A Christmas Card

A Christmas Card - Written in 1947

When the white stars talk together like sisters 
And when the winter hills 
Raise their grand semblance in the freezing night, 
Somewhere one window 
Bleeds like the brown eye of an open force.

Hills, stars, 
White stars that stand above the eastern stable.

Look down and offer Him. 
The dim adoring light of your belief.
Whose small Heart bleeds with infinite fire.

Shall not this Child 
(When we shall hear the bells of His amazing voice) 
Conquer the winter of our hateful century?

And when His Lady Mother leans upon the crib, 
Lo, with what rapiers 
Those two loves fence and flame their brilliancy!

Here in this straw lie planned the fires 
That will melt all our sufferings: 
He is our Lamb, our holocaust!

And one by one the shepherds, with their snowy feet, 
Stamp and shake out their hats upon the stable dirt, 
And one by one kneel down to look upon their Life.

http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/poetry/merton.html - toc

Mary - Refugee & Prophet

My favourite restaurant is a Vietnamese restaurant that does the best rice paper spring rolls in the world; well, maybe just in Australia, but they rock. The restaurant was started in the late '70's by a Vietnamese refugee who came to Australia with his family as boat people after the end of the Vietnam war. In conversations he has related the horror and anguish of that trip as he sought to give his family a new start, something he is forever grateful to Australia for. And so am I. The food is great.

Yet our country remains preoccupied with refugees, especially with those who wish to come to this country for a new start and are brought here by the so called 'people smugglers', 'entrepreneurs' who make their living by exploiting peoples' aspirations and hope for something better, a fairly popular way of making a quick buck in the first world as well.

"Of the 11,491 people seeking asylum in Australia in the period of 2010-11, 6,316 arrived by air. This means less than half arrived by boat. In fact, asylum seekers arriving by boat make up just 2.7% of the total migrant intake into Australia yet their perceived threat to the community is greatly exaggerated, with 72% of Australians concerned about asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat."(2)  This year 220 boats and just over 13,500 people have arrived.(2) If these figures are to be trusted, then the increase in numbers this year still equates to less than 8% of the total migrant intake to our country.

Not only have these people been exploited by the smugglers, they have also been exploited by the political parties, lobbyists and mainstream media for a range of dubious reasons, appealing to the fear, misunderstanding and disinterest of the average Australian. The various programs used to house and process them are less than humane, tent villages on remote islands while waiting a lengthy period to be processed, are to be condemned by fair minded people. 

We may at this time be marvelling at the inability of the American people to deal with the gun crisis in their country, but our phobia towards the ordinary people we call refugees is just as illogical and unnecessary.

Mary knew all about being a refugee.The moment she discovers she is pregnant she seeks refuge outside her village. She left her home and stayed away for 3 months in the home of Elizabeth in a hill town up and away from Nazareth.  It wasn't she was in mortal danger if she stayed in the village, but there would have been gossip, innuendo and a sense of fear if she did.  It was safer to be some where else until the smoke cleared and Joseph had had a chance to smooth things over with the families etc. She did go back, but not straight away.

If Mary knew about being a refugee, then so did Jesus. Even before he was born, Jesus was on the move to avoid controversy and bigotry. His was no romantic conception or birth.  Everything about Jesus conception and birth was clothed in the spectre of violence and rejection. Mary feared rejection and escaped to Elizabeth.  Later Mary and Joseph feared that Jesus would die in Bethlehem, (they hadn't gone home to Nazareth), under Herod's decree which saw a number of children, possibly related to them,die needlessly. Jesus was born with loss and grief, and grew up moving in its' shadow.

Yet when Mary meets with Elizabeth, Elizabeth (v. 41 - 45)  recognises the baby Mary is carrying is the promised Messiah. It can be suggested that Luke reports this meeting so as to connect John with Jesus by suggesting that John, in Elizabeth's womb, recognises the unborn Jesus as the Messiah. Regardless, this is the moment when both become aware of the mystical nature of the situation and develop an unbreakable bond as they give voice to the mystery within Mary.

Mary gives voice to her wonder in the words we call the Magnificat where Mary says,

‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 

   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 

for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.

   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

   and holy is his name. 

His mercy is for those who fear him

   from generation to generation. 

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. 

He has helped his servant Israel,

   in remembrance of his mercy, 

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’ 

In response to Elizabeth's acclamation of her faith, Mary announces the New covenant in her song of praise which makes clear the following:

v. 50 - the mercy of God

v.48  -  has become real to

v. 51 - reverse the hierarchy of power

v. 52 -  with a preference for the poor and the oppressed.

These words echo the intent of the Old Covenant found right throughout what we call the Old Testament (the texts which are a testament to the arrangement between God and his people before Jesus' birth).  Mary's song clearly marks the point in which the old has been fulfilled, and the new is here.  When, at the beginning of his ministry Jesus stands in the synagogue in Luke 4, he takes the words of Isaiah and uses words similar to those his mother had used at his conception:

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

   because he has anointed me

     to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

   and recovery of sight to the blind,

     to let the oppressed go free, 

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ (Luke 4:18-19)

In the eyes and wisdom of Mary and Elizabeth, the covenant is alive and well!(v. 55)  God has not forgotten them, in fact, he has come to dwell among them in the form of Mary's boy child. It is true to say that the story of Israel owes much to the spirituality and mystical wisdom of women and this is another example. In the vision and subsequent example of Jesus, he lives up to his mother's insight and fulfils the promises made about him.

