By Laurel Woodward Breckbill, assistant resident director and student life intern at Goshen College
Reprinted from Lenten Devotions Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 (NRSV) One of my favorite seasonal hymns is a French folk melody, ‘Twas in the moon of wintertime. My parents sing this hymn together – O children of the forest free, O seed of Manitou, The holy child of earth and heav’n is born today for you. Come kneel before the radiant boy who brings you beauty, peace, and joy. Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria! Without accompaniment, their two voices mix together in simple harmony until they sing together the final line, a striking proclamation. Listen! Jesus your King is born! Gloria! Often, we separate the ideas of freedom and service but juxtaposed together, the two beautifully articulate gifts presented to us through the birth and life of Christ. Just as the hunters, chiefs, shepherds and kings came freely to serve this babe, so too are we invited to freely serve others. We are the children of the forest free and today we celebrate the birth of the one who calls us together and offers us the freedom to follow the path of service. Through the birth and work of Jesus Christ, we are freed from isolation to live a life of Christian service to each other and the world. Come, rejoice! Jesus is born! ‘Twas in the moon of wintertime, when all the birds had fled, The mighty Gitchi Manitou* sent angel choirs instead. Before their light the stars grew dim, and wond’ring hunters heard the hymn: Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria! Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found, A ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped his beauty ‘round. But as the hunter braves drew dim, the angel song rang loud and high: Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria! The earliest moon of wintertime is not so round and fair As was the ring of glory on the helpless infant there. The chiefs from far before him knelt with gifts of fox and beaver pelt. Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria! O children of the forest free, O seed of Manitou, The holy child of earth and heav’n is born today for you. Come kneel before the radiant boy who brings you beauty, peace, and joy. Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria! *Translation: the mighty Lord of all the world Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 (NRSV) In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us. So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
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By Richard Aguirre, director of corporate and foundation relations, Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Luke 2:41-52 (NRSV) Our Christmas Eve text places us not on to the road to Bethlehem or in a humble stable with Mary and Joseph, but inside Jerusalem’s great temple with a precocious 12-year-old Jesus speaking about his identity and calling. This sole Gospel narrative about Jesus’ adolescence is simple yet profound. It also reminds me of one of my parents’ favorite family stories – the time one of their children went missing. After one big family gathering, amid the chaos of hugs and loud goodbyes in Spanish and English, my parents drove away, certain they had packed all seven kids in the big Chevrolet station wagon. After arriving home, however, Dad got a phone call from my grandmother: “Did you forget something? Count your kids; you forgot one.” For many years, this cautionary tale humorously suggested that my parents had so many kids they couldn’t always keep track of them. At times, however, I’m sure Mom and Dad felt shivers of fear when they temporarily lost track of a child. Mary and Jesus certainly panicked after leaving Jesus behind in Jerusalem, searching three days for him, and then finding him in the temple, calmly engaged in conversation with leaders. After modestly rebuking her son for giving them such a scare, Mary reportedly was confused when Jesus replied, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Mary’s confusion seems odd. Had she forgotten what the angel told her before Jesus’ divine birth, the testimony of the shepherds, the praise and gifts of the wise men and the angel’s warning to seek exile in Egypt? More likely, Mary remembered all that, but was just protecting Jesus from harm; she wanted to hold on to him as a child, as we all tend to do with Jesus this time of year. Still, the text is rewarding because, as a coming of age story, it relates to the reality of our lives – that we have the freedom to make choices on the road to maturity. Luke also compels us to reflect on the true nature and meaning of Jesus then, now and always. Like Jesus, we have the opportunity to grow in wisdom and strength “and in divine and human favor” by making good choices. May that message continue to inspire us. PRAYER: As we are reminded in Isaiah 9, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.” As we prepare for the birth of the Christ child, may we open our hearts and minds to the great gift of Christmas. Help us, God, to share in the joy and song of the angels, the curiosity and wonder of the shepherds, and the wisdom and worship of the wise men. And may the blessings of Jesus – his example, his teachings, his suffering and sacrifice – be with