The Luminous Podcast

Second Sunday of Christmastide - The Light | The Reverend Chad E. JarnaginJohn 1:1-9 (NRSV)1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.The gospel of John today has beautiful imagery. I’ve found it to be a centering passage for the beginning of a new year. John, the writer was said to have written this book around AD 85. That is quite a few decades after his time with Jesus as one of the Twelve disciples. It is worth noting how the apostle John makes sure that we know John the Baptist isn’t this light… much like other passages. Back then, some were saying that John the Baptist was the Christ… The apostle John obviously knew that, and made note of it often.If Jesus is the Word made flesh, God with us, this text frames a more thorough picture. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.While in the mountains years ago, me and some friends stayed in an amazing, yet creepy cabin. You couldn’t see our cars from the cabin… you had to take a bit of a walk. I had forgotten my toothbrush and contacts solution back in my car… this was before the iPhone. I didn’t have a light… so I stumbled my way to the car and back. There was no moon light or anything to guide me. I hit a broken tree and fell… I recall saying a choice word and thinking, why didn’t have bring a flashlight?Isn’t that an illustration for life? Unfortunately, I think we forget that we can be light, b/c we have the Light of Christ. John’s words testify to the world that Christ, the Word and the Light of God was coming… and that through Christ, all things were made. This is certainly a help for deepening our theology, our understanding process of God. We even begin to see a shape of the trinity. All connected. One being all… all being One. For Jesus to be referred to as light is no accident. Throughout history and many other religious beliefs, light has represented something otherly, good, holy, and divine. The battle of light and dark is even present is concepts and stories like Star Wars. In Matthew 5, with the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus the crowd, that they are the light of the world… a city on a hill cannot be hidden. In John 8:12, Jesus says “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”Another timely reminder, that we are not alone. God is with us. God is not that angry father who we walk on egg shells around… holding our breath hoping to not get out of line. We see a completely different picture with the person of Jesus. Open, loving, nuanced, even.Much like a wifi signal if you will… To be light, we have to be around the source of light… living with clear, intention signal.

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Christmastide | ReorientationThe Reverend Chad E. JarnaginPsalm 1481 Praise the Lord!Praise the Lord from the heavens;praise him in the heights! 2 Praise him, all his angels;praise him, all his host!3 Praise him, sun and moon;praise him, all you shining stars! 4 Praise him, you highest heavens,and you waters above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,for he commanded and they were created. 6 He established them forever and ever;he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth,you sea monsters and all deeps, 8 fire and hail, snow and frost,stormy wind fulfilling his command! 9 Mountains and all hills,fruit trees and all cedars! 10 Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!12 Young men and women alike, old and young together!13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;his glory is above earth and heaven.14 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!Encountering Psalm 148 through the ancient method of lectio divina bring insight and perspective.1. the potential for harmonious co-existence of all things.2. the significance of God’s voice... through creation, other people, theSpirit.3. worrying about so many things... takes away from the praising of God. As I read through the Psalm I noticed the number of times I said, “Praise!” After three readings, it was nearly 39 times. “Praise him!” “Praise the Lord!” “Praise the name of the Lord!” Since the practice of lectio divina encourages participants not to judge what comes to mind, The repetition in fast succession of “Praise” in the Psalm was a reminder of the abundance of reasons to praise the Lord that arise in any given day.This Psalm is an invitation to praise and not necessarily a description of the way things currently are. While reading it aloud or singing it, we are joining the heights, the moon, the sea monsters, and the cedars in praising the One who spoke us into being.Walter Brueggemann’s work on Psalm genres can help us here. He suggested three “functions” of the Psalms: orientation, disorientation, and reorientation.At first glance, Psalm 148 appears to be a Psalm of orientation given the apparent “lack of tension,” “coherence of life,” “good order,” “celebration of the status quo,” and the “assurance that [all is] well grounded” and will continue in this way. Yes, the content suggests everything is aligned, or, everything is in harmonious co-existence. The heavens and the earth are aligned with one another, the elements in the heavens and the earth are aligned with one another (people, animals, landscapes, heavenly beings, solar system), and, very importantly, the heavens and the earth are aligned with their creator.This Psalm might be better understood as a Psalm of reorientation. Psalm 148 does not simply describe the way things are, but proclaims there has been a turn events that is a welcome reversal. While there are definite resonances with the language in Genesis, this is not simply going back to those edenic good ol’ days. Instead, Psalm 148 is a “new song sung at the appearance of a new reality, new creation, new harmony, new reliability.”When we join in singing this psalm, we participate in bringing forth the new world; a new world we thought was not possible, one where all of heaven and earth not only notices, but joins in praising the Lord who is above heaven and earth. May it be so!The arrival of Jesus reminds us that God is faithful to redeem our past and to guide our future.“For last year's words belong to last year's language And next year's words await another voice.And to make an end is to make a beginning."― T.S. Eliot

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