Mary speaks the truth in an incredibly difficult situation. And she returns to live out of that truth in the circumstances she found her self in. The challenge Mary gives to us is to take the words of her Song to be what they are, the full expression of the unbroken covenant between God and his people which we are to live out every day in memory of Christ, who instituted the new covenant with his body and his blood. Amen

Let us pray:

Lord;

As we come to this Christmas, 

let us celebrate the courage and fortitude,

Mary and women throughout the centuries have displayed.  

Let us not put barriers in their way.  

Let us embrace the mothers 

who today are mourning the loss of their children

in tragedies such as Sandy Hook 

and other forms of meaningless violence  - 

wars, bigotry, fear and misinformation.  

Let us recognise the difficulties of being a mother 

in a world where women are yet to be equal. 

Let us grasp the insight of Mary 

when she recognised the possibilities 

her unborn child brought to the world; 

and let us work to ensure that 

all have the chance to live to their full potential 

in our world, even here in Australia. Amen

1 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/08/australia-fear-boat-people-asylum-seekers

2 http://www.safecom.org.au/pdfs/boat-arrivals-stats.pdf

One Prank Phone Call

Over the last couple of weeks, our society has been challenged by one prank phone call.  Now I will declare my hand early here – I do not like practical jokes. I am uncomfortable with the idea of exploit someone for the benefits of others.I  avoided them in school, although I was often the butt of such jokes, I didn’t return the favour. It always felt like bullying to me, and still does.

The much publicised phone call to the London hospital where Catherine was recuperating, and the subsequent tragic death of one of the key players, has created a media storm and backlash which has exceeded all imagination. We all have an opinion on this, but I caution some reflection before we launch to hotly onto our soapboxes.

What was the sin the radio station committed? Did it break the law? Did it follow procedure? It is of little consequence if they did or didn’t, for following the law and due process often only sanctions immoral, or at best, amoral actions. Being inside the law or diligently in the process doesn’t mean it is right, true or moral.

The radio station sinned (we will use that word for that is what it is) by seeing those involved simply as a means to an end. They were objects to be manipulated for humour, advertising and ratings. The station never at any point saw the objects as people with feelings, emotions, frailities and flaws.  They were there to be used.

Their cynical use of the young announcers on a merry-go-round of tv interviews demonstrates a 'spin it faster than a Simpson washing machine' crisis management media policy and a disregard for the welfare of even their own people. Everybody involved in this deserves better, but better is not possible if you see every one as a means to an end – as an object for your to use as you please.

It saddened me to listen to a local FM station the day after the tv interviews was aired, to here the breakfast crew calling for people to ring in and ‘dob-in’ the mother who has been breast feeding their child the longest. It was the same network responsible for the prank phone call.

Paul in his letter to the Phillipians counters this idea of treating all things and peoples a objects by asking those he writes to to:

4Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. ²I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

•  ^‘5Let your gentleness be known to everyone.’

o   How are we to treat others – gently! The two women he refers to appears to have been estranged for some reason. They are good women but something comes between them. Paul says encourage them, be gentle and celebrate them and all that they have done.  Don't take sides and don't use this situation for your benefit.

• ‘The Lord is near.’

o   Why? Because we will be called to account. The judgement of God is not reserved for judgement day. Judgement does happen now. Our actions, attitudes and desires have consequences/judgements which become present in real time, as the radio station has discovered. We are judged by the consequences of what we do and how we think. If we objectify others we do them violence, and those who live by the sword are judged in the same way.

•  ^‘8Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.’

o   How do we get it right more times than not? By how we think, by what we concentrate on, what drives our thinking and our desires.  Paul antidote is simple.  Put the good stuff in and the good stuff will come out. Clean up how you think about others, about yourself and about your world by majoring on the ‘whatever is’ in Paul’s letter – honourable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellence and praiseworthy.

• ^‘7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

o   Peace of heart and mind is a rare commodity – sought by many, found by few, for few can think in the way Paul asks on their own.  On our own we lose heart and start to find the negative, to manipulate people to feel better, to shift the blame to others and more.  We are left with no space for peace for peace needs space to abound. We fill the space with anger, frustration, malice and greed and then wonder why we are full of unrest and anxiety.

o   Peace comes from thinking about the 'whatever’s' Paul introduces us to because these are the mind of Christ. If we can hold those at the forefront of our heart and mind, we begin to think and become like Jesus who was always other-centric – always thought of others. We are often self-centric, that is why tragedies such as the radio stunt gone wrong occurs. 

o   Peace comes when we are other-centric and find ways to include all within our compassion and care, even those who have made terrible mistakes, including those involved in this prank. Do we add to the violence by objectifying them as 'bad', 'irresponsible', giving voice to our anger, or do we open up ways of redemption for them?  Can we be gentle with them and remember they are human beings who, like us are flawed and 'sinful', and deserve the opportunity to redeem themselves? If we are other-centric, that is what we will do.

As we move through this Advent period and waiting for the coming judgement of the world in the shape of the Messiah, let us think on whatever is and search our own hearts for space to embrace the mind of Christ and the peace it brings.