Reflection on Gaudete Sunday and Newtown
Dec. 15th, 2012 01:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chrishansenhomeGaudete in Latin is the imperative: "Rejoice!" and it is always what the third Sunday of Advent is called.
We may not feel much like rejoicing today, with the terrible news that has come from Connecticut, and we may not know what we can do about it, if anything. The question of the theodicy, that is, why do bad things happen to good people, is not something that I can give the answer to: the best minds down the ages have not been able to settle the question and I am far from the best mind around.
I don't pretend to console anyone. The question that John the Baptist is asked in Luke's Gospel, "What then should we do?" is pertinent, though. Those who do not profess any belief in God will probably not get a lot of comfort from my sermon, to be delivered tomorrow. So I have put most of it under a cut, which if you are interested you may pursue.
“And the crowds asked him: ‘What then should we do?’”
In the name of God, the one, the Undivided Trinity. AMEN.
Whenever there is a question that perplexes us, it’s natural to turn to an authority figure and ask, “What should we do?” There is no more suitable reading for this Sunday than this one from Luke. You will all have heard about or seen the news from Newtown, Connecticut in the United States. Young children in their first decade of life, and their teachers, there to protect as well as instruct, were killed by a former student, who was fresh from murdering his own mother. He then took his own life. Twenty-seven lives were cut short by this horrendous act.
On the Today program on Radio 4 yesterday, this story was told again and again. People from the United States were interviewed and, every time, the conversation turned on some variation of “What should you do about this?”
I cannot offer reasons why this happened, and I dare not explore the mind of the Almighty, for whom the question of why bad things happen to good people is simple; for us, this question is dark, and evil.
What we can explore a bit is how we as people, as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, daughters and sons feel about this and how we react to it.
There are no words to express the horror that most people feel about this act. Imagining that this happened to you, or your friends, or your children is nothing compared to the loss that these people’s families and friends feel today. The mass media compound the loss by poking microphones and cameras into people’s faces and asking them, “How do you feel today after the loss of your children?” or actually telling them how they should feel, saying “You must feel absolutely horrified by this.” It would be understandable if a parent or a spouse slapped the questioner. Hard.
So as Christians and as humans we collectively ask “What then should we do?” It’s a natural feeling to want to DO something, ANYTHING, when confronted by tragedy. In the US, when someone dies, the neighbours often get together and help to feed the survivors. Families who are feeling too much sorrow to want to cook are comforted by casseroles, pies, stews, sandwiches, all left at the door or in the kitchen by neighbours who want to do something to help those who are bereaved.
“What then should we do?” The survivors are too far away to send casseroles to, although John the Baptist says that “whoever has food must share with anyone who has none”.
The natural inclination of religious people, whether Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists, or any other religion, is to pray when confronted by the unspeakable horrors or life. We are doing that today, of course, and we often do that outside of church. Our first thoughts go to those who are personally affected by horror or injustice. I often stop what I’m doing and reflect on hearing news of this sort. It has not affected me personally, but the bell not only tolls in Newtown, it tolls here in London, and everywhere, and it tolls for us too.
We are currently in the season of Advent, where we pray for the coming of Christ to earth. The interesting fact about this is that (barring Mayan calendar events on the 21st), Christ comes every year whether we pray for his coming or not. Christmas comes as dependably as tax demands, or death.
So we pray not just for Christ’s coming, but we pray to condition our reaction to his coming. Do we accept the inevitable Christmas season with resignation, joy, or anticipation? Do we prepare our own hearts anew each and every year so that, when Christmas actually does come, we have amended our lives so that we are fit to receive Christ into that manger we call a home? I hope that we do.
Turning back to the tragedy in America, “What then should we do?” about that, other than pray for the survivors, as well as the dead.
Preparing our own souls for the time when we ourselves will die is something that we can do. It’s not easy, obviously. Imagining a time after our own earthly existence has ended is difficult. In many ways I believe we want just to go on and on, with death only a hiccup in our existence.
I don’t know what will happen after death, but it will not be merely a hiccup. We believe that the little children who have died in the United States are in the hands of our Creator, and no torment will touch them. The unquenchable fire that John the Baptist refers to at the end of the Gospel reading is not, cannot be, the fate of these tiny ones. They did not live the kind of lives that merit anything except peace.
“What then should we do?” In the Epistle Paul tells us. “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again, I say, Rejoice!” Is that appropriate? Paul doesn’t say “Rejoice if things are going well for you.” He says merely, “Rejoice!” Rejoice through your tears; rejoice through your sorrows, rejoice for the existence of good in our world. If our rejoicing were dependent upon eternal and universal goodness, we would have no cause ever to rejoice.
Paul also says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Do not worry. Be calm. Be still. Pray.
Therefore may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, to whom be ascribed all might, majesty, dominion, and praise both now and evermore. AMEN.