us this season and help us to renew our faith. “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Scripture: Luke 2:41-52 (NRSV) Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety. He said to them, Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. By Gabby Castañon, a sophomore at Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Psalm 148 (NRSV) Several years ago, one of my family members made the executive decision to halt the continuation of the annual cousin gift exchange. Although I never felt particularly attached to this exchange, I found myself oddly reluctant to make the transition. Eliminating gifts from the family Christmas seemed simply preposterous. The consumerist-centric values had successfully penetrated my ideas of a traditional Christmas. Rather than give one another gifts that year, we assembled health kits for Mennonite Central Committee. While a simple task, the process required me to focus my energy outward and separate myself from my previous Christmas expectations. I discovered that partaking in this action in the presence of my family was a far more meaningful gift than any of their presents. Today’s passage inspires me to better focus my energy outward into the community. It reminds me of the need to live intentionally with others, to consider their needs and to discern the role I can serve in their lives. The Scripture invites us to express gratitude and to celebrate in love with one another. As we prepare for the birth of Christ and the beginning of a new year, I find myself pondering how I can manifest these actions. Whether it be through volunteering, spending time with someone or offering another gift, God calls us to unite with one another in love and gratitude. How can you live in community and offer your presence, rather than mere presents? Scripture: Psalm 148 (NRSV) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord! By Hannah Barg, a senior at Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Psalm 148 (NRSV) Last Christmas, my family and I decided that instead of buying gifts, we would give each other experiences. We ended our Christmas Eve and began Christmas Day with a long walk around our neighborhood, singing Christmas carols and exchanging stories as we walked. During my break, we spent a weekend snowshoeing and cross country skiing at a family friend’s house. Through spending time outdoors, cooking together and engaging in good conversation, we discovered the joy of the Christmas season more than ever before. We vowed to make this practice our new Christmas tradition. Since I was little, my family and I have often experienced God through nature. Even in the chilly winter days, being outside can heighten the excitement and anticipation of the Advent season. My father and I used to do a winter canoe ride down the Des Plaines River, which provided an entirely new perspective of the surrounding landscape. Wildlife tracks are easiest to spot in the snow, and the bright colors of cardinals and cedar wax wings come alive in contrast to winter backdrops. God’s magnificent work and power is effortlessly revealed in the signs and sights of creation. My most cherished memories of the Christmas season are the times spent outdoors. Whether it was cutting down a Christmas tree together, making snow angels, going skiing, caroling to our neighbors or having a candlelight service in the snow, Advent is not complete for me without experiencing, listening to and praising God in creation with others. In the days leading up to Christmas, may we be reminded of God’s magnificent creation and use it as a space to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming. Scripture: Psalm 148 (NRSV) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord! By Jessica Davila, a senior at Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 (NRSV) Sometimes we feel that we are to busy with exams, readings, work and all sorts of things and forget to take the time to thank God for what we are today, for the privilege God has granted us to be here: Studying and working at a liberal Arts College in one of the richest countries of the world. 1 Samuel 2:20 reminds us that we must have some gratitude and thank the Lord for the things we take for granted. We must thank him for those times that we have felt that the world might as well sink, and yet, we keep on going. We only ask for more. We ask and ask but never thank. We do not see how privileged we already are. We believe we are freedom-bound. We believe that we may do with our lives as we desire. But there is so much injustice, prejudice, racism and discrimination that control us. These are part of the system that controls us as a society. Yet, we keep on going. We keep on going and happiness comes And we do not notice. We do not notice how much more we have in comparison to so many people around the world. We have so much more than those who live in poverty, those who drown in lament and suffering. As we approach Christmas, we must to remember that for that and much more, WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL. Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 (NRSV) Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord; and then they would return to their home. Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people. By Ken Newbold, Goshen College provost
