Second Sunday in Advent (Year A)
Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016
Theme:
Justice, then Peace
Reflection: "Peace does not fare well
where poverty and deprivation reign. It does not flourish where there is
ignorance and a lack of education and information. Repression, injustice and
exploitation are inimical with peace. Peace is gravely threatened by
inter-group fear and envy and by the unleashing of unrealistic expectations.
Racial, class and religious intolerance and prejudice are its mortal
enemies."
–
Frederik W. de Klerk, S. African politician, 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner
True peace is not merely the absence of
tension, it is the presence of Justice.
--
Martin Luther King, Jr
What if
before a person killed, injured, bullied, spoke unkindly or hurt anyone in any
way, he or she had to sit next to that person for an hour, telling and listening to each other's life stories? Learn to respect each other's lives, see the Divine in the other?
Only then could they pick up their weapons. Perhaps that would be the end of
all war, the beginning of peace and justice.
Anonymity
allows us to do evil, even horrendous evil, without consequence. We see it
online, in our schools, in headlines. Stereotyping, hate crimes, bombings,
murders and wars rage between individuals, groups and nations that know nothing about the other than
what they’ve been taught to think.
We saw it
erupt unlike anything in the last 50 years during this election season.
Mexicans called rapists and drug-runners by the now President-elect. Women,
minorities, members of the LGBT communities and people with disabilities
demonized and ridiculed.
Years ago, as
a young reporter, I wrote about a project called Hands Across the Border. It
encouraged communities in the United States and Mexico to connect, through
their schools. Tiny Oak Creek School, a K-8 school in Cornville, AZ, reached
out to Guaymas, Sonora, to start an exchange.
As expected,
the parents on both sides of the border had fears and reservations. On top of
both communities’ lists: Will our children be safe? First, a set of parents and
school officials went to Guaymas, a nine-hour-plus trip. Then, Guaymas parents
and school officials came to Arizona. Finally, middle-school students from both
countries took turns spending a weekend with host families.
Differences
were inescapable. The standard of living in Guaymas was not as high as that of
Cornville, a rural, working-class community in Arizona. But the adults and
students had their hearts changed, and left with different impressions. From
the Arizona side: Mexican families are tighter-knit than our families. They
have amazing food. Their community celebrations are beautiful and fun. Their
homes, while different than ours, are clean and comfortable. Their parents want
the best for their children.
Sadly, the
exchanges stopped. Budget cuts and changing political climates ended the
program, as well as the entire Hands Across the Border Foundation. But for
years of families and educators, the words “Mexicans” and “Americans” never
would have the same connotations. How do you hate a culture whose families have
shared their homes with you?
It is so easy
to talk about unconditional love and peace, then divide the world into “us” and
“them.” It is easy to speak words of hope, then lose that vision in a world of
anger and fear. Humbly, knowing the biases and blockades of my own heart, I ask
for God’s help in making me part of a cohort of change, people who can reach
out to know the other before we keep inflicting pain, who try to love like our
brother, Jesus, taught us to love. No lines. No walls. No “us” and “them.”
Every single person, a child of God.
Faith App:
Who do you know who needs to feel God’s shalom – peace, wellness,
goodness, abundance and forgiveness in their lives? Carry it with you wherever
you go.
HYMN/SONG SUGGESTIONS
O Day of Peace, ELW 711
When Our Song Says Peace, ELW 709
Christ, Be Our Light, ELW 715
Blessed Be the God of Israel, ELW 250
There’s a Voice in the Wilderness, ELW 255
Here Is Bread, ELW 483
By Your Hand You Feed Your People, ELW 469
Let There Be Peace on Earth, Jill & Sy Miller
There Will Be a Day, Jeremy Camp
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord, from Godspell
God of this City, Chris Tomlin
LESSONS
Isaiah 11:1-10 The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid.
Psalm 72:
1-7, 18-19 In his
days may righteousness flourish and peace abound.
Romans
15:4-13 May God grant
you to live in harmony with one another.
Matthew 3:1-12 Bear fruit worthy of repentance.
Summary of
the Lessons: Today’s
Advent theme is peace, but the readings are full of calls to justice. It’s not
surprising, since justice and peace are inseparable. Where there is
discrimination, deprivation, exploitation, and fear, peace will never be found.
OPENING LITANY based on Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
L: Come, let us walk in
the light of the Lord!
C: Out of the darkness,
our great hope appears!
