January 16, 2022
John 2:1-11 New Revised Standard Version – The Wedding at Cana 2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
In John’s gospel he uses the word “sign” rather than the word “miracle”. The miracles that Jesus performs are, to John’s community, signs of Jesus’ coming glory. Today we read of it in John’s rendering of water turned to wine. Miraculously. Extravagantly. A taste of what is to come in the new kin-dom. It seems, always, always, always that there are role reversals whenever and wherever Jesus is present. This sign of extravagance, of abundance, of water into wine, isn’t performed in front of the rich or royal guests. No, it is performed in front of the servants. Only they know what just happened. My Spiritual Formation Bible draws attention to seven days passing between Jesus’ baptism and his first sign – turning water into wine. Thus, John’s theology links the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with the Genesis Creation stories. Beginnings. Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of his public ministry. We are at the beginning of a new year. We are on the cusp of a new age. In the beginning was the Word, Jesus, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Here is a synopsis of the seven days after Jesus’ baptism according to John’s gospel… 1:19 on day one –testimony of John the Baptist, about Jesus, to the priests and Levites 1:29 on day two –John the Baptist says “Here is the lamb of God …” as Jesus walks by 1:35 on day three – the first disciples, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew follow Jesus 1:43 on day four – Jesus goes to Galilee with additional disciples Philip and Nathanael 2:1 three days later, days five, six, and seven – Jesus, and his mother, and his disciples are at a wedding in Cana where he performs his first sign (Yes, weddings were commonly celebrated for days on end …)

John’s gospel teaches that Jesus was ready to begin, despite his admonition to his mother, as his creation, his readiness was symbolically complete seven days after his baptism. The mother of Jesus is never identified by name in John’s gospel – and only appears twice – at the wedding in Cana and at the cross. His mother is at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry and at the end. His mother, there when he needed her most, recognized a need at the wedding in Cana, and aware of his readiness, she gave him a gentle shove. Willingly or reluctantly, his time had come. Yet, Jesus responded to his mother first with, “What concern is that to you and to me?” Those words were followed by “My hour has not yet come.” We can’t know why. But perhaps he was reluctant to start, knowing how it would be finished. And perhaps that is true for some of us today. Fearful to begin the hard work of justice knowing that our task will not be easy. All the while knowing that the need is there. Why does the mother of Jesus intercede? Who are these people to her? Are they family? Does it matter? They are people. They are in need. She forms a prayer. There is no wine. She speaks that prayer to Jesus. As is often necessary with prayer, she was persistent. To the servants she prays, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus responds, albeit reluctantly, and produces more wine. Answering her prayer. Answering the prayer of those responsible for the wedding feast. What is the wedding feast? Simply a celebration? Or is it emblematic of the life we are to live with Christ? A life that for many is marred by scarcity, but holds God’s promise of abundance, God’s promise of a new age, God’s promise of heaven on earth.

The Mother of Jesus prayed: There is no wine. Martin Luther King, Jr. prayed: There is no justice.

Martin Luther King, Jr. – Was he the prayer of his people? Or the answered prayer of the people? Or both? Tomorrow our country honors the life of a man who made it his purpose to mind everyone’s business. A man who recognized that our lives were, and are, woven together. To the question of, “What concern is that to you and to me?” he responded with a resounding voice, “Until all are free, none are free.” coupled with, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He was young. Maybe he doubted his readiness. However, he responded by starting the work placed before him, even though he feared how it could end. He responded with his life.

How often do we shrink behind “minding our own business” and fail to offer help to others in need? “What concern is that to you and to me?” Perhaps, like me, you regret too often falling back on this response.

Here is the good news. Our hour has come. Willingly or reluctantly, our time has come. The Beloved Community calls us to action.

Who are the people in our lives that push us to do more? Who won’t take no for an answer? Let us praise God for their vision, their strength, their resolve. Let us follow where they lead. Or lead and be followed. Or both. All the world is holy ground. All people are God’s people. Let us live into this promise!

