Advent 2014 After Report

As proposed in this post, I read and blogged both the daily and weekly Lectionary readings for the 4 weeks of Advent. In that post I asked:

what would it mean to me if I engaged with the daily lectionary every day for Advent. (Engage = force myself to do more than skim over it in a haze, although some days a mental haze is as good as it gets.)

 It was an interesting experiment, but not really in any of the ways I thought it would be.

• John from my church sends out a weekly email with his study of the weekly lections and whether I read it or not (too often not!), I value it as a resource. I specifically did not read John's studies over the course of Advent because I didn't want them to influence my commentary. John's studies include historical background related to the lections which I really miss. He also asks better questions of and about the texts than I do, but doing the readings on my own forces me to practice! On a faith or biblical learning basis I'd call it a wash.
• Reading the daily lections was pretty much a waste of time for me. They did not help me better understand the previous (Monday through Wednesday) or upcoming (Thursday through Saturday) readings. I would have been better off studying the Sunday readings in more depth by reading background or studying multiple interpretations or reading something else. I won't be reading the daily lections again. Also, I often found the practice of reading a single psalm over and over for the daily readings irritating, especially when it didn't seem to be related except by being the prior or next psalm.
• During the course of Advent I got the idea that my partner found me to be more overtly religious. I don't know if this was due to my blogging here or other things related to Advent this year. My Christmas gift to my Mom was a bit more overtly faith based, for instance, just because that is how things worked out. And because my health has limited me so much, writing here has been a large percentage of my time. It may also have been because many of my blog posts were sent to Google+ automatically (where he saw the notification at least), although I swear I told it to not do that.
• Having to write and publish daily in a context where my thoughts or writings on the topic are inherently suspect and can just be pulled out of my ass (or more likely misfired parts of my brain) is very freeing. I'm not functioning well (thanks epilepsy and epilepsy meds!), but I don't have to to write on this topic. Religious ramblings of epileptics are a legitimate genre in and of itself. (Thanks St. Paul) I don't feel the need to make sure I'm making sense before I hit publish, not making sense may be the point. I could get the same experience from using someone's writing prompts on the basis that I publish what I write from them with little more polishing than fixing words the browser tells me I misspelled (and I've seen groups set up to do that), but this works for me.

I'd prefer to get back to where I was in October, where I was writing non-fiction I felt good about and felt like with revision it would be saleable (or at least part of a potentially profitable blog or self-published book.) But then again, we've tried the 2 med revisions since then because we wanted to get me past having analytical thinking (ie coding!) be a seizure trigger. If my mental function continues at the current level, I think I do want to continue writing here regularly again (ie weekly plus Christian holidays.) I don't know that I'd feel that way if my cognition got better, because then I'd want to put more research and cross-referencing behind my posts and I'm not sure that is useful to me. And while if anyone else finds this blog useful, that's great, it is here for me.

Fourth Tuesday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is gifts - both giving and getting gifts. As I have gotten older, I am more interested in the thoughtfulness involved and mostly don't give gifts if I can't find something that feels truly thoughtful and like it honors my relationship with that person. I'd much rather give someone nothing but my good wishes than something that feels like I just bought it to have something to give them.

And sometimes gifts aren't things and aren't intended to be gifts, but are. My friend Casie wrote on Facebook today about how she received a gift when they opened a new line at the grocery store just when she needed it because waiting in line is physically very difficult for her.

James 17:1 talks about gifts, referring to gifts from God, but I think it applies to our being generous as well.

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Generosity is hard. I think being greedy, at least to the point of wanting to keep what you have, is human nature. If nothing else, we want to save for the bad times, in part because we don't trust that others will be generous to us when we are in need. (And you only need to look at the difficulties people have getting social security and VA benefits that they have paid into and deserve to see that this is a valid concern.) There is also the concern that the people you are giving to don't actually need what you gave them. Or need it less than you do. I had a job in the early 90's where part of my job was to chase off the people begging in the company owned property next door. At barely over minimum wage, I wasn't paid enough to do that, but when company officials were likely to come by, I'd go over and ask them to leave so I wouldn't get fired. I got to know some of the beggars and they were making more than I was. That's not to say they weren't deserving, I'm a believer in guaranteed minimum income and if begging is what you need to do to get what you need, go for it.

