Luke 1:57-66
We are all aware that John the Baptist was a unique person. He was a “miracle baby” born to a couple well beyond their child bearing years. This pregnancy was announced in a unique way by an angel who appeared before Zechariah while he was serving as high priest. The uniqueness continues at the dedication ceremony in the temple on the eighth day. The company of people gathered for the ceremony fully expected that the child should be named after his father and follow in his father’s footsteps. The mute Zechariah wrote on a table that this newborn’s name should be John whereupon he regained his speech and broke out into joyous praise to God. John was unique in his upbringing and as a young man it is believed that he joined a group of desert ascetics who did not cut their hair, ate off the land and wore animal skins for clothing, and practiced austere spiritual disciplines. His entire ministry was unique in that his purpose was to prepare the world for the coming of One who was greater than he. When he had done his job he fades into obscurity until we hear of his grisly death at the hands of Herod. Jesus confirmed that John was the greatest of those born before the coming of the kingdom of God, but that the least of those born into the kingdom were greater than John.
There was one John the Baptist. Our goal should not be to be “called” like John the Baptist—to re-enact the life he led. We do not need to become desert ascetics and wear strange clothes or eat grasshoppers and honey. Yet we are called as well. Our births are special to God. The greatest responsibility of each of us is to be the unique person God has designed us to be. Unlike John, who was named by God, we are named by our parents. Often our parents have expectations for what we will become. They often train us toward those expectations. Sometimes it is to follow in a career path or take over the family business. We are told that we will go to college or serve in the military because it is the tradition in our family. Sometimes this works out well, but there are other times when it seems to be a poor fit at best. We do not feel that we are in the right skin, and believe that we were made for something else. We sometimes feel as if we are wearing masks and playing roles in order to please others who are important to us. Because of this, the results are often mediocre.
One of the lessons from the story of John is that God is present in our formation and that he sees our uniqueness, calls us by name, and desires that we praise him by being what he created us to be. Some are fortunate and know early in life what that is. My sister knew when she was five that she wanted to be a nurse. A nurse that was speaking at the college stayed in our home and Penny was enthralled. She just knew! At seventeen she entered nurse’s training and spent her life as a nurse. A few years ago her husband suffered a stroke and she brought him home to care for him. I heard her express that this was what she had been born to do. Others know it in business, education, ministry, parenthood, or artistic pursuits.
Not all of us are so blessed. It may take us a lifetime to put the pieces together and understand our giftedness and calling. It may take some undoing of false programming. It may take some exploration and trial and error. It may call us to get off the “success” track that our culture promotes. The key is to pay attention to the voice of God who encourages us to move step by step into discovering what he has planned for us. When we find it, we will also find our true voices. Like Zechariah we will use those voices to praise our Creator. And as St. Francis said, we best praise God by being what he created us to be. So let it be.
Giving and Sharing
1 Corinthians 9:1-15
Paul has been put in charge of a fund raising operation. The Christian Jews in Jerusalem are suffering poverty. Their outspoken support of the church of Jesus Christ has made them a target and it has cost them greatly. Paul has taken it in hand to tell the surrounding churches that a collection will be gathered to help these brothers and sisters. He indicates that some preparation is necessary so that when the collectors come, they will find a generous offering has been put together. And so he sets about to remind them of the source of their bounty and the mutuality of their commitment to Christ. He expects generosity of heart.
Around Christmas time we all receive many appeals for financial help for the poor. Many of us pull out the address labels and free greeting cards and throw the appeals in the trash. Paul is making a point here. We are responsible to help the poor. Many of us do not come in contact with the poor during the normal pattern of our ordinary days. We know that they are out there, and we are not avoiding our responsibility we just don’t know the best way to go about it. Paul is underlining the necessity and benefits of giving to those intermediaries who can get the money to where it is needed. In this case ignorance is no excuse. Having worked two summers for the Salvation Army, I have been able to see the wonderful ways in which they serve the poor. They provide life saving service in the name of Christ every day. You know other agencies as well. Paul says give!
