New Years

Sermon Preached at United Church of Christ of Annapolis on Sunday, the 31st of December, 2017

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:22-40

A few of months ago, my dear friend and her partner, who are Jewish, had their first child, a boy. And upon hearing the news that they had a son my first thought was how happy I was for them and my second thought was: I hope I get invited to the Bris!

For those who don’t know, a Bris, or a Brit Milah, is a Jewish rite of passage, which combines the ritual circumcision of a baby boy with a naming ceremony. Not everyone’s idea of a fun way to spend an afternoon, but for me who values and loves all the World’s Religions; give me religion, ritual, and food and I am in heaven. So imagine my delight when not only was I invited to a Bris, but actually included in the ceremony when I was asked to light one of the candles during the opening prayer. It was a true honor.

I also learned a lot! For example, within some Jewish traditions it is customary for the couple to wait until the Bris to reveal the name they have chosen for their new baby. The child is presented to God first, on his eighth day, and shares in the ancient covenant of circumcision, as commanded by God to Abraham. Only then, is he named, and his name and the reason for his naming, revealed to all who are gathered. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful! Scripture was read, tears were shed, and this brand new baby was designated to God and named, surrounded by family and loved ones… and I promise you, the baby cried the least of anyone.

I was reminded of this experience in our reading for today, because today is the eighth day after Jesus’ birth. And, as commanded by God, Jesus’ parents, who are of course Jewish, bring him to the Temple to fulfill this same obligation. Ancient Judaism included different laws and sacrifices that are only symbolically done today, but we can actually learn a lot from the details in Luke’s Gospel. We read that Jesus is presented to God, and as the scripture tells us, “designated as holy for the Lord.” We are also told that Mary and Joseph offer “a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons” as a sacrifice.

In fact, according to the scriptures in Leviticus (12:6-8), a couple is actually meant to offer a lamb, and only if they cannot afford one, “a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.” Which tells us that Mary and Joseph were poor and bring to the Temple only what they can afford. From these humble beginnings we get a glimpse of Jesus not as the great promised Emmanuel from before his birth – but the actual one-week old baby, whose devout Jewish parents, take him through the rituals of every other new born baby of the time.

Now, we know from our Lessons and Carols services and from the many, many, readings of Advent leading up to Christmas that there has been a lot of excitement and celebration in preparation for Jesus. But as any parent will tell you, no matter how much you prepare, it is really what happens after the baby is born, and not before, that matters most. Right? – Jesus, has been known, named, and loved, by his parents. But while he is welcomed into the world, and into his new family, it is not until this moment at the Temple that he is greeted by the community.

In ancient times there were often people who dedicated their lives to the Temple and were known as prophets. In our scripture today, are two such people: a man called Simeon, and a widow, who is named Anna. When each of them see the baby Jesus, they immediately recognize him as the Savior who will change the world. And they begin to praise God, saying they can die happy, because they have seen the Messiah with their own eyes.

And curiously, in hearing these strangers proclaim these incredible prophecies, the scripture tells us that, “the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.” Mary and Joseph were amazed! So I have just one for you question: Why? Why were they amazed? I mean – this is Jesus, right?

And supposedly, Mary and Joseph already know what a big deal Jesus is, given all the readings we have heard up until this point including: the prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures such as in the reading from Isaiah, the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, shepherds following a star, and in another version of the story, Wise Men bringing gifts; and on two separate occasions (albeit in different gospels) an Angel literally comes down from heaven and announces to Mary and Joseph that their son will be the Messiah! So, you would think that Mary and Joseph are already pretty convinced that their son is special. The signs are pretty clear. And they say “yes” and they agree to have the child and name him Jesus, and all signs point to a miraculous birth and that what they were told about him is true – so why are they amazed?

Is it possible that they still have doubts? Or maybe they are just so sleep-deprived with a one-week old infant that they think they must have imagined the shepherds and the angels. That is certainly possible. Or maybe, even when we know that God is calling us into new action or towards a different path in our lives – even if the Angel Gabriel himself comes down from heaven and tells us what our future holds – maybe, we still need others to reflect back to us what they see, in order for us to believe it.

