Word for the Season
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart...
Joel 2:12
Word for the Day
Joel 2:12
Word for the Day
Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.
(see today's readings for Matthew 1)
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.
(see today's readings for Matthew 1)
Reflection
(Today's longer than usual reflection is based on an Advent homily on the saint of the day)
(Today's longer than usual reflection is based on an Advent homily on the saint of the day)
2,000 years ago, when Christ was about to be born, only a few individuals had any notion at all of what was about to happen.
I wonder if Mary might have asked her betrothed, “Joseph… are you ready for this?”
There was at least one moment when Joseph was not ready for this, when he was ready only to quietly break off his betrothal to Mary - until an angel spoke to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, be not afraid…”
Be not afraid – of what?
Of taking Mary into his home as his wife?
Of caring for a child he knew he had not fathered?
Yes... but more than that,
the angel was telling Joseph,
“Be not afraid of how the mystery of God
is weaving itself into your life,
into your relationship with Mary,
and into your whole future.
Be not afraid, Joseph, of how the mystery of God
will touch your life, shape your life, turn your life around
and stand it on its head!
Like Joseph, all of us face times
when God has allowed things to happen
or has allowed things to fail to happen,
that intimately touch, shape and turn our lives around
in ways we never dreamed would happen,
in ways we wish had never happened...
And in all of this the word to us
is precisely the angel’s word to Joseph in his dream:
“Be not afraid because in everything, and in all things,
God is with you...”
"Joseph, are you ready for this?"
To be ready is to renew our faith, our trust,
in all the ways the mystery of God’s presence
is weaving itself into our lives:
touching and shaping and turning our lives around
in ways we may never have imagined.
And most of all, to be ready
is to trust that God is with us
in everything and in all things...
Take a moment on this day
to imagine Joseph's doubts, his anticipation, his anger…
his regrets, his concern for Mary, his fears…
his wonder, his confusion, his awe…
Imagine Joseph handing his troubles over to God
and trusting, putting his fears aside…
Imagine yourself in Joseph's dream...
Prayer
I return to you today, Lord,
with a heart sometimes ready, sometimes not ready,
to trust you, follow you, love you...
My problems, my worries, my burdens
loom larger than life and back me into corners
where I feel alone and wonder where you have brought me,
where you will lead me - even if you are still with me...
My heart needs a dream, an angel, a message
reminding me not to be afraid...All day long and even in my sleep, Lord,
remind me as you did Joseph
that with you I can face all things,
accept all things, do all things,
endure all things...
Especially when my life and my heart
are spun around and upside down;
when my sense of direction fails me;
when I fear the path I walk:
remind me then, Lord, not to be afraid,
to trust that with you at my side
I can be ready
for whatever comes my way...
I come to you today with a heart
sometimes ready and sometimes not ready:
ready or not, Lord, here I come!
Ready or not, Lord, here I am and here I stand
in need of your love and your strength...
I trust you, Lord,
and pray you will trust me
to return to you this Lent, day by day,
with my whole heart...
Amen. 2009LentPostCollection
Image: Gwen Meharg
I wonder if Mary might have asked her betrothed, “Joseph… are you ready for this?”
There was at least one moment when Joseph was not ready for this, when he was ready only to quietly break off his betrothal to Mary - until an angel spoke to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, be not afraid…”
Be not afraid – of what?
Of taking Mary into his home as his wife?
Of caring for a child he knew he had not fathered?
Yes... but more than that,
the angel was telling Joseph,
“Be not afraid of how the mystery of God
is weaving itself into your life,
into your relationship with Mary,
and into your whole future.
Be not afraid, Joseph, of how the mystery of God
will touch your life, shape your life, turn your life around
and stand it on its head!
Like Joseph, all of us face times
when God has allowed things to happen
or has allowed things to fail to happen,
that intimately touch, shape and turn our lives around
in ways we never dreamed would happen,
in ways we wish had never happened...
And in all of this the word to us
is precisely the angel’s word to Joseph in his dream:
“Be not afraid because in everything, and in all things,
God is with you...”
"Joseph, are you ready for this?"
To be ready is to renew our faith, our trust,
in all the ways the mystery of God’s presence
is weaving itself into our lives:
touching and shaping and turning our lives around
in ways we may never have imagined.
And most of all, to be ready
is to trust that God is with us
in everything and in all things...
Take a moment on this day
to imagine Joseph's doubts, his anticipation, his anger…
his regrets, his concern for Mary, his fears…
his wonder, his confusion, his awe…
Imagine Joseph handing his troubles over to God
and trusting, putting his fears aside…
Imagine yourself in Joseph's dream...
Prayer
I return to you today, Lord,
with a heart sometimes ready, sometimes not ready,
to trust you, follow you, love you...
My problems, my worries, my burdens
loom larger than life and back me into corners
where I feel alone and wonder where you have brought me,
where you will lead me - even if you are still with me...
My heart needs a dream, an angel, a message
reminding me not to be afraid...All day long and even in my sleep, Lord,
remind me as you did Joseph
that with you I can face all things,
accept all things, do all things,
endure all things...
Especially when my life and my heart
are spun around and upside down;
when my sense of direction fails me;
when I fear the path I walk:
remind me then, Lord, not to be afraid,
to trust that with you at my side
I can be ready
for whatever comes my way...
I come to you today with a heart
sometimes ready and sometimes not ready:
ready or not, Lord, here I come!
Ready or not, Lord, here I am and here I stand
in need of your love and your strength...
I trust you, Lord,
and pray you will trust me
to return to you this Lent, day by day,
with my whole heart...
Amen. 2009LentPostCollection
Image: Gwen Meharg
-ConcordPastor
Again the Holy Spirit uses you to affirm all that God is teaching me.
ReplyDeleteThis morning with a 5:00AM phone call of distress in someone who is my own and I love, but who has little to no relationship with God, I wonder how all will unfold...clearly I must not be afraid. Praise be, I knew that and for the first time was aware of trusting it. Thank you for the affirmation!!!
I imagine Joseph felt very overwhelmed, as I so often feel, with all the feelings you listed- I often feel those all at once.
ReplyDeleteThis Daily Prayer has given me a lot to think about...
and by putting me in a "thoughtful place" has somehow set aside all those overwhelming feelings, for awhile...
thank you.
Thanks I needed that.
ReplyDeleteFor a very long time I've prayed for someone like Joseph to come into my life. I believe someday, God will answer my prayers. If not now, when I die, I pray someone like Joseph will greet me into heaven....
ReplyDelete