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Luke 1:39-45 (NRSV) Love is a simple four-letter word that serves as the foundation of Christ’s teaching, but is often forgotten in our daily lives. Jesus spoke of the importance of loving one another but also provided living examples of how we are to treat each other, not only in the season of Advent but throughout our interactions. In Luke’s gospel, we are provided an illustration of Mary’s love and trust in God in Spirit as she visits Elizabeth. This passage raises important questions during the Advent season as we await with great anticipation the celebration of the birth of Christ. What are we doing to live the teachings of Jesus to love one another? Are we too busy worried with the materialism of our modern world and consumerism to reflect on the real meaning of the season? Can we make an extra effort in our lives to reach out to someone in need? Our world provides many examples of injustice and persecution, but as followers of Christ we are called to be humble servants. The Beatitudes offer guidance on our path to Heaven and here Luke reminds us to lift up the lowly and to show mercy. We are challenged by these words to follow God’s love for us in this passage from Luke to be instruments of peace by allowing the Spirit to guide us. In an increasingly crowded and noisy world, we can show our love for each other through simple acts of kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity. In these final days before Christmas, we should all look to extend love and grace for each other in bringing peace on earth. Scripture: Luke 1:39-45 (NRSV) In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. By Jennifer Schrock, Merry Lea public program administrator, Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Hebrews 10:5-10 (NRSV) I was the youngest child in my family. This means that on my birthday, I sometimes get cards from my siblings recalling what a delightful baby I was. While I appreciate the blast of affection from the past, I also experience a bittersweet regret that geography has prevented my siblings from knowing me better as an adult. Therefore, I shouldn’t have been astonished to see Hebrews 10 turn up in the Advent lectionary, complementing Jesus the fetus, but I was. Never before had I noticed this obscure text tucked into the fourth Sunday of Advent. What is this not very child-friendly Word about sin, sacrifices and sanctification doing here, at a time when most of us just want to sing Christmas carols? I think it is a reminder that if we wish to have an adult faith, we also need to grapple with the person and work of the adult Jesus. Writing for a community that was “drifting away” and “becoming sluggish,” the unknown author of Hebrews pursues an unlikely remedy: a vigorous exploration of Christ as high priest that aims to take readers beyond a “baby understanding” of the One who came to do God’s will. If Christmas bores you (some of us have been at this awhile) the book of Hebrews models a fresh challenge: this year, skip the cookies and work on your Christology. Might the fact that God “takes no pleasure in sacrifices” free us to understand Christ’s death in new ways? How can our community’s language and traditions ground us without binding us so tightly to the past that we can’t respond to the present? How does your life bring Jesus’ story into the 21st century? There are people and books and paintings—maybe even quilt patterns—that can help. Whether your answer is a treatise or a poem, a song or a sketch, a garment or a startling act of service, make it as beautiful as you can. And share it with someone. Scripture: Hebrews 10:5-10 (NRSV) Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, See, God, I have come to do your will, O God (in the scroll of the book it is written of me). When he said above, You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings (these are offered according to the law), then he added, See, I have come to do your will. He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by Gods will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. By Jo-Ann Brant, professor of Bible, religion and philosophy, Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Psalm 80:1-7 (NRSV) Psalm 80 begins with a familiar metaphor, God the shepherd, but the imagery is unstable. The psalmist quickly moves to the use of shepherd as a metaphor for a king and shifts from a pastoral setting to a royal court. In contrast to Psalm 23, the people who speak do not experience God’s guidance and protection. These are the works of a people who feel God’s absence, a people in exile who call out for God’s presence and deliverance. I recognize that this psalm was not written for me to pray but rather for me to hear. If my neighbor scorns me, it is because I have been complicit in feeding them with the bread of tears. If my enemies laugh at me, it is because I am like the fool in Ecclesiastes 7:4 who seeks out the house of mirth rather than the house of mourning. I know the answer to the psalmist’s question of how long the Lord God will be angry with my prayers. If I allow those who are in exile to drink from my cup that overflows, then I will feel the warmth of God’s face shine upon me because I will not need to turn away in shame because of my feasting. In order to stand side by side