Proper 27/Pentecost 25/Ordinary Time 32
Preaching
Hear My Voice
Preaching The Lectionary Psalms for Cycles A, B, C
Object:
(Occurs in all three cycles of the lectionary; see also Christmas Day, Cycle A and B, and Easter 6, Cycle B, for alternative approaches.)
This psalm gives us the proper theme for a Christmas Day celebration: "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises" (v. 4).
There comes a time in our observance of Advent when we move purposefully from waiting and anticipation to embrace the fulfillment. We listen with longing and hope as the story builds in intensity and expectation. We listen with desperate need, hungering for the satisfaction that will come with the arrival of God's promised salvation. We let it build to a bursting point, to the place where we don't think we can wait another moment. And then we praise.
There comes a time when prose runs out. We hear the stories, and tell the stories, and recite the stories in liturgies. We do pageants with the stories and musicals with the stories, a myriad of dramatic readings. But there comes a point when the prose runs out. We reach the place where we have talked enough about the story. It's time to enter the story and as we do, we discover there are no words. We can only praise.
There comes a time when the visual symbols have done all they can do. The candles, the wreaths, the plastic stars, the ceramic angels, the wooden mangers. They have carried us as far as they can. They have helped us: without a doubt they have helped us. But the time comes when the props are inadequate. We are challenged to embrace the full reality of what God has done. We need the real star, the real angel, and we must find our way to the real manger. When we can, and do, we praise.
There must come a time in our celebration of the birth of Jesus when we really get it. It's not enough that we acknowledge it, or give lip service to it, or teach our children about it, or sweat blood trying to keep it. We must really get it. The full import of God entering the world as one of us must seize us and hold us and change us. And when it does, we will praise.
There comes a time when the only proper thing to do is sing. This is a moment for poetry and melody. The watershed moment of the universe has come, and we must sing. There comes a time when -- from the heart and not from the head, from a real encounter and not just from hearsay, from the darkness of despair to the blazing light of hope -- our only proper response is to sing "Joy To The World."
That time has come.
-- J. E.
This psalm gives us the proper theme for a Christmas Day celebration: "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises" (v. 4).
There comes a time in our observance of Advent when we move purposefully from waiting and anticipation to embrace the fulfillment. We listen with longing and hope as the story builds in intensity and expectation. We listen with desperate need, hungering for the satisfaction that will come with the arrival of God's promised salvation. We let it build to a bursting point, to the place where we don't think we can wait another moment. And then we praise.
There comes a time when prose runs out. We hear the stories, and tell the stories, and recite the stories in liturgies. We do pageants with the stories and musicals with the stories, a myriad of dramatic readings. But there comes a point when the prose runs out. We reach the place where we have talked enough about the story. It's time to enter the story and as we do, we discover there are no words. We can only praise.
There comes a time when the visual symbols have done all they can do. The candles, the wreaths, the plastic stars, the ceramic angels, the wooden mangers. They have carried us as far as they can. They have helped us: without a doubt they have helped us. But the time comes when the props are inadequate. We are challenged to embrace the full reality of what God has done. We need the real star, the real angel, and we must find our way to the real manger. When we can, and do, we praise.
There must come a time in our celebration of the birth of Jesus when we really get it. It's not enough that we acknowledge it, or give lip service to it, or teach our children about it, or sweat blood trying to keep it. We must really get it. The full import of God entering the world as one of us must seize us and hold us and change us. And when it does, we will praise.
There comes a time when the only proper thing to do is sing. This is a moment for poetry and melody. The watershed moment of the universe has come, and we must sing. There comes a time when -- from the heart and not from the head, from a real encounter and not just from hearsay, from the darkness of despair to the blazing light of hope -- our only proper response is to sing "Joy To The World."
That time has come.
-- J. E.