L: Inspire your leaders
to seek justice, God,
C: To aspire to right
actions, not just approval,
L: To see all people for
what they could be,
C: And transform
disparity into enough for all.
L: May the earth bring
forth bountiful harvests,
C: Healthy and plentiful
food for everyone,
L: Privileged powers
changing the plight of the poor,
C: Protecting the
vulnerable instead of the forceful.
L: Raise up such leaders
throughout all generations,
C: Not just for our
lifetimes – as long as the heavens endure.
L: May their governance
be like water to the parched,
C: Life-giving goodness
of compassion and peace.
L: Blessed be the Lord –
your wonders are astounding!
C: Blessed be our God –
with one voice we praise you!
CONFESSION
L: Peace – that’s just a
pipedream and fantasy,
C: The world’s powers
play winner take all.
L: Pre-emptive strikes
and back-room deals,
C: Broken promises – and
we live with anxiety.
L: Peace – that’s just
the call of the cowards,
C: Everyone knows it’s a
dog-eat-dog world,
L: It’s old vs. new,
strong vs weak, us vs. them,
C: Then violence erupts – and we pray for the victims.
L: Peace – it’s not going
to happen, not in our time,
C: Fear erodes our faith
in communities,
L: Misunderstandings keep
us hurt and divided.
C: Creating chasms – and
we plead for your peace.
(Silent
reflection: soft music, such “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” could be played during
the reflection each week of Advent. Or the music could be a softer version of
the tune played for an Advent candle lighting.)
L: In our confession, we
pray together,
C: Most Merciful God … we
pray for your wisdom and counsel to create your vision, a world of peace. Not
just an end to hostilities, which would be a hollow peace. A just world –
•
where all people come to trust and
understand each other
•
where each country has a fair share of
resources,
•
where people, especially seniors and
children, never lack basic needs.
Lord, take us beyond our prayers for a world like this, and help
us work in your name to create it.
Hear this
Good News, from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “May the God of steadfastness and
encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with
Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Your sin is forgiven – arise with hope and
live as one.
In the name
of…
Amen
PRAYER OF THE DAY
L: We pray together,
C:
God of Shalom … as we enter the season of Advent, we pray that you would
prepare our hearts once and always for your presence among us. Stir us up, Lord,
bearing fruit worthy of repentance. Take from us our reliance on power and
conflict, and show us your peace-making, light-bearing, love-carrying ways,
actions that bring forth your kingdom.
Amen.
COMMUNION BLESSING
L: We pray together,
C: We give thanks, most gracious God, for coming
near in this meal, week after week. As we continue in this Advent season, keep
us focused on preparing the way, preparing our hearts to receive your peace and
be your shalom that this world so desperately needs. Amen.
SENDING
L: Prepare the way of the Lord!
C: To us, the light of the world draws near.
L: Bear fruit worthy of repentance –
C: Let justice and peace shine through us.
L:
Go now, bearing God’s shalom, to love and to serve the Lord.
C:
Thanks be to God!
First Reading Isaiah 11:1-10
(NRSV)
Setting
the Scene: The
first of three parts of Isaiah, likely penned by three different people, is filled
with words of judgment. Interspersed are words of messianic promises, like
today’s words of Eden restored.
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall
grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom
and understanding,
the spirit of counsel
and might,
the spirit of
knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his
ears hear;
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity
for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of
his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the
belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie
down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child
shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down
together;
and the lion shall eat
straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child
shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy
mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover
the sea.
Second Reading Romans 15:4-13
(NRSV)
Setting
the Scene: The
church at Rome included both converted Jews and Gentiles. The former still were
keeping Jewish rituals and food laws; the Gentiles saw no reason to do so. Paul
pleads for unity – food isn’t worth tearing the church apart.
For whatever was written in former days was written for our
instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures
we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to
live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that
together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you,
for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the
circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the
promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify
God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
and sing praises to
your name”;
and again he says,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;
and again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the
peoples praise him”;
and again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to
rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.”
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Gospel Matthew
3:1-12 (NRSV)
Setting
the Scene: Some
30 years have passed from Jesus’ birth and infancy in the first two chapters of
Matthew. John’s ministry in the wilderness calls people to prepare for newness
that is coming, by repenting and bearing fruit to become new themselves.
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of
Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is
the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths
straight.’”
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt
around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of
Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the
Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their
sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism,
he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to
raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the
trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more
powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his
hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the
granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
