proclaimed, maybe out loud, that the birth of our Christ Jesus was from a virgin. It was in that moment I understood that my faith comes from God’s presence and is given to me through the Holy Spirit. Who God is became clear to me; one who accepts me for who I am and never faults me from swaying in my faith.

I cried deeply in that moment, so much so that I literally had to pull to the side of the freeway. However, while my vision was blurred by tears, I can honestly say that the leaves on the trees seemed greener, the sky above me was bluer, and the presence which filled me could not be contained.

God was revealed to me that day.

It’s in this time of the Epiphany we are asked to look for the different ways God is revealed to us. Maybe it was as you sat on the beach and watched the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen. Maybe it was in the eyes of a newborn grandchild. Maybe God’s revelation is still coming, and you know what, that’s okay. God will reveal God’s self in God’s time, when the moment is right for us.

For Jesus, the revelation came in a time of intimacy as he spoke with God after he was baptized.

With your permission I would like to ask you, if you wish, to come forward one by one to celebrate Jesus’ baptism. This is not a formal act of baptism by you, nor am I asking if you want to be baptized. I only want you to come forward and dip your finger in the bowl of water I will be holding, and as you do so say out loud these words, “I am loved by God.”

We are asked to allow the Spirit to come into us and to share in the journey of the Christian Church. We do this by being in the presence of God with Jesus Christ at our side.

God is with us always.  Amen.

Hiding In The Light

John 1:9-18

To fully understand the Gospel of John’s prologue, in fact its overall message, we must first come to appreciate the 1st Century Israelite’s understanding of what light represents. As our personal theologies have grown to where they are through the doctrines and interpretations of theologians throughout the millennia, the root of who Jesus was for those 1st century Christians ran deeply through Judaism and could not yet be separated from those beliefs.

The language we use today to represent the different things Jesus represents to us – justice, salvation, self-sacrifice, peace – was forged by great Christian thinkers such as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Boesak, and Wright. However, the Christians of the 1st Century, when the way of Jesus Christ was in its infant stages, had people whose thoughts and writings were still grounded in Judaism as they tried to clear a new path for the followers of Christ to follow. The words they relied on were law, grace, and truth.

While we have great symbols of our faith which provoke images of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – the manger, a star, the cross, an empty tomb – the people in the 1st century relied on images such as water, darkness, and light. John’s Gospel makes the best use of that last image, that of light,

Genesis 1 gives us these words, “When God began to create the heavens and the earth— the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters— God said, “Let there be light.” And so light appeared. God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light Day and the darkness Night.” Yet, when we take a closer look at this we note that day and night, light and darkness, were created before the sun and moon and stars. In fact, it took God another 3 days to create that which would mark the day and night.

What, then, is light?

God is represented by a column of fire, a source of light to ancient Hebrews, as they walk through the desert. God is revealed as light to Moses on the mountaintop. The burning of lamps for many of the established festivals of their day is of great importance as well; so much so that there is actually a Jewish code of law which states that the purchasing of oil for the lamps of the Sabbath and other festivals take precedence over the purchase of food.

In the New Testament we are reminded not to hide our lamp under a jar or bed. We are told the story of the bridesmaids of which half had oil for their lamps and half did not, therefore keeping them from entering the banquet. When Jesus is baptized there’s a great light which comes down from the heavens that shines on him. With these examples, and more, we can see the importance of how the word “light” as well as all the symbolism which portrays light is within the stories of the Bible.

The Gospel of John is no different in its use of the language of light. However, its understanding of what the light is differs from that which we may be accustomed to. Today we understand biblical light to be something that shines on our path and shows us the way into God’s never-ending love. We see the light as something which enters us and can be shared with others along our paths. John’s Gospel’s use of light is much, much more than that.

The Old Testament professor at Vancouver School of Theology, the seminary which I attended, is Patricia Dutcher-Walls, a world-renown Old Testament Scholar. During one of our sessions with her the question was asked, “How is it that light and darkness was created before sun, moon, and stars?”

In true Patricia Dutcher-Walls form she answered with a question. “What is necessary before sun and moon can be created?” The room was silent. After a minute or so she asked, “For that matter, what is needed before anything could have been created by God?”

The more seasoned students answered, “The Spirit of God.” “God’s breath.”