Rev. TJ Mack – January 16, 2022

December 19, 2021
Micah 5:2-5a (New Revised Standard Version) 2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; 5 and he shall be the one of peace.
Luke 1:39-55 (New Revised Standard Version, adapted) 39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of this servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name. 50 God’s mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation. 51 God has shown strength with their arm; God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53 God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54 God has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of their mercy, 55 according to the promise God made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary Magdalene 7:1-4 (Open English Bible) “I,” she said, “I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to him, ‘Lord, I saw you today in a vision.’ He answered and said to me, ‘Blessed are you that you did not waver at seeing me. For where the mind is, there is the treasure.’”

Today is the fourth of our four Sundays in Advent. It is also the fourth of four Sundays in which we included a passage from the little-known gospel of Mary Magdalene. I hope that this stretched your boundaries a bit, and that you too, found it enriching and enlightening. How did our forebears, and how do we use the Scriptures? We read them for comfort. We read them for wisdom. We read them for understanding our past and explaining our present circumstances. We look to them for what the future may hold for us. Micah is likely chosen for this week’s lectionary because early followers of Jesus re-interpreted the passage as a foretelling of Jesus coming as the Messiah. These words that Luke borrowed from Micah, in the Hebrew tradition, speak of the lowly shepherd boy David who became King. Luke puts the words of Micah on Mary’s lips, Mary the mother of Jesus. God chose an unlikely God-bearer by earthly standards. Our scriptures consistently speak of upsetting societal norms of power and wealth and status. I heard another theme resonating in each of our three scriptures this week. “Blessed are you.” Blessed are you, from one of the little clans of Judah; one that will be the bearer of peace. Blessed are you, Mary the teenage, unwed, mother of God, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Blessed are you, Mary Magdalene, that you did not waver at seeing the risen Christ. Blessed are we. Blessed by God. How easy it is to forget that, when, instead of God’s voice we are bombarded with the voices of humanity. Parents – siblings – teachers – friends – movies – television – internet. Sometimes we can lose God in all the chaos that surrounds us. But God never loses sight of us. This week we lit the candle of Love, the theme of this fourth week of Advent. Love – God’s unconditional love. It is not that we can do no wrong … We make plenty of mis-steps and mistakes. It’s that there is nothing we can do that can separate us from the love of God. Imagine that; truly … imagine that. Take it into your heart. Believe it with your entire being. There is nothing that you can do that will separate you from the Love of God – nothing. How can we, as the people of God, see one another, and see ourselves as God sees us? How can we love one another as God loves us? Sometimes it helps to have a visual aid. Do you know the concept of “beer goggles?” They distort vision to simulate the effect of alcohol in our bloodstream, and how that alcohol affects for instance, our driving. I propose God goggles, or God glasses. They could distort our vision to help us see the world through the eyes of God; with unconditional love. I keep my God goggles with me all the time … sometimes I even remember to put them on. When I do, it instantly changes my view, my outlook, my perspective. I see through the eyes of Love. Can we see the people in the local police report through the eyes of God? Theft – drug trafficking – driving to endanger – harming a child – taking the life of another. It is sometimes hard to see all people as children of God. But our God goggles help us to change our perspective. It doesn’t mean we don’t hold one another accountable. It means we continue to love one another through our faults and failings. We continue to support one another in our efforts to improve ourselves and grow in our faith in God, in our faithfulness to God, and by extension, to one another. Can we see the people from small towns in Maine that have different priorities than we do? Or big cities in Maine or elsewhere that have different priorities than we do? Can we see the people that speak other languages, live on other continents, understand and worship God in different ways than we do? Can we recognize that no matter one’s origins, they are capable of achieving great things, for themselves, and yes, for the world. Can we recognize that God speaks to them in the same voice, in their own language, “Blessed are you.”? We all need love. It is healing. It is life affirming. It is a blessing that God bestows on us without constraint and that we can in turn share with others. All others. The Angel in Luke’s gospel was wearing God goggles. The Angel recognized Mary as blessed. Mary, who by society’s standards was to be despised or at best pitied, when she became pregnant before her marriage to Joseph. The child in Elizabeth’s womb easily recognized Mary, and her baby, as blessed. The child in Elizabeth’s womb had not yet been conditioned by humans to hate or judge or condemn. In utero, we are still fully 100% present with God. Elizabeth wore God goggles. She instantly recognized Mary as blessed. There was no word of shame or chastisement. There was only acknowledgement that Mary was honoring her holy agreement with God. There was joy – there was love. We recognize Mary as blessed. In our scriptures. In our prayers.

