In the Beginning

Today’s service was much quieter than usual — silence replaced many of the words.  So if you are reading this “sermon,” I hope you will sit quietly and pause for a long time where it is indicated.

In the Beginning

Psalm 147:12-20; John 1:1-15

It is after a thing happens that we think about it. When we are in the middle of an event or a happening, our attention is directed towards what is going on and what we need to be doing. While the adrenalin is flowing, not much pondering is going on.

But afterwards, when the excitement is over, the visitors departed, the presents put away, and the house cleaned up – that is when we have time and energy and inclination to hold events in our hearts and discern what meaning to make of what has happened to us.   That is what we are going to do today.

The Gospel of Luke tells us that this is what Mary did – she held the amazing facts of her infant’s birth and pondered them in her heart. And this morning, we hear that John the Evangelist has done the same thing: he has held the whole story of Jesus’ life and ministry, his death and resurrection, in his heart; and he has pondered the meaning of those amazing events. His musings have brought him to the majestic poetry that begins the Fourth Gospel: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:1]

This morning, in the spirit of meditative worship, I invite you to ponder on just two sentences from this passage. Not to think about them – though you may find yourself with thoughts … Not to analyze them – though you may find things you hadn’t heard before … Not to critique them – though you may find something to comment on. What I hope you will do is to receive these words about The Word, and instead of working on them, let them work on you. If your attention wanders, or if you find yourself thinking or analyzing or critiquing, just gently come back to listening quietly.

After I read each one, we will sit together in silence for some moments. As we sit, listen for what these words may have to say to you – over all these centuries since John pondered on them, and over all the miles between the Holy Land and Minnesota, and over all the changes in daily life from then and there to now and here.

So here is the first one, which speaks of the Word made Flesh, Jesus:

What has come into being in him was life,

and the life was the light of all people. [John 1:3b-4]

(repeat) — PAUSE

And here is the second one, which speaks of John the Baptist:

He himself was not the light,

but he came to testify to the light. [John 1:7]

(repeat) — PAUSE

My New Year’s wish for you is that this brief time together, with open hearts, will have been rich enough to encourage you into regular times of pondering the wonders around us and the mystery of God’s presence with us.

Amen.

Prayer for January 3, 2010

Almighty and everlasting God, creator of all things seen and unseen, hear now our silent prayers, as we open our hearts to you in the sacred quietness.

God of faith and hope, we bring before you our prayers for those we have named this morning – we especially remember … Bring to each of them the gifts of mercy and grace that are most needed, according to your wisdom and love.

God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we offer our prayers this morning for the New Year.

We pray that this year we will pay less attention to what we want to have for ourselves and more attention to what you want us to do for others.

We pray that this year we will spend less energy making resolutions to change ourselves, and more energy receiving the transformations that you make in our lives.

We pray that this year we will spend less time on activities that are careless and meaningless, and more time doing what we truly and deeply value.

We pray that this year we may be effective advocates for peace.

We pray that this year we may be passionate workers for justice.

We pray that this year we may care more for reconciliation and healing than for we do for victory.

And we pray that this year we may be more faithful disciples of your holy way.

All these things we ask in the name of the one whose birth brought the light than the darkness cannot overcome, even Jesus the Christ, and we pray together now in the words that he taught us …