“Good, good,” she said in only the way Professor Dutcher-Walls could, “And what exactly did that breath of God do?”

Almost immediately the light went on in the room. Before we could say anything, though, our esteemed professor said, “In biblical Hebrew, light represents understanding, truth, justice, peace, and even life itself and the revelation of these things is expressed in terms of the revelation of light. The creation of light at the beginning of creation is the creation of the life-force and wisdom of all things.”

She continued, “The Hebrews believed that “the light” is what runs through every living thing. It is what connects us and unifies us under the one God. It is understood that when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden that the light was shattered, therefore separating humanity from the rest of creation and God. It is the basis of Jewish theology to reunite the light in order for all of creation to be as God had intended from the very beginning.”

I thought about those words a lot and let them sink into my being. Light is the life-force of all living things as well as the understanding of how that life-force unites all living things. Then, when I began my course on the Gospel of John and re-read this prologue for the first time with a new understanding of how the 1st Century Hebrew people understood the concept of light, I developed a deeper understanding of who Jesus Christ was to the first followers of Christ.

John’s Gospel also does something very interesting with the concept of light. Not only is the light which comes into the world the life-force and understanding of how all of creation was meant to live in unity, it is also the light which brings into focus all things. John’s Gospel not only includes the Hebrew concept of light, but also the Greek way of thinking that the word light represents the ordered entirety of the universe.

John’s Gospel blends the symbolism of Jewish light with the word “light” from the Greek world in which the author lived to give us the one thing which the Light of the world is: all of life in its entirety.

One of the questions asked in our course on John’s Gospel was, “What can you see when the lights are turned on?” Everything seemed to be the unanimous answer. So the follow-up question helped put the professor’s point more into focus. “So, what you’re saying is that when you turn on your kitchen lights you can see what is in your cupboards and in your refrigerator?”

The point he was trying to make was that when the light is turned on we can see everything that is exposed by that light. In order for something to be seen it has to be exposed to the light, which in turn exposes whatever stands in it for that which it is truly. In the Gospel of John, light is a symbol of many things, including the life force of all things, but mostly the light is there to be a light.

However, light is not used often in the Gospel, the actual word only being written about 16 times. So, while the concept, symbols, and word for life is important, that importance is made even more so by the limited use of the word. In fact, the use of the word “light” is limited to only 2 people; the narrator and Jesus.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is called the light of the world, Jesus himself calls him the light of the world. The light shines but people hide from it because they love darkness better; coming into the light would expose their inner-most secrets. And Jesus tells us to walk in the light of day to lessen our chances of stumbling. But, probably the 2 most effective uses of light by John’s Gospel are these: when Nicodemus approaches Jesus during the night and when Mary seeks Jesus at the tomb at the break of dawn.

This week the Christian calendar will be celebrating the Epiphany, the day when Jesus Christ first appears to the Gentiles as told of in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus. The Magi are said to have traveled from a place far east of Bethlehem, having only one thing to guide them; a great light in the sky. It was this great light which shone brightly in the desert as the Magi and their caravan rode to find the newborn Christ. It was this great light that shone into the cave as the Christ-child lay in a manger, his father and mother to one side, unsure of what to make of these men of great wealth as they lay gifts at their child’s feet.

The light of Christ never goes out nor does it ever dim. It is a light that shines for us, with us, unto us, and beyond us. The light with which all of creation looks towards to unite us and to help us understand what that unity is shines in this sanctuary, in our bodies, and in our hearts. Let this light shine, my friends, and gather together with everyone else’s light in order for the words of John’s prologue to come true.

Here now the Gospel according to John;

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. 

A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. 

The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God. 

The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known.

The Light shines forever.

God is always with us.  Amen.

Lost and Found

Luke 2:41-52


Today’s passage is a story that has been told many times, and in many ways. The Christ-family fulfill their annual obligation as people of the Jewish faith by journeying to the temple in Jerusalem for their Passover Festival. Most scholars believe that by this time in Jesus’ life he has at least a few siblings, maybe 2 or 3, maybe more. But Jesus is the oldest child of the family, and is at the age where his Bar Mitzvah would be coming up, so to him more responsibility, as well as more freedoms, are given.