Why then do we need God goggles? Because it is not enough to see Mary as blessed. We need to see all people as blessed; as deserving, as whole and sacred children of God. Regardless of their circumstance; regardless of our opinion of them. Mary recognized herself as blessed. She sings her praises to God, but I wonder if she had to scramble to find her pair of God goggles when she received the news from on high. Again, in her culture, women had no rights, and women without a husband that had conceived a child were subject to death by stoning. Two thousand years later we have yet to eliminate the stigma of childbirth outside of marriage. We have yet to remove the double standard that exists for women and for men regarding pre-marital sex. We need our God goggles! Thinking of the other Mary; Mary Magdalene. Blessed is she also. She wore God goggles. She was able to see the inner Jesus – the spirit Jesus. Even when he was physically removed from her presence after his death, she did not lose sight of him. She was one of the first apostles – one of the first people to experience what we too can experience – Jesus in our hearts, minds, and souls. The women that are central to our texts this morning … they are full of wonder and hope in what God can do. They trust God and accept that all things are possible with God. They are blessed and it is a blessing that they heard … saw … believed … Blessed are you. If we can recognize it in the imperfect, sometimes doubting humans in our scriptures, what is holding us back from recognizing it in others, today, here and now? In ourselves? We are all worthy. We are all called to do holy work; to allow our souls to magnify the Lord. Blessed are we. Blessed are we that never saw Jesus in the flesh. Blessed are we that wear our God goggles – allowing us to see the inner Jesus – the spirit Jesus. Blessed are we that wait in joyful hope to celebrate his coming into this world – past, present, and future. Blessed are we that let love into our hearts, minds, and souls. Blessed are we that allow our vision to be distorted; seeing the world through God goggles. Blessed are we that see the world through the eyes of God; through the eyes of Love. Unconditional love. Rev. TJ Mack – December 19, 2021

December 12, 2021

Scripture & Message 12/12/21

December 5, 2021
The Book of Malachi, Chapter 3, verses1-4. Translation: New Revised Standard Version 3 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, verses 68-79. Translation: New Revised Standard Version
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. 72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Chapter 4, verses 8-10 Translation: Dr. Karen L. King translation from her book, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle
Go then, preach the good news about the Realm. Do not lay down any rule beyond what I determined for you, nor promulgate law like the lawgiver, or else you might be dominated by it.

Our Advent pattern this year is to read a Hebrew Scripture, a Synoptic Gospel Scripture from Luke, and a gnostic gospel scripture from Mary Magdalene. This week, we read from a book attributed to a lesser prophet named Malachi, a book scholars believe was likely written around 500 BCE (Before the Common Era), during years of religious and social decline in and around Judah. Malachi probably spoke to a disheartened audience which questioned both the love and the justice of God. In the verses immediately following our text Malachi warns that divine judgment is imminent and the people should return to God. Some 600 years later, the Gospel attributed to a Gentile named Luke is recorded to create “an orderly account” of these things that have taken place. What things? The Cliffs notes version of the “orderly account” prior to our passage this morning goes something like this – An angel appears to elderly Zacharias, announcing that his wife the elderly and barren Elizabeth will become pregnant; foretelling the birth of John the Baptist. An angel appears to Mary the betrothed of Joseph, and announces her impending encounter with the Holy Spirit impregnating her with the Son of God. Mary visits Elizabeth and the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps with joy at the presence of their Lord. Mary sings her praises for the Lord’s magnificence, the Magnificat. John the Baptist is born to Elizabeth and Zacharias. That brings us to this passage which includes Zacharias’ praise for a God that has shown grace and mercy to our ancestors and his, Zacharias’ prophecy about all that his son, John the Baptist will do and be. Continuing our Cliffs notes a bit further, shortly after our verses for today Jesus is born of Mary, in Bethlehem, attended by shepherds and Heavenly hosts (angels). Jesus’ circumcision and presentation in the Temple, as was customary occurred on the eighth day of his birth. This is where and when Simeon saw Jesus; a fulfillment of the scriptures, prompting Simeon to declare, now I can die happy.

