Offering, encouraging and teaching friendship in Christ to leaders in the business, political, arts and spiritual marketplaces.
Archive for December, 2010
2010 Christmas & New Year's Prayers
Advent
Help us to prepare a way for you
by our thoughtfulness towards others,
by our care in little things,
by our upholding of the oppressed
Help us to prepare a way for you
by our thoughtfulness towards creatures,
by our care of crops and kitchens,
by our upholding of creation.
(#79 Celtic Prayers For Life Today Ray Simpson, Kevin Mayhew)
Christ, Light of the world,
meet us in our place of darkness.
Christ, Light of the world,
meet us in our place of longing.
Christ, light of the world,
meet us in our place of working.
(#82 Celtic Prayers For Life Today Ray Simpson, Kevin Mayhew)
Among the hungry
among the homeless
among the friendless
come to make things new.
Living Courageously or Just Publicized?
“Five more minutes”, was my comment on a recent retreat with my friend Ron. I realized that whenever I thought I was finished my morning prayer, sitting for and extra five minutes would keep me from jumping too fast to my next thing.
It was in that extra five minutes that I saw why I’ve had trouble connecting with the Christmas story this year. I connected the quote in the margin with the following idea More >
Stripped of Securities
There’s an Easter tradition in some churches that the sanctuary is stripped of all colour and trappings the evening before Good Friday. It’s way of setting a tone for reflecting on Christ’s death on the cross.
I’ve been thinking that we ought to have a similar point in our Christmas celebration to somehow connect with the stripping down God does as he is born in Jesus. In the midst of a season of self-indulgence we celebrate the God who comes stripped down (kenosis is the technical term) to embrace his full humanity.
Luci Shaw has kindly allowed me to share her poem which gives us a window into this tension. The nativity scene in beauty but with its shadow- take a moment to reflect on Jesus as he is portrayed here.
A Prayer for Today
KENOSIS
In sleep his infant mouth works in and out.
He is so new, his silk skin has not yet
been roughed by plane and wooden beam
nor, so far has he had to deal with human doubt.
He is in a dream of nipple found,
Of blue-white milk, of curving skin
and, pulsing in his ear, the inner throb
of a warm heart’s repeated sound.
His only memories float from fluid space.
So new he has not pounded nails, hung a door,
broken bread, felt rebuff, bent to the lash,
wept for the sad heart of the human race.
(From Harvesting Fog Luci Shaw Pinyon Publishing
with kind permission from Luci)
Someone Else Is Telling Your Story
I really enjoy hearing from friends when a reference works successfully. It’s a real privilege to introduce their cause, affirm their character and try to pave the way for a constructive conversation.
Other information about us gets exchanged regularly whether we realize it or not. But we feel vulnerable when our reputation is in the voices of others.
Jesus’ entry into ministry was prepared by John the Baptist. I wonder if this was frustrating for Jesus- waiting 30 years to get going and now a guy in loud voice and crazy clothes sets the stage.
This vulnerability of “God with us”, Immanuel, is amazing to me – allowing others to control how he is perceived. The reconciliation of God and the world is at stake and our God allows rough hewn folk like us to carry his reputation wherever we go.
A Prayer for Today
Lord Jesus Christ, you continually amaze me by your vulnerability- letting word of mouth be one way many learn about your love.
Help me this day to smooth the way to you for those who come across my path. For Jesus’ sake…