Jesus would also be at the age where a Jewish young boy’s family would have to make a decision. As it would have been with all boys of his age, Jesus would have been taught the histories, laws, writings, and words of the Prophets in the Tanak; the Hebrew Bible. However, if the family wanted his education to continue, to grow deeper in knowledge of the Jewish faith’s doctrine of his time, 2 things would have had to happen. First, they would need enough money to pay for a Rabbi to teach Jesus. Then a Rabbi would actually have to choose Jesus to follow him and learn that Rabbi’s doctrinal interpretations and traditions, which would have been passed down to him by his Rabbi, and so on.

The one other path which Joseph and Mary could choose for Jesus is that Jesus would learn his father’s trade in order to best provide for his future, or the future of his family if anything happened to his father. This is the setting in which we find ourselves in today’s passage. It’s also a setting in which Luke gives us an insight into what kind of an upbringing Jesus would have in his young adult years; the ages between 13 and 30.

That upbringing, which was most likely chosen by Joseph and Mary, would be one where Jesus would learn to become a wood-worker, as his father, and by doing so would live a safe, sheltered life. The role of Jesus’ parents in this passage honestly tells us what family life was like for him and what Mary and Joseph saw as their role in the care-taking of the Christ-child.

I read a commentary by Bishop Craig Satterlee which asked the question, “Why did it take them three days to figure out that Jesus must be in his Father’s house and about his Father’s business?” He precedes this question with what his reaction to his lost child would be after finding him; he would have exploded at the child. But Mary only says “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!”

This, after searching for him in the city for 3 days. They didn’t pull him by his arm, they didn’t threaten to punish him, they didn’t blame him for any of the anxieties they just went through. They only said that he worried them.

This statement made Bishop Satterlee wonder about 2 things. Why were they not angrier, and why did it take them 3 days to look in the temple for the son of God? After all, they of all people knew where Jesus came from, and to whom Jesus truly belonged, didn’t they?

The answer to the Bishop’s questions are simple, and ring true as to why sometimes the world can’t find the Christ-child even as Christmastide goes on.

A lot of time has passed between the glorious birth of Jesus with angels making appearances and shepherds adoring the child, and Magi giving expensive gifts. So much time that family life for Mary, Joseph, Jesus and anyone else in the family would have become ordinary and routine. Isn’t that the way we sometimes feel right after Christmas Day. The lights seem to fade away, the shiny ribbons get tossed out, and the pretty wrappers are torn and thrown away. The Christmas shows on TV have all finished and the songs we sang along with on the radio have all stopped.

It’s as though Christmas ended on December 25th, instead of it just beginning.

Also, while Mary and Joseph knew what Jesus was destined for, they thought that time was still far off, certainly not while Jesus was still a child. But, Jesus wasn’t a child anymore. He was about to enter into adulthood, and Mary and Joseph had failed to notice that their child, their Jesus, had grown up. Jesus was showing more independence, showing more of an interest to things other than life with his family, as do most 12-year-olds.

Perhaps, then, Mary and Joseph had been simply going through daily life and hadn’t really noticed that Jesus was grown up. Sometimes that’s one of the things Christians are guilty of as well. There’s a tendency to celebrate Jesus’ birth, then moving on as quickly as we can to his death, forgetting to take a look at the man Jesus has grown up to become – a man filled with a passion for justice, a yearning to unite people of all walks of life as one, and someone who told everyone he met about the love of God that never ends and never fails.

So, when Jesus is finally found, after having been lost, he is no longer the same Jesus which Mary and Joseph thought they knew. Maybe that’s why when he heard his mother’s voice call out to him, he only asked, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”

Jesus points out what Mary and Joseph had always known, but had somehow forgotten; that Jesus had a purpose.

About a week before school ended for the semester, our Academy held mock interviews for our students. We invited professionals from the business community who would ask the 16 and 17 year olds a pre-selected group of questions. The young men and women were expected to dress in business attire suitable for Hawaii and had to prepare their own resumes as well as gather 3 business references. It’s the first of 2 mock interviews we do with them, the second of which will be with actual people in the hospitality business who may be looking to hire a few of them.

The students were nervous, as one might expect. More so the Juniors, as the Seniors had already been through these interviews last year. It’s always a blast to watch these men and women as they try to look their honest best, make sure their resumes and references don’t get wrinkled or dirty, and fidget as they wait for their turn to interview.