There is a lot going on! In Malachi and in Luke action verbs abound telling the people what God has done for them and what they should do for God. Luke tells us that God looked, redeemed, raised up, spoke, saved, showed, remembered a sworn oath, granted rescue, called, prepared, gave knowledge, forgave sins, and showed mercy. Malachi tells us to prepare, seek, endure, stand, purify, refine, and make offerings that please the Lord. The passages are addressing all the underlying ways that we are not doing these things – addressing our shortcomings and forewarning us to change our ways before it is too late. Luke and Mary Magdalene both echo Malachi’s message from God asking, or telling, the people to repent, to give up their evil ways and once again become faithful to God. What are we preparing for in all these instances? All three scriptures are preparing us to recognize, to welcome, to cherish, Emmanuel – God-with-us. How do we do that? By having peace within us. By cultivating peace all around us. Malachi borrows from Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel to convey that God purifies the people of Israel through the imagery of blacksmithing or metalsmithing, by burning or smelting the dross of our evil ways. Malachi also uses the metaphor of fuller’s soap (a fuller is a launderer). Both examples speak to the need to cleanse our hearts and souls. In Luke, the priest Zacharias extols the blessings that God has bestowed on Israel. Not only in the past, but in the present, and now the future, through his son, born to prepare the way of the Lord – to guide our feet in the way of peace. Mary’s gospel prepares us for this by teaching us to search for God within our own hearts; by teaching that we are each one with God, with Creation, with all others. She, like the other gospel writers is sending them, sending us, to teach the good news about the Realm of the Good, the realm of God. Malachi – and Luke – and Mary Magdalene – all three stress our need of constantly preparing, purifying, coming to God. We are all, always, works in progress.

Remember all those action words in our scriptures? The scriptures are alive. They are for God’s people then and they are for God’s people now. God is still redeeming, raising up, speaking, saving, showing, forgiving, showing mercy. It is up to us to live into our part of the covenant. Are we preparing, seeking, purifying, and doing wat is pleasing to God? Jesus was born some 2000 years ago. We celebrate him as God-with-us. We recognize him as the One who was, and is, and always will be. The season of Advent reminds us to stay present to this truth. Luke teaches in his gospel about our shared relationship, that God is always with us, through Godself and through those sent to show us the way. God showed us tender mercy by sending John the Baptist and Jesus to us. They are examples of light in the darkness; lamps to guide our feet in the way of peace. What we sometimes lose sight of, and what the gnostic gospel of Mary Magdalene brought back into focus for me, is that God was not born once, in Jesus. God is born again and again. In every living being. In you. In me. In people of every time and place. It is all true, yet I would like to suggest that we concentrate on the present. The “is.” God is among us, today. When we know and believe that God is within us, literally in us, in our hearts and souls, then we will know peace. As individuals and as the world-wide people of God. Peace be with you. Amen Rev. TJ Mack – December 5, 2021

