Advent 3A 2004

Isaiah 35: 1 - 10; Psalm 146; St. James 5: 7 - 10; St. Matthew 11: 2 - 11

Thursday night we had neighborhood carols, singing outside houses .I did the song sheets. They are on the piano in the parish house for any who want them. We sang some hymns: "O come, all ye faithful," "Angels we have heard on high," "Away in a manger," "Go tell it on the mountain," "Hark the herald angels sing," "Joy to the world," "O little town of Bethlehem," "Silent night." And we sang some secular songs: "Deck the halls," "Frosty," "Here comes Santa Claus," "Jingle Bells," at every stop, "We wish you a Merry Christmas." The most requested song, the one everybody knew by heart, was "Rudolph.’

One reason Rudolph is so popular is a spiritual reason that speaks to a deep spiritual need - the need for redemption. It is part of the human condition to have "a very shiny nose" or something similar. We all know from experience what it feels like to be laughed at and called names, to be excluded from the reindeer games. On some level and to some extent this is a universal human experience.

There are lots of ways to describe this condition. St. Paul says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." A generation ago spoke of being "not O.K." We can duck and weave and deny, but when we’re honest, we all know from experience what Rudolph felt like.

And by God’s grace we also know to some degree what it feels like to be loved and accepted. "Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, Rudolph with your nose so bright, Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?" We know something of redemption. St. Paul writes (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) that the Lord said to him, "My grace is sufficient . . .for my strength is made perfect in weakness".  St. Paul goes on, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Christ Jesus uses our "shiny noses," uses what the world, and we, find unacceptable to show forth his glory. For children who think in concrete terms that is Rudolph’s shiny nose to guide the sleigh on a foggy night.

We can think a bit more abstractly. The parts of our life, our personality, that we have to work the hardest at are the parts where God’s grace is most clearly shown to us and to those we know, if we will pay attention.

In the song, "the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee, "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, You’ll go down in history." In this life it doesn’t often work that way. Repentance is difficult. Changing one’s mind is tough. Being able to see God at work in ourselves and in other people precisely in the characteristics that drive us wild takes grace, grace applied. And sometimes we don’t see it in our own time. Sometimes we have to wait for God’s judgment, God’s perfect judgment. And that will come in the last day. That’s what Advent is all about.

Let me illustrate from today’s Gospel reading. John the Baptist was in prison. He was in prison because he was a loud mouth, rabbble-rousing trouble-making preacher. Some history (from St. Matthew 14:1-12): when Herod the Great, who was king of Judea when Jesus was born and tried to kill all the Bethlehem babies, when this Herod died his kingdom was divided among his sons, two of them also named Herod. Confusing..

Herod Philip got the northeastern area, the present Golan Heights, part of Syria, part of Lebanon. Herod built Cesaerea Philippi near a big spring that fed the Jordan River. The spring is a pleasant place to relax after a day in the hot sun. At Cesaerea Philippi that Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" and Peter said, for himself and all of us, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." Another son, Herod Antipas, got Galilee and an area now in Jordan east of the Dead Sea with the spice road from Arabia.

Yet another of Herod’s sons, Aristobolous, died shortly after his father, leaving a daughter, Heodias. Herodias married Herod Philip, her uncle - same fatther, different mother. By Herod Philip she had a daughter, Salome. After a while Herodias left her husband Herod Philip and married his brother Herod Antipas, who was also her uncle. And John the Baptist said, (Mt. 14:4) "It is not lawful for you to have her." During most of human history criticizing rulers means trouble. But, as St. Paul the Hermit said 300 years later, "Who has not seen trouble, has nit seen God." John was locked away in the desert of Jordan. No reindeer game playing for him.

From prison he sent word to Jesus, "Are you he that should come, or do we look for another." John had been preaching that the Messiah would come, and come soon. John’s preaching the truth had got him locked up, isolated, worried, self-doubt, shiny nose.

John knew the prophecy from Isaiah 35 we read as today’s first lesson.

People knew it by heart as a prophecy of the Messiah’s time- the time of redemption - the good time when God "will come and save you." The redemption would be personal, "the eyes of the blind opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped; the lame leap like a deer, and the speechless sing for joy." The redemption would extend to nature. "Streams in the desert .

. .the thirsty ground springs of water." The redemption would be social.

Everyone gets to come home for the celebration. "The ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

"Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, Rudolph with your nose so bright, Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?" Jesus told John his redemption was coming near. John’s ministry was true. John’s preaching was true. Quoting Malachi 4:5 Jesus said John was the messenger to prepare the way. Jesus word to John recalled the beginning of the chapter, "Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear!" Rudolph with your nose so bright, Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?"

The Lord said to St. Paul, "My grace is sufficient . . .for my strength is made perfect in weakness" . St. Paul goes on, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

God can and will use our weakness to show his strength. The other reindeer may not "shout out with glee." And sometimes we have to wait for God’s judgment, God’s perfect judgment. That will come in the last day.

That’s what Advent is all about. So be aware of your own shiny nose.

Invite others to the reindeer games. Let God use you as he will, and be alert to where and how he is using others - to guide his sleigh tonight.