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On a completely different note, I got into an interesting conversation on Twitter today about justice. Since it is related to things I've spoken about here, I'm going to share it. (I have no clue why Twitter thinks today is the 24th.)

This is more why I think transformative justice is mostly a performance piece, or some edgy theory to present at conferences, & not reality.
— Lauren Chief Elk (@ChiefElk) December 24, 2014

No carceral state, ok got it. But no public ridicule, restitution, or getting banished from spaces either.
— Lauren Chief Elk (@ChiefElk) December 24, 2014

@ChiefElk I would like to believe in transformative justice but it has to include all of the above and especially safety for victims.
— Julie Baumler (@competentgirl) December 24, 2014

@competentgirl that is the pillar of this! And restoration can only typically work if you are dealing with someone who is remorseful.
— Lauren Chief Elk (@ChiefElk) December 24, 2014

Fourth Monday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

I am quite sick today (horribly painful sinus swelling, but with luck, not an infection.) So I really need positivity. I found that in Psalm 96:10-13

Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!
    The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
    He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord; for he is coming,
    for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with his truth

There is more hope in Zephaniah 3:15 (partial):

The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,

And also Zephaniah 3:19 (although there should be no outcast and no shame in being disabled, there are and while I don't think we should wait on God to fix it, hearing that if we don't get there there is a plan B is hopeful.)

And I will save the lame
    and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
    and renown in all the earth.

 Edited 20141223 to fix formatting and links

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Today's Readings

Mary and Elizabeth

There was a lot for me in these readings. I suspect that I should either stick to the regular (not daily) lectionary and follow a different reading plan if I wish to do daily readings. That doesn't change my plan to read and blog for all of Advent (which is quickly coming to an end!) 

In 2 Samuel 7:1-11 I was struck by how the king wanted to make God a house as nice as his, but God wanted to keep his tent - ie like the average person. (Of course, the Tabernacle was super, super fancy.)

I also found a lot of hope in the Luke readings.  (Luke 1:51-53) As always I am affirmed by justice for the poor.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

The Romans reading (Romans 16:25-27) is what I have been craving, inclusion of people outside of the 12 tribes.

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith -- to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

 Now, I must say, I knew this passage (and several that are similar) but reading passage after passage after passage where they talk about how God is here for the 12 tribes (or even just blessing one of them in particular) is depressing for someone who is not a member of one of those tribe.

Edited 20141223 to fix formatting, include quote of Romans 16:25-27 and post-quote commentary. Added image.

Image attribution: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=51545

Fourth Saturday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

The John readings (John 7:40-50) talk about doubts. Doubts on the behalf of several different groups of people. I think doubting is important. If we don't doubt, can we be sure that we have really thought things over?

There is also something important about thinking that people need to be from somewhere important in order to be important.

Finally, the Judges reading (Judges 13:2-24) is yet another example from the Bible of prophesies of a son being born. (Isaac, John the Baptist, Jesus quickly come to mind) Were there no predictions of daughters being born? Were they not recollected? Or are we supposed to believe that as women we are unimportant? There are many important women in the Old and New Testaments and the angel comes to Samson's mother, yet her name isn't even mentioned.

Fourth Friday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

In today's reading from 2 Samuel (verses 18-19), I was struck by the fact that a community event happens (in this case moving the Ark of the Covenant) and everyone in the community leaves with plenty of food:

When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Also, I found it typical of politicians that King David waited until he knew that the Ark was safe and beneficial to the community before bringing it into his territory. And did so with great hoopla.

Third Wednesday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

As an improvement over yesterday, I feel like I am at least comprehending what I am reading. I still like the Psalm. I still find it heavy going to reconcile so much of what I am reading with my universalist belief in a loving god.