Have you ever had a dream that actually came true? Or had a gut feeling be confirmed? Some call it intuition or a premonition; some even try to predict the future through the stars or even using the Bible itself. But even beyond fortune-telling, most of us can think of at least one time in our lives where, for no logical reason, we just knew what we are meant to do. Maybe it’s a career choice, or the moment we know we are in love, but often there is a feeling – a soul’s knowing – that seems to be outside of time and space, and if we trust it, it is as if our guardian angels are guiding us in the right direction. As if God Herself, were pointing us on the way.

For me, a number of years ago, I started to see the signs that God was calling me to ordination. I resisted; told myself that I must be interpreting things wrong. And even though I was already in Divinity School, I waited until my very last semester to join a church. I had this gut feeling – but I didn’t trust it.

Finally, I set up a meeting with the pastor at the UCC church I had been attending, and I bravely asked her if she thought it might be a good idea for me to, maybe, become a member of her congregation. She took one look at me and said, “sure, but first let’s talk about getting you into the ordination process.” Looking back, I realized that for me, seeing the signs from God was not really enough. It was not until other people in my life like teachers and mentors, started recognizing these same traits in me that I began to listen. And it was only when people began to ask me directly if I felt called to ordination, that I was able to start admitting to seeing the signs in myself. It was as if others were holding up a mirror to the way in which I was already living and reflecting back to me what they saw.

In other words, sometimes we know in our gut, or in our soul, the path we are meant to follow, but it is not until it is reflected back to us by the people in our lives, that we can see it for ourselves. This is the gift of community. An opportunity to be witnessed for not only who we are, but for who we might become.

Mary and Joseph had been told of the importance of the birth of Jesus and I trust that they did believed the angels when they said, “yes” to the challenge of raising him. And yet, this faith does not stop them from being amazed when members of the community reflect back to them what they already know to be true – they began to trust that one day their tiny newborn really will change the world.

Christmas is a time of celebration – a promise of the potential for the future. If we believe that God is all-powerful, then we must ask ourselves: why a baby? God could simply come down to earth as a fully-grown human person, but instead God begins God’s life here on earth as an innocent and vulnerable child. A child requiring care and nurturing from parents with few resources, doing the best they can for their baby. This is one of the miracles of Christmas.

But one week later, the real work begins. At the New Year, we often reflect on the year that has past, and we resolve to make changes in the year to come. Too often these resolutions are self-critical or born out of shame: We may resolve to diet, or to exercise more, or to watch less TV. But what if, instead of restricting ourselves even more, we used New Year’s as an opportunity to open ourselves up to where God is calling us in our lives. Is there a still small voice guiding us towards who we are meant to be? And what we are meant to do? Is there something you are meant to offer the world, if only you can trust yourself enough to say, “yes”?

Listen! Listen, not only to that voice inside of you, but also listen to the everyday people, the angles in our midst, who are telling you what they see. Have there been people reflecting back to you what may be your deepest potential? That divine spark that only you can know? And going further, have you taken the time to really look at the people around you and reflect back to them the spark that you see? How often do we tell the one’s we love what it is we love about them, what they mean to us in our lives, and what they mean to the world?

When my friends presented their newborn infant to the community and named him, they did so by saying “yes” to God. The name they chose (which they have given me permission to share) is: Oren Patrick – which is a combination of a new Hebrew name for the future, and an honoring of relatives who have past – naming all of the things they see, and dream, and hope for him. And with that act, they revealed to us and to God the infinite potential that comes with new life.

Even Mary and Joseph, who know their baby to be the actual Christ, are amazed at the potential that others see in him. God commands that we do not keep our gifts to ourselves, but bring them into the community for all to see and to bare witness. And in naming what we see in others, we offer that same potential for infinite possibilities.

It sounds simple, but consider that this may be the most important thing we do this year: to be Community – or as the Greek’s called it: ekklesia, which translates to: The Church.

Perhaps these reflections from the community will spark much more than kindness and affection in those we love, but could actually inspire the changes that make the world a better place. Because, the truth is, it is not just your responsibility to live your own truth, but God offers us the opportunity to see Christ in others and to inspire them to live as Christ did, offering their unique gifts to the world.

And so, I invite you this New Year’s Eve not to simply look to the same old promises and resolutions that have left you uninspired in the past, but instead to look for the image of Christ all around you – the potential of a newborn baby, which lives as a new creation within each of us – and don’t just see it, but take the chance to hold up a mirror and tell the people around you what you see in them.

Tell them how Christ appears to you in their eyes, and maybe, just maybe, you will help to inspire a gift from God with the potential to change the world.

You may even be amazed!

Amen.