During one of the breaks we walked around and spoke to the interviewers who were varied in their professions. There was a psychiatrist, a social worker, a retired naval officer, and an actual human resources person who did interviews for a hospital.

They all had praises for our students, and we all felt a sense of pride for our Academy. They told us of how some of the students came across as extremely nervous, but for the most part they were well prepared and confident. The human resources person then told us a story that just about summed up what would be our hopes for today’s teenager generation.

She had an appointment with a recent college graduate who was applying to be a lab assistant in the oncology department. The position called for someone with unparalleled organizational skills, extremely effective communication skills in both speaking and writing, and a willingness to work under extremely pressured situations and circumstances. In other words the perfect super employee.

The person being interviewed, otherwise known as the candidate, had done everything right in the application process. He had called to ask if the position was still available and to whom the application, resume, and references should be sent. He had emailed the human resources department to thank them for the opportunity to interview and when he got his appointment he sent another email and made another phone call to verify the date and time as well as thank them once again for the opportunity.

The day before the interview, the candidate called to confirm the appointment and on the day of the appointment he called to let them know he was on his way, and if he was late it might be because of unforeseen traffic situations. Which is why when the candidate was more than 30 minutes late the interviewer began to worry.

She called the candidate to make sure he was still on his way, and when he answered his voice was less enthusiastic than she would have imagined. He told her he was lost. She asked him where he was, maybe she could help him find the right street to turn on so he could find his way. He replied to her that he wasn’t lost on the roads, he was lost in the hospital. She didn’t know how to respond except to tell him to stay where he was and they would find him.

Find him they did, and she showed him to the human resources office where they held their interview. During the interview she noticed that the young man had a social awareness disorder, similar to Asperger’s, but in a high functioning way. She didn’t ask him about it, doing so would go against policies, but she was sure he had something similar as it became more obvious during the interview.

The interview was over, and she thanked him for his time. He apologized for getting lost and being late, and for any discomfort she may have felt because of his mannerisms. She told him everything was all right and they would be in touch within the week.

She told us that there was something there she couldn’t quite understand. It was as though this young man was absolutely perfect for the job on paper, but when they met in person she had her doubts. Not enough doubts, however, and she hired him, mostly because of a gut instinct.

He grew into his job, learning quickly what was expected from him and finding ways to go beyond those expectations. About 6 months into his new job he was assisting one of the lab doctors with a patient’s blood sample. The doctor was tired, having been in the lab for almost 12 hours. So, when the young man pointed out that the doctor was about to label the patient’s results wrongly, in affect saying that the patient had cancer when he didn’t, the doctor was very happy to have had him in the lab.

The interviewer told us that she and this young man became close, and that he did indeed have a social awareness disorder, one that at one point in his life made him feel lost and alone. But because he had great parents, great teachers, and a community of support through his life he found a way to overcome any obstacles in his life, where now he was one of that hospitals best employees.

Christ is that same way for us. He is born in our lives with high expectations. We praise him, follow him, do the best we can to understand him, but somewhere along the way he gets lost. Whether it’s because the glitz that is usually associated with the birth of the Christ within us has faded and we’ve allowed our lives to become too routine, or whether it’s because we’ve forgotten that the Christ that was born within us is growing up, has grown up, and we hadn’t noticed, somehow we’ve lost touch with who that Christ is within us and how we’re to share that Christ with the world.

Jesus had a purpose, even at the age of 12. His parents didn’t see it, neither did the rest of the world even as he grew into a man and walked this earth, trying his best to fulfill that purpose. So, instead of arguing with his parents he did what every 12-year-old boy would do, he went home with them and did as he was told. But, he never stopped growing up, he never stopped learning, he never stopped understanding what his purpose in life was: to bring about justice and to unite people under the one love of God.

The question for us in this Christmastime is this: as the Christ-child is once again born in us, how will we grow with him to fully understand what our purpose in this life is?

God is with us all.  Amen.

On This Night - Christmas Eve 2015

Luke 2:8-20

6 years ago, while I was between ministries, I held a full-time job selling language-learning software out of a kiosk in Ala Moana Shopping Center. It was a decent job that helped pay the bills and let me be outdoors a lot. I met many interesting people who were trying to learn a language to improve their lives in one way or another, as well as many other interesting people who were passers-by and was simply in need of conversation more than learning conversational Japanese.