Malachi 4:1-3 works for me only in the context of revering the name of the Lord being equivalent to trying not to be wicked, arrogant and evil, going back to Jesus' "Love one another"; not in literally revering. We need to read within both the context in which the Bible was written and our own context. (The former for minimal understanding, the later because honestly, we can't help it and because we must if we are going to apply it to our lives.) Perhaps applying this generally to those who try to love one another is a valid interpretation.

¹ See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. ² But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. ³ And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

I know I've used the weasel word "try" a couple of times here, but as I keep saying, none of us are perfect. (Or only perfect in a Hebrews 10:14 sense.) Only an honest attempt at doing so is possible.

Third Tuesday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

I'm exhausted for no reason other than medication changes. I'm not sure if that is why I have nothing to say (and no thoughts) about these readings, or because they have nothing to say to me.

A Facebook friend passed on a great article from Cracked Magazine called Six Things People Get Wrong About The Bible's Christmas Story

Also, tonight is the first night of Chanukah, a miracle I celebrate. But sadly, I don't have enough energy to celebrate with more than lighting candles on an Android app.

Third Sunday of Advent (2014 Year B)

 I wish I could justify reading these readings selectively and removing everything that refers to justice coming (or blessing being on) those of the twelve tribes (or Jerusalem) and instead being on all of us. Or at least those of us who follow the directions in John 13:34-35:

 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

 We do not have to be Christian to love one another. We don't even have to be perfect (that is covered elsewhere.) We simply have to do our best, to have the desire, the hope, the will to try.

As I said yesterday, I keep reading the readings, my head nodding internally like my grandma's sometimes did externally, and then I hit the words 'Zion' or 'the sons of Jacob' and I feel like not only am I left out, but so many people. I wish to believe that the prophets were speaking to their audience, like the performing artists who change the names of the cities mentioned based on the city they are in. But I don't know if I can justify that.

Beyond all that, I found Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 to be sadly ironic in it's mention of Zion, for if it were to happen today, it is likely that it would be Israel the modern nation who would be the target of the vengeance. (Specifically separate from Israel as religious Jews or the descendants of Jacob as usually used in the scriptures.)

61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;

61:2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

61:3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

61:4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

61:8 For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

61:9 Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.

61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

61:11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. 

This is what I wish for all people!

I saw the following comment on Twitter today and though it was a good point and well worth thinking about.

---

All these people who participate in religious services, service projects, donations this holiday. Why just now? Why not always?
— Suburban Physician (@BurbDoc) December 14, 2014

Third Saturday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

As I was reading the psalm today, I realized why I have had such a struggle with so many of the readings this Advent, particularly the Old Testament readings. So many of them are worded as us or them. I am too much of a universalist to believe that 'our god' did horrible things to them because they aren't us.

For some reason, this year, I am also keenly aware that I am not part of the 'us' meant in most of these readings (descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel.)

I found some hope for the evil I see so much of:

You pierced with their own arrows the head of his warriors,
    who came like a whirlwind to scatter us,
    gloating as if ready to devour the poor who were in hiding.
- Habakkuk 3:14

These 'warriors' seem like a good description of police departments responding with violence to peaceful or calm protests. I can only hope for such an outcome, though I hope the outcome will be through the courts (or a new system), not literal arrows, teargas, bullets, etc.

The parable is a good reminder that it is better to do something positive than say you will and not. Our actions speak louder than our words. That said, I think using our words to support others IS an action.

Note: I have not figured out how posts sent using the Android Blogger app end up as published versus draft, but having to go back in hit publish on this one has given me the opportunity to add this photo, which is of part of someone's shrine to Mary on the alley behind the coffee shop where I write this.

Third Friday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

I got nothing. I got nothing out of these readings, whether that is because I am exhausted or because the primary purpose of today's reading is to 'fill in' bits of the bible we wouldn't read otherwise. Or perhaps as a preparatory reading for Sunday's readings, it will all make sense at a later date.