We may not feel much like rejoicing today, with the terrible news that has come from Connecticut, and we may not know what we can do about it, if anything. The question of the theodicy, that is, why do bad things happen to good people, is not something that I can give the answer to: the best minds down the ages have not been able to settle the question and I am far from the best mind around.
I don't pretend to console anyone. The question that John the Baptist is asked in Luke's Gospel, "What then should we do?" is pertinent, though. Those who do not profess any belief in God will probably not get a lot of comfort from my sermon, to be delivered tomorrow. So I have put most of it under a cut, which if you are interested you may pursue.
Dec. 16, 2012 Gaudete Sunday/3rd Sunday of Advent
Sermon delivered at St. John the Evangelist, 10AM.
First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18 Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7; Gospel: Luke 3:10-18
Sermon delivered at St. John the Evangelist, 10AM.
First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18 Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7; Gospel: Luke 3:10-18
“And the crowds asked him: ‘What then should we do?’”
In the name of God, the one, the Undivided Trinity. AMEN.
Whenever there is a question that perplexes us, it’s natural to turn to an authority figure and ask, “What should we do?” There is no more suitable reading for this Sunday than this one from Luke. You will all have heard about or seen the news from Newtown, Connecticut in the United States. Young children in their first decade of life, and their teachers, there to protect as well as instruct, were killed by a former student, who was fresh from murdering his own mother. He then took his own life. Twenty-seven lives were cut short by this horrendous act.
On the Today program on Radio 4 yesterday, this story was told again and again. People from the United States were interviewed and, every time, the conversation turned on some variation of “What should you do about this?”
I cannot offer reasons why this happened, and I dare not explore the mind of the Almighty, for whom the question of why bad things happen to good people is simple; for us, this question is dark, and evil.
What we can explore a bit is how we as people, as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, daughters and sons feel about this and how we react to it.
There are no words to express the horror that most people feel about this act. Imagining that this happened to you, or your friends, or your children is nothing compared to the loss that these people’s families and friends feel today. The mass media compound the loss by poking microphones and cameras into people’s faces and asking them, “How do you feel today after the loss of your children?” or actually telling them how they should feel, saying “You must feel absolutely horrified by this.” It would be understandable if a parent or a spouse slapped the questioner. Hard.
So as Christians and as humans we collectively ask “What then should we do?” It’s a natural feeling to want to DO something, ANYTHING, when confronted by tragedy. In the US, when someone dies, the neighbours often get together and help to feed the survivors. Families who are feeling too much sorrow to want to cook are comforted by casseroles, pies, stews, sandwiches, all left at the door or in the kitchen by neighbours who want to do something to help those who are bereaved.
“What then should we do?” The survivors are too far away to send casseroles to, although John the Baptist says that “whoever has food must share with anyone who has none”.
The natural inclination of religious people, whether Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists, or any other religion, is to pray when confronted by the unspeakable horrors or life. We are doing that today, of course, and we often do that outside of church. Our first thoughts go to those who are personally affected by horror or injustice. I often stop what I’m doing and reflect on hearing news of this sort. It has not affected me personally, but the bell not only tolls in Newtown, it tolls here in London, and everywhere, and it tolls for us too.
We are currently in the season of Advent, where we pray for the coming of Christ to earth. The interesting fact about this is that (barring Mayan calendar events on the 21st), Christ comes every year whether we pray for his coming or not. Christmas comes as dependably as tax demands, or death.
So we pray not just for Christ’s coming, but we pray to condition our reaction to his coming. Do we accept the inevitable Christmas season with resignation, joy, or anticipation? Do we prepare our own hearts anew each and every year so that, when Christmas actually does come, we have amended our lives so that we are fit to receive Christ into that manger we call a home? I hope that we do.
Turning back to the tragedy in America, “What then should we do?” about that, other than pray for the survivors, as well as the dead.
Preparing our own souls for the time when we ourselves will die is something that we can do. It’s not easy, obviously. Imagining a time after our own earthly existence has ended is difficult. In many ways I believe we want just to go on and on, with death only a hiccup in our existence.
I don’t know what will happen after death, but it will not be merely a hiccup. We believe that the little children who have died in the United States are in the hands of our Creator, and no torment will touch them. The unquenchable fire that John the Baptist refers to at the end of the Gospel reading is not, cannot be, the fate of these tiny ones. They did not live the kind of lives that merit anything except peace.
“What then should we do?” In the Epistle Paul tells us. “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again, I say, Rejoice!” Is that appropriate? Paul doesn’t say “Rejoice if things are going well for you.” He says merely, “Rejoice!” Rejoice through your tears; rejoice through your sorrows, rejoice for the existence of good in our world. If our rejoicing were dependent upon eternal and universal goodness, we would have no cause ever to rejoice.
Paul also says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Do not worry. Be calm. Be still. Pray.
Therefore may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, to whom be ascribed all might, majesty, dominion, and praise both now and evermore. AMEN.
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no subject
Date: 2012-12-16 12:19 pm (UTC)Thank you for sharing this!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-16 06:32 pm (UTC)