December 28, 2016 – Christmas + 3
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

“When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:16-18

Feast of the Holy Innocents, also called Childermas, or Innocents’ Day, festival celebrated in the Christian churches in the West on December 28 and in the Eastern churches on December 29 and commemorating the massacre of the children by King Herod in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18).

On this date in 1975, “The Hail Mary” phrase took on new meaning. With 32 seconds left in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach throws a desperation 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, and the “Hail Mary” play is born. It may not have been the only time a “Hail Mary” was said for a quarterback, but it certainly was not the last. It is probably odd to many people that we lift up the killing of the innocents by Herod, yet it is a reminder that G-d’s salvific plan has been at odds with evil and it’s forces since the beginning of time. Herod could not take a chance that another king was present in his realm — even if the king was two years old. So he tried the equivalent of the Hail Mary ordering the killing of every child around the age of the reported king. But as we know, his plan did not work out. Mary and Joseph were warned by a messenger from the Lord, and they fled to Egypt. Eventually the forces of evil will kill the baby Jesus, but he will destroy the power of death for ever through the resurrection. Let us remember that throughout history, and each and every day there are many people who face danger for being a follower of Jesus. Being a disciple does not guarantee us safety and health, but it does guarantee us life eternal.

Pastor Dave

December 27, 2016 – Christmas + 2
St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14

The Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist on December 27.  Born in Bethsaida, he was called to follow Jesus while he was mending his nets. He became the beloved disciple of Jesus. Tradition suggests he wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and possibly (but doubtfully) the Apocalypse (we call Revelation). His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by His Incarnation became the light of the world and the life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament.

On this date in 1871, the very first World’s Cat Show was held in the Crystal Palace, London. Sixty-five cats were shown that day – and the popularity of the cat show grew from there to the point that in 1893 six hundred domestic cats participated. You can tell that not much has happened on December 27 throughout history that I have to list a cat show as the most exciting or challenging event in history (yes that is hyperbole, but just roll with it).

But we have St. John, the Gospel writer, who helps us remember that Jesus, the Word made flesh, was existent, even pre-existent since the beginning of everything. But it is the manner in which John shares his understanding of the Word. By connecting Jesus to the Genesis text and the beginning of all things, John helps us remember that Jesus was not made or begot from G-d – Jesus existed along with G-d and the Holy Spirit as the Trinity before the creation of everything, a theological concept that would take until the fourth century to become orthodoxy.

Today the church remembers one of the greatest and most profound writers of the life and times of Jesus. And because it is so different from the Synoptic Gospels, it is a wonderful witness to the high Christology of first century thinking and teaching.

Pastor Dave