There was one thing missing from my life at that time, though –  my relationship with God felt like it was put on hold. I don’t blame any one particular thing, certainly not the job itself. Nor do I blame the people I worked with or the people I met every day. I was just in a place where my life felt empty and without purpose.

One day, as I was opening the kiosk, I noticed a young man sitting on a wall close by. The mall wasn’t open yet, so I figured he was just waiting for one of the stores to open. I smiled over at him and said good morning and he replied with a good morning. As I slid open the sidings which covered the kiosk and turned on all the equipment, I couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were fixed on me.

I’ll admit it started to get a little creepy, but he seemed friendly enough, and there were people around so I felt reasonably safe. Just in case, I paused in opening the cash drawer to count the day’s starting cash.

The kiosk was open, but the mall still had another 20 minutes or so before they opened, and the mall management didn’t allow for the kiosks to begin any kind of selling process before the actual starting time. So I did what any good employee would do; I pretended to clean.

As I was fidgeting with our display boxes, I once again caught the eye of that young man who was still sitting on the wall by our kiosk, and who still had his eyes fixed on me. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then, a real serious look came over his face as he asked me, in what seemed to be a voice that took every ounce of courage he had, “Do you know Jesus?”

I smiled, not so much because of the question he asked, but because of how this young man was seemingly building up the bravery to start an evangelistic conversation. I told him I did in fact know of Jesus and he let out a breath of relief. He asked me, “Do you mind if we talk for a while?”

I knew I had at least 20 minutes to spare, so I told him I would be more than happy to talk with him; it beat fidgeting with display boxes.
He told me about how he came to Hawaii from the west coast in the hopes of finding a new life. His life back home was one of making wrong choices which always led him into a lot of trouble. He wasn’t sure why he chose Hawaii, but it seemed like as good a place as any to start a new life, but soon after he got here he realized it would be a lot more difficult than he thought to get a life started.

He stayed at the YMCA at first, but because he couldn’t find a job he ended up living on the beach and in the parks when his money ran out. He told me how appreciative he was of the many programs and organizations that tried to help the homeless in Honolulu; especially those who fed them and showed them places they could do their laundry and get a day’s rest off the streets.

It seemed like he needed someone to talk with, so I sat next to him and listened.

He asked about my life and how it was going, which surprised me. I told him how I had just finished serving a church in youth and young adult ministry, and was going to seminary to become a pastor. He wanted to know more about my church and what the youth ministry was like there. I found myself opening up to this young man in a way I hadn’t opened up to a stranger in a long time.

I checked the time and it was almost time for the mall to open. I stood up to excuse myself when he asked if we could talk for just 5 more minutes. It really seemed like he had something to say, so I sat back down and listened more.

He told me that the reason he was so interested in my ministry is that 2 weeks before he had met a church group who was serving meals in the park. While he was eating, the pastor of that church came around and introduced himself, taking a little time to meet as many people as he could. But he hasn’t seen that church or that minister since, and wondered if I knew of anywhere close by he could go to church. He said that pastor and his brief conversation touched him in such a way that he finally understood what was missing in his life.

He then looked me in the eyes and said these words which I will never forget. “I used to have a lot of things – money, women, toys, friends – and for me that was enough. But all of that got taken away, and I didn’t know why until a few days ago. I now believe that God had emptied my life of everything materialistic so that I would have room for God in my life.”

When he was done saying those words he asked if he could pray with me and after that prayer was done we hugged and he walked away, never to be seen by me again.

I thought about his words all day. I thought about how he faced his new life with an openness of heart and a willingness of spirit. I also thought about where my life was currently. The more his words filled me, the more I realized what was missing in my life. I truly, deeply missed the ministry. I enjoyed sales, but what I wanted more than anything was to be back in the church, doing God’s work.

My encounter with that young man happened almost 6 years ago to the day, during the build up to Christmas in a secular world. That conversation helped put into priority the things, or one thing, that was important in my life: living in a world centered on God.

To this day I believe I was visited by an angel who spoke to me the words I needed to hear in the way I needed to hear them. To this day I believe that the young man who crossed my path for a brief moment shone a light so bright that I could once again find the path God had put me on.