However having said this, giving is no excuse for opting out on sharing. Giving to a church, or giving to an agency does not free us from the responsibility to share with those we interact with every day. Sharing is different from giving. Giving can be done for all different kinds of reasons—tax benefits, responsible membership, or personal recognition. Giving does not necessarily involve any personal interaction. Sharing involves caring relationship. In sharing, I see your need and I know that I have something that will meet your need. I offer it not out of pity or superiority but because you are a fellow traveler and I feel a solidarity with you. I have been or might be in your situation and I would like someone to reach out and share with me. Not up to down but side to side. We are not talking only money here. We are talking kind words, encouragement, companionship in the dark days, some investment of effort in helping one to find a way out of difficulty, support as a sponsor, welcoming friendship and inclusion—you get the idea.
At Christmas time it is tempting to give and neglect the sharing. We are so busy with all the extra activity and expense that it is easy to ignore the silent cries of the grieving, the lonely, the worn-out ones. We have other things on our minds. We tell ourselves that we simply don’t have the time, money or energy to do any more than we are doing. Perhaps we might let go of some of the decorating, entertaining, gift buying in order to share our time and resources with others for whom Christmas is not a joyous time. There are those who have lost loved ones during the holidays and remembering is painful There are those homes where substance abuse makes the holiday one long drunk. There are those whose families live far away or have no connection with them. Sharing reaches out in the name of Christ to touch others with love of the Savior whose name we bear. Isn’t sharing as important as giving this season?
Paul has been put in charge of a fund raising operation. The Christian Jews in Jerusalem are suffering poverty. Their outspoken support of the church of Jesus Christ has made them a target and it has cost them greatly. Paul has taken it in hand to tell the surrounding churches that a collection will be gathered to help these brothers and sisters. He indicates that some preparation is necessary so that when the collectors come, they will find a generous offering has been put together. And so he sets about to remind them of the source of their bounty and the mutuality of their commitment to Christ. He expects generosity of heart.
Around Christmas time we all receive many appeals for financial help for the poor. Many of us pull out the address labels and free greeting cards and throw the appeals in the trash. Paul is making a point here. We are responsible to help the poor. Many of us do not come in contact with the poor during the normal pattern of our ordinary days. We know that they are out there, and we are not avoiding our responsibility we just don’t know the best way to go about it. Paul is underlining the necessity and benefits of giving to those intermediaries who can get the money to where it is needed. In this case ignorance is no excuse. Having worked two summers for the Salvation Army, I have been able to see the wonderful ways in which they serve the poor. They provide life saving service in the name of Christ every day. You know other agencies as well. Paul says give!
However having said this, giving is no excuse for opting out on sharing. Giving to a church, or giving to an agency does not free us from the responsibility to share with those we interact with every day. Sharing is different from giving. Giving can be done for all different kinds of reasons—tax benefits, responsible membership, or personal recognition. Giving does not necessarily involve any personal interaction. Sharing involves caring relationship. In sharing, I see your need and I know that I have something that will meet your need. I offer it not out of pity or superiority but because you are a fellow traveler and I feel a solidarity with you. I have been or might be in your situation and I would like someone to reach out and share with me. Not up to down but side to side. We are not talking only money here. We are talking kind words, encouragement, companionship in the dark days, some investment of effort in helping one to find a way out of difficulty, support as a sponsor, welcoming friendship and inclusion—you get the idea.
At Christmas time it is tempting to give and neglect the sharing. We are so busy with all the extra activity and expense that it is easy to ignore the silent cries of the grieving, the lonely, the worn-out ones. We have other things on our minds. We tell ourselves that we simply don’t have the time, money or energy to do any more than we are doing. Perhaps we might let go of some of the decorating, entertaining, gift buying in order to share our time and resources with others for whom Christmas is not a joyous time. There are those who have lost loved ones during the holidays and remembering is painful There are those homes where substance abuse makes the holiday one long drunk. There are those whose families live far away or have no connection with them. Sharing reaches out in the name of Christ to touch others with love of the Savior whose name we bear. Isn’t sharing as important as giving this season?
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