November 28, 2021
The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 33, verses14-16 Translation: New Revised Standard Version 14 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 21, verses 25-36 Translation: New Revised Standard Version 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Chapter 4, verses 3-7 Translation: Dr. Karen L. King translation from her book, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle Be on your guard so that no one deceives you by saying, “Look over here!” or “Look over there!” For the child of true Humanity exists within you. Follow it! Those who search for it will find it.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent; a season of waiting and watching for God to come near. We are to keep awake, stay alert, and pay attention.
We are waiting and watching for the birth of the Christ Child. We are waiting, anticipating, hoping … for all things to be made new. Our three scripture readings this morning all remind us of the promises made by God to God’s people. Signs that point us toward the hope of things to come.
My Hebrew scripture professor reminded me a couple of weeks ago to read our texts as if we do not know what comes next. We are to live in anticipation, waiting and hoping, as if we do not know. Yet we are to simultaneously keep the passages we read in the larger context of the Bible. Most of us do know what comes next, because we have read, or heard, the texts countless times over the course of our lives. And yet … there are surprises awaiting us as well.
This year, let’s open our hearts and minds to one additional text, the gnostic gospel of Mary Magdalene. We will continue to hear her voice this Advent season, along with our traditional Hebrew Scripture and Luke’s Gospel.
Hope is what I felt when I began reading a book about the Gospel of Mary Magdalene this past weekend. Hope for the church as we know it and for what it can become. Hope for those that don’t feel connected to the church because they do not hear their voice among the many. Hope for those who want and need to hear a woman’s voice and experience of Jesus. Hope in hearing God expressed as “the Good” in addition to Lord God, Father God, Mother God.
Hope is not rational. Hope is not logical. Hope comes from a place deep in our hearts, deep in our souls, where we are connected intimately with God our Creator.
I like Emily Dickinson’s description of hope. “Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” Can we live in that kind of hope? Join me on the journey to Bethlehem these four Sundays of Advent, where yes, we will do our very best to put our hope in Jesus. We will do this by listening not just to the canonical voice, which was essentially the voice of the rich and powerful, but also the lesser-known voice of one of our gnostic gospels. The voice of one that was there throughout Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. A gospel that didn’t make it into the official canon, but nonetheless holds precious pieces of our collective history.
The term Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning "to know" or "knowledge." This knowledge is not intellectual but spiritual (or mystical) and comes through a special revelation by Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, or through his apostles.
In this work, Mary Magdalene indeed claims knowledge revealed to her through her close relationship and study with Jesus.
What is most astonishing about the discovery of this gospel in 1896, which was finally printed in 1955, is that it is attributed to a woman, to Mary Magdalene, another one of Jesus’ inner circle. This knowledge that Mary Magdalene shared was written in the same time frame as the gospel of John, the latest of our four canonical gospels. A total of three, partial, texts are still in existence.
I am hopeful that the church, particularly this church, will be drawn to lesser-known texts that when studied with our canon, will broaden our understanding of the ministry of Jesus. I am hopeful that as we become more inclusive in our reading selections, we will similarly be more inclusive in our interactions with those in the world-wide family of God.
I am a Christian, first by birth and then by choice. I believe in God. I believe that Jesus was one of the many sent to show us the way to God. I like many of you were taught ‘truths’ in Sunday School about our church history that were incomplete. We all know that history is written by the victors. We might wonder, whose voices were suppressed when the Church Fathers came together in the 4th and 5th centuries to create our canonical texts and creeds. Were they really inferior or heretical voices, or were they simply a hindrance to the powerful voices and their desires and ambitions? We will each need to decide that for ourselves, but I hope you will join me in the discovery process, letting newly found texts offer clarity and depth to the existing canon. Do we simultaneously live in hope and in fear? I think it is fair to say that many of us do. Hope for what we know could be when all (or most) live in harmony with God. Fear for what we see and hear and feel all around us as we witness hatred, greed, murder and mayhem. How do all three of our scriptures today address the theme of hope? All three scriptures, on some level, acknowledge that we do not live in a perfect world. Yet.
Jeremiah tells us to live in hope; tells us that the promises of God to the people shall be fulfilled through the House of David, a shoot of Jesse, the ancestors of Jesus’ father Joseph.
Luke brings a message of hope tinged with fear and foreboding. Watch for the signs in the sun and in the moon and the stars, he tells us, when they show distress, as surely as spring turns to summer, the Son of Man will come in glory.
Both Luke and Mary exhort us to be on guard against that which will keep us from noticing or caring that God is among us.
Mary’s words are the most explicit. I quote, “… the child of true Humanity exists within you. Follow it! Those who search for it will find it.”
Jesus lives within you. Search for him and you shall find God.
Not only is God coming, not only is God in our midst and always will be, God is to be found within each of us. Search inwardly and you shall find.
The voice of Mary brings me hope. The voice of Luke brings me hope. The voice of Jeremiah brings me hope.
I live in hope. I live in hope that our church, here in Hancock, and throughout the world, will grow in peace and love and understanding.
I live in hope that we will work for justice, that we will right past wrongs and be active in creating a just world for all.
I live in hope that we can learn to use inclusive language to truly make all feel welcome in the family of “The Good,” the family of God.
I live in hope that when we celebrate Christ’s coming into this world as light and love it will be for all and not just for some.
Join me please, in the hope that is everlasting, as we work and wait, in anticipation for what is to come.

Rev. TJ Mack – November 28, 2021

March 1, 2020

Scripture & Message 3/1/2020