I have been wondering for the last several days if I am making myself worse by making myself write every day or if I just feel crappy because of my current meds switch. I figure I'll be done with this experiment before my meds are stabilized enough for it to make a difference long term anyway, so I'm going to keep blabbering.

Third Thursday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

Food Not Bombs

Today I found meaning in the first part of  Habakkuk 2:5

Moreover, wealth is treacherous;
    the arrogant do not endure

Maybe this is wishful thinking, because there are certainly plenty of wealthy, powerful arrogant individuals, companies, and communities out there and it would be nice to see them lose power for a more egalitarian system where everyone's basic needs can be met.

On the other hand, I know I can get caught in the treachery of wealth or wanting wealth as well as be arrogant and thoughtless. (Or just arrogant.) So it is a good reminder as well.

(Some manuscripts say "wine is treacherous" BTW.)


Image - Food not Bombs!, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55781 [retrieved December 11, 2014]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32401725@N00/6283518969.

Second Wednesday in Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

Today I am reminded of our essential mutual humanity by this excerpt from Malachi 2:10

Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another?

Second Tuesday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

I decided on this project of blogging the daily (and Sunday) advent readings for a number of reasons. One of them is that on my recent medication regimes, I quit being functional enough most days to feel like I could even write coherently on the topics I'd been working on (Understanding Dog Body Language for a Well Behaved Dog and another project. I'd already had to give up doing anything analytical (ie coding) because it is a seizure trigger for me. As an inherently unreliable narrator with regards to religious ideas. (HT to @BathysphereHat for reminding me of this term today. ) This is particularly true right now when I know my seizures are poorly controlled. On the one hand, I have found this to be particularly freeing, since I know there is a very high likelihood that whatever I am saying is just babblings as my brain tries to make sense of nonsense. On the other, it is very frustrating because there are often times when I feel like I actually see a useful pattern or structure and just can't pull it out. Of course, any given thing could be either.

Today is one of the later days. In the readings, I see a pattern of exhortations to keep up hope, to know things will be better, to not give up. But I can't pull them together into anything.

Part of the intercessory prayer suggested for this week feels like it might come from the result of understanding this though and I think that is the closest I'm going to get.

we pray to you for the needs of the ...the world.
Hear our humble prayer
that we may serve you in holiness and faith
and give voice to your presence among us

Second Monday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's readings

This morning I received a link to a sermon from yesterday that spoke of everything I have been struggling with as far as both the scriptures (especially this week's readings) and the current news. Not surprisingly, it was about both.
The sermon is "Prepare Him Room" by Reverend Robin Bartlett. It is more important than anything I have to say today.

Having been to sick or injured to do most of my usual activities this past year, I have been spending a lot of time doing what I can. One of the more useful things I can do has been making hats for people who need them. I have lost count of how many hats I have made for the Egan Warming Center (but you can see a bunch of them here.) Now that my hand is working better, I'm also making some fleece ones, both for Egan and for an upcoming children's winter clothing drive. I figure that if you have to go to the warming shelter and need a hat, you REALLY need a hat, so right now I'm mostly making them for Egan. I spent a lot of time today cutting out fleece hats (they sew up fastest in bunches.) I am grateful that I can do something for others, even when I am dependant in so many other ways. For me, spending my time this way is what I can do as fellowship.

This may sound like a meander but is brought to you by today's New Testament reading, which also mentions fellowship:

⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. - Acts 2:41-42

 I find it important to remember that as followers of God, we should all sit down in equality and eat. Maybe not always literally eat, but our basic human needs are the same and we should share and treat one another the same. That's hard. Christianity is hard. I am bad at it. But I can choose to strive to do better.

I don't invite the homeless guy who lives in my neighborhood into my house. But I talk to him like a fellow human. And I make hats. Mostly I make hats. Today, it's what I can do.

