December 31, 2006
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See also: [2000] |
I Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Psalm 148
Colossians 3:12-17
Luke 2: 41-52
What shall we say on this “low Sunday” of the year? Many pastors appropriately take a retreat on the week following Christmas, but the work of theological reflection and spiritual growth continues even when we are “off duty.” For the sake of personal, theological, and liturgical continuity, it is a good practice for pastors to reflect on the lectionary readings even when they aren’t preaching. This reflection is not for the production of another sermon or liturgy, but to deepen our spirits in dialogue with the divine word within the words of the scriptures and our lives.
But, still, how can we say a good word in the afterglow from Christmas and as persons are preparing for New Year’s celebration. Caught between the hope “to keep Christmas all year round” and the often fruitless compiling of “New Year’s resolutions,” what word of healing and challenge shall we share with our congregations and contemplate ourselves?
As I read this week’s passages, I was caught by the parallel of young Samuel and young Jesus. Samuel grows “in stature and favor with God and with the people.” Jesus increases “in wisdom and in stature and in divine and human favor.” (For the gospel, I choose the traditional and alternative “stature” rather than years since it is a far more meaningful term for our spiritual journey.)
Growing in wisdom and stature! One of the great process-relational theologians, and my teacher at Claremont, Bernard Loomer spoke of the importance of “size” in theology and spirituality. Size, or what I call stature, refers to how much of the world in its wonderful variety and challenging contrast you can embrace without losing your center. John Cobb refers to this same integration of the many factors of conscious, unconscious, and environmental experience as “creative transformation.”
At Christmas many of us, in spite of conspicuous consumption of material goods, food, and alcohol, also experience new stature. For a moment, like Ebenezar Scrooge, our souls expand and we see beauty in unlikely places. We resolve to be “born again” to a larger self and larger scope of care. We experience incarnations of God in otherwise ordinary and grumpy co-workers and family members, and for a moment, we dream of peace on earth. This is good news, but sadly the joy fades and we go back to business as usual, as if the busyness of life requires us to return to superficial and competitive living. We don’t keep the spirit of Christmas, in part, because we fail to live by the practices of stature and creative transformation now that we’re on our own with no cultural or liturgical support. In the midst of our temptation to fall into patterns of anxiety and individuality, the church is called to provide spiritual support for growing in stature and experiencing creative transformation. Perhaps, at the turn of the year, these passages can give us some guidance.
First, Psalm 148 cries out in joyful praise. The “bells on Christmas day” need not be stilled. Deep down for those who have eyes to see, the universe praises God. Yes, there is the tragic conflict in Iraq, the fear of terrorism, concern for the economy, childhood abuse and trauma, and no theology of stature can deny this. But, there is also the harmony of the spheres as all things, even the cells of our bodies, praise God. Theological and spiritual stature are grounded in awareness and wonder – with the recognition of the beauty of life and the dynamic order of the universe.
Jesus’ temple experience serves as one model for growing in wisdom and stature. On the verge of adulthood, Jesus retreats to the temple for theological reflection and questioning. Like his later experience of spiritual retreat (temptation) in the wilderness, Jesus’ three days in the temple were a pivotal point in his spiritual evolution. Jesus grew in spiritual stature by claiming his faith tradition faithfully and then extending its experiential and theological boundaries to new horizons.
Growing in wisdom and stature calls us to take our faith seriously enough to study scripture, wrestle with traditional theological doctrines, explore new images of God, Christ, and salvation, and spend time in prayer, meditation, and service. Sadly, many mainstream and progressive congregations have virtually abandoned adult Christian education. A growing faith is not accidental, but requires going to the “temple” regularly to listen, ask, and share.
As Christians, we are called to be “large-souled persons.” In Philippians, the apostle Paul describes this process of becoming a Christian “mahatma” as having “the mind of Christ.” Colossians provides similar guidance for those who wish to experience the world with the spirit of Christ. Christian growth integrates spirituality, theology, and ethics. “Clothe yourselves with compassion . . . clothe yourselves with love.” In other words, let your face to the world, reflecting your deepest theological insights, be one of loving relatedness. To have the mind of Christ is to see Christ in everyone and treat everyone as if he or she is Christ’s beloved.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Take time to listen to Christ within you in prayer and meditation. According to process theology, God presents us with a vision of life every moment of life. This inner word of God wells up within us. Through our spiritual practices, we hear and respond to that inner word of God in ourselves and all things. Fresh from encountering the incarnation at Christmas, this Sunday provides a wonderful opportunity not only for silence in worship, but also for a short workshop on how to practice meditation or contemplative prayer. This “low” Sunday can inspire a “high” spirituality.
“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God through him.” The omnipresence of God is one of the most practical doctrines of the church. It reminds us that we are always on “holy ground” and always encountering “holy people.” We shape each others’ present and future experiences in every encounter, and by these encounters bring beauty or ugliness to God’s experience of the world.
Finally, “let the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts.” As Whitehead, Cobb, and Loomer note, peace involves the expansion of the self beyond its typical boundaries to embrace the well-being of others and the planet. In the peace that passes understanding, we participate in eternity, growing beyond “us” and “them” by befriending the universe.
Today, this is not just a matter of personal joy, but planetary survival. Can we expand the boundaries of our hearts to embrace life beyond our national self-interest? Can we regain the moral inclusiveness we lost after the 9/11 attacks? Can we see global well-being and security as important as our own national security? Can we gain the moral stature to treat prisoners with appropriate respect even as we must necessarily incarcerate and interrogate them?
Yes, what we need at the turn of the year is “stature.” We need practices of stature, intentional commitments to meditation, service, and inclusion, if we are to have the large heart of Christmas throughout the year ahead.
Bruce Epperly is Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Continuing Education at Lancaster Theological Seminary and co-pastor of DisciplesUnitedCommunityChurch (www.ducc.us) in Lancaster, PA. Ordained in the UnitedChurch of Christ and Disciples of Christ, he is the author of twelve books. He can be reached at bepperly@lancasterseminary.edu
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