with the Bethlehem shepherds to welcome our savior, I must also heed Jesus’ word in Matthew 5:23 and turn to them to ask permission to join their company. Scripture: Psalm 80:1-7 (NRSV) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your peoples prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. By Monica Miller, sophomore at Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions Scripture: Psalm 80:1-7 (NRSV) When my team and I got off the plane in the country of Moldova, we crammed into a tiny bus and took off across the countryside. Hours later, we finally pulled into the village where we’d be spending the next few weeks, and the first sight to greet my eyes through the cracked windshield was a flock of sheep plodding through the mud that was the road. We followed them and their shepherd about a quarter mile, almost to our destination. Our annoyed driver bore down on them in our intimidating vehicle to see if he could push through the flock but to no avail. The sheep didn’t even glance behind. There are many metaphors in the Bible relating Jesus to a shepherd and us, the followers, to a flock of sheep; it’s tempting to simply blow these verses off as “just another one of those.” I could close my Bible on this imagery as I sit here in my college dorm room far away from any livestock, but I couldn’t escape the village sheep in Moldova. In the evenings we’d go out behind the church to watch the sun set across the valley, and, without fail, there would be a flock of sheep grazing in the oceans of grass somewhere in the foreground. As we took in the spectacular sky, the flock reminded us of who we are and who Immanuel is to us: our Shepherd, Provider, Peace with us. The sheep were content and secure with their loving shepherd whether there was a bus on their tails or a breathtaking sky-canvas above their heads. Can I, too, be so trusting and satisfied? Scripture: Psalm 80:1-7 (NRSV) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your peoples prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. By Michael Sherer, executive director of technology services and innovation, Goshen College
Reprinted from Advent Devotions As I recall, the first Bible verse children in my home church learned was 1 John 4:8, “God is Love.” The astuteness of that choice still astounds me, because if someone asked you to sum up the teachings of the Bible in 10 letters or less, that would be your answer: “God is Love.” Not long after committing those three words to memory, we learned the song “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” By the age of three, the children of the church had internalized the theological foundation of the faith in those 15 words: that the nature of God is love, that Jesus, God’s Son, loves me, that I can know and claim that love because the Bible tells me the story of Jesus’ love in a way that is authoritative and trustworthy. And yet, if the essence of Christian faith can be distilled down to 15 simple words, why do even the followers of Jesus struggle to live out the faith? Implicit in this week’s theme, “Freedom Bound: The Path of Love,” is the notion that, despite the love of God and Jesus showing us the path, we are not yet free. The enslaving powers of this world are active, powerful and seductive. Regardless of where we stand in our Christian walk, we would all do well to ask ourselves ‘what am I enslaved by?’ For many of us, it would be fear. Daily we are bombarded by messages that we should fear something—terrorists, Muslims, immigrants, gays, conservatives, liberals, fundamentalists, socialists, tea partiers, blacks, whites, latinos, the police, Obama, Trump, the 1%, the poor—you name it, the object of our fear is one step away from destroying our way of life and all that we hold dear. Fear is deeply rooted in our being. The fight-or-flight mechanisms that allowed our ancestors to survive in the wild are easily manipulated into causing us to hate and objectify the object of fear. You can’t love what you fear. Others of us are enslaved by the notion that we are unworthy of being loved. We are not skinny enough, pretty enough, smart enough, rich enough, witty enough, good enough to deserve the love of God or anyone else. Still for others, it would be that we are enslaved by our own bad decisions. In Greek, ‘to sin’ translates literally ‘to miss the mark.’ We all miss the mark, daily. But for some of us, our bad decisions have far reaching consequences that are difficult to escape. And yet in every situation, the love of God and Jesus can show us the path away from bondage to freedom. The people we fear are more like us than unlike us. Within the act of loving the ‘other’ lies the power to transform not only that person but ourselves. The love of God and Jesus affirms our own worth. Even at our lowest point, God still loves us. Even when we miss the mark badly, God extends grace that allows us to begin again—moving toward freedom in Christ. God, in this Christmas season, grant us the grace and wisdom to understand where the powers of this world still bind us. Help us to experience the transforming power of your love made manifest in Christ and the community of believers, to be transformed by it, and it to extend to those around us, even the ‘other’ and the ‘enemy.’ Amen. |
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