Second Sunday of Advent (2014 Year B)

This Week's Readings 

I found 2 Peter 3:10-15 particularly important. The first few verses are more context but notice that we are told to wait for God to act and in the meantime strive (try) to be "at peace, without spot or blemish." We are told neither to try and make it happen (that mention is clearly a retorical device) nor to BE (or expect perfection of others. We are to try to be perfect, not expect that from ourselves or others.

3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

3:11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness,

3:12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire?

3:13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

3:14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish;

Another thing I found worthy of note is how John the Baptist downplays water baptism:

I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.  - Mark 1:8

I noticed this because I've heard many Christians who would consider themselves evangelical or fundamentalist say that a baptism is not valid unless water was involved. Yet John himself is specific that the Holy Spirit is what is important. (This doesn't even take the whole issue of immersion or not, with a specific church or groups of churches or not into consideration.)

Second Friday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

Today I feel like both the Jeremiah and the Acts readings are speaking to me. Jeremiah tells us that we don't have to be old and wise or experienced to know and speak the truth, nor that it is important that we wait until a particular place and time. It also should remind us that we should listen to people who are young but speaking truth, whether that is religious truth or political truth or justice truth.

The Acts reading speaks of two very topical things, also similar to that in the Jeremiah reading - going out to talk to new audiences in the face of persecution and speaking to whole new groups. In Acts, Cyprus and Cyrene began speaking to Greeks, not just Jews.

Right now, I feel like we should be listening to the people (many young) teaching and demonstrating on the streets of our cities and the internet about racism and policing and the American "justice" system. In many cases, it is their first time leading or their first time speaking, in others they have been studying for years. But as Christians, it is our time to listen and act for justice. Big table justice.

Second Thursday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings are the start of preparation for Sunday's readings - the Second Sunday of Advent.

To be honest, like pretty much everyone else, I read the bible looking for validation or at most a small building block past where I am. On the other hand, small change is how we often get to new places.

I know I've read these reading before (both as reading the bible in book order and at least the Sunday lectionary readings), but more and more the eye for an eye violence and unforgiveness of the Old Testament bother me. I think there IS a time and place for violence, but I want to find something better than revenge. I don't want one group to win at the expense of others.

These readings are better than last week's on that scale, but still I want more reminder of the need to love one another. We can still seek revolution, fight for right, argue, riot, etc but vengeance doesn't help.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

First Wednesday of Advent (2014 Year B)

Today's Readings

I found the first two readings to be way too violent for my taste. On the other hand, when I look at the news and the blatant racism and classism going on in our legal system right now, I think violence IS a reasonable response. I think part of my problem with the Old Testament readings is that the speaker is unwilling to take responsibility for the violence. They want God to be the violent one, not themselves. On the one hand, as a person of faith, there is no excuse for violence in God's name without God actually there leading. On the other, if you are going to be violent for the sake of your freedom or better treatment, own it as the right or best or available choice, don't blame it on God.

The New Testament reading particularly Luke 21 verses 34-36 is something I found much more personally valuable.

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.”

 Whether it is "stand[ing] before the Son of Man" or anything else important we have a tendency to get involved in the necessities of living and lose sight of it. I think this tends to be particularly likely with regards to things like family, faith, love, nature - all things people of faith count as works and blessings from God or the Holy.

20141214 Fixed Typo while updating labels

First Thursday, Friday, Saturday of Advent (2014 Year B)

I missed the daily preparatory readings for this Sunday, so I am reading them now.

Thursday's Readings
Friday's Readings
Saturday's Readings

So, honestly, as someone raised UU, I can't see most of these readings as anything but anger and looking for revenge. In fact, they make Saturday's readings about false prophets ring particularly loudly. If the end of our faith is hatred or death for those who are not of it or do us wrong, we will have a never ending cycle of violence. This is not in line with the received teachings of Jesus.

I guess in summary, we should be very cautious when someone tells us they are speaking for God. Also, anger is okay, though I don't think we should always act on it. Maybe praying for God to dispense the revenge we want is one way of stepping back so we act in a more useful way.