It was an unexpected but very welcomed Christmas gift indeed. That visit by a messenger of God revived my hope in a life in ministry, filled me with the joy and peace of making the decision to finish my studies and pursue ordination, and brought back into my life the knowledge that I have always lived and will forever live within the love of God.

In many ways the Christmas story we heard tonight is the same. There are visits from angels who tell those they visit not to be afraid. There are visits by family members who reassure loved ones that everything will be okay. There is even a proclamation that God will surely work through a specially chosen person who will bring to life a son, a son whose own life will change the world.

Through these visits we hear words of hope as we wait for the Christ-child to be born; a child who will fulfill the promises of God. These are promises that were told of by ancient prophets for which generations of the people of Israel waited. Imagine the things you are waiting for to come true in your lives, then imagine that through the simple birth of a child all those things can come true.

Promises of a life lived free of emotional pain and free of living in an oppressive situation can all come true if, and when, we allow the Christ-child to be born within us. But, the Christ-child isn’t promised only to us. No, the Christ-child yearns to be born in all of humanity. And the way that happens is through us, through those of us who are sitting here tonight.

The child of which the angel promised wasn’t promised only to Mary and Joseph, nor was he promised only to the shepherds in the fields. God’s promise of being present in human form is made for all people, through all time. Just as Mary and Joseph were chosen to care for the child until he was ready to be shared with the world, so are we asked to be the same caretakers of that promise; the same caretakers of the light of Christ which shows the path into God’s never-ending, all-encompassing love.

Earlier this week, Ann and I went to the Post Office to mail a box to my family in Oregon. I fully expected the experience to be less than enjoyable, but what I actually experienced was nothing short of enlightening as to how humanity can be if we really allow the light within us to shine.

As you might imagine the lines were long and the building was filled with a lot of people and a lot of boxes. I stood at the back of line, watching as those in line ahead of me patiently waited for their turn to move forward. If you’ve ever been in the Post Office when people are trying to mail multiple boxes, you would know how the line-shuffle works; people place their boxes on the ground and as they move forward they use their feet, legs, and hips to slide their boxes on the floor ahead of them.

Except that on this day the shuffle wasn’t happening as much. There was a security guard standing in the room and she suggested that those who had multiple boxes could move their boxes to the front of the line where she would watch them. Almost immediately 2 or 3 younger people volunteered to move boxes for the elder folks, for which the elders were thankful.

That was just the beginning of niceties. A woman had a large stack of boxes on a hand truck she was trying to take out of the Post Office, but it didn’t fit through the door. Another woman noticed she was having a difficult time and took the top box from the pile, the one that was keeping the rest of the stack from going through the door, and carried it to the woman’s car. A young man was trying to open the door while at the same time balancing a stack of no less than 5 boxes. An older gentleman saw his struggle and not only opened the door, but carried half his stack to the front of the line.

People began to look for opportunities to help one another, actually going out of their way to open doors, hold places in line, carry heavier boxes, and so on. The people in that room began to spread the joy of Christmas one person at a time. That, my friends, is how the light of Christ is spread throughout our world. The example of love being shared on an afternoon in the Post Office almost seemed out of place in a time when most people would be too busy to care. But, you know, that’s what sharing the light of hope which the Christ-child brings can be like – out of place in a world that is desperately seeking peace, joy, and love.

On that day, people found ways to be angels of love.
Soon we will be honoring 2 traditions of Christmas Eve at Ewa Community Church. The placing of the Stars of Remembrance is a way for us to share our personal journeys into God’s love. We will be writing the names of those we want to remember at this time of year. Perhaps there is a loved one who is alone on this night, or who has no reason to celebrate in the joys Christmas brings. Perhaps it’s a family member who is having a difficult time with their finances or battling illness. Perhaps it’s someone you don’t even know, such as people living in or trying to flee from war-torn countries. Either way, you will be asked to write their names on a star and place them on the tree.

The second tradition will be the sharing of the light of Christ with one another. Both traditions are meant for us to not only share the Christ-child as he is reborn within us on this night, but to remind us that when tomorrow comes, when the morning finally brings Christmas, we will once again commit to letting Christ fill us so completely and to overflowing, that we cannot help but to share that light with everyone we meet.

The world is waiting for the promises of God to come, the promises which we can bring to them as angels of love. And as those angels we will bring the message of God’s love to all.

God is always with us.  Amen.