Communion Meditation
December 1, 1974
Jeremiah 33:14-16
I Thessalonians 5:1-6

In a book entitled The Moods of Christmas Howard Thurman observes that

down through history single events or words became critical turning points

for future generations without the people directly involved realizing it.
SS

Who, for instance, on the night of December 16, 1773, realized the future

significance of a group of men, disguised as Ipdians , dumping some tea into
— qe

Boston Harbor?

Ot who could see the tremendous significance for the future spirit

of the nation President Lincoln's words would have, when he scratched out
eee

a very modest speech for the dedication of a military cemetery at Gettysburg?

Thurman writes:\"There must always be provision for the ample moment
ea —_—[—.

when an event takes on the character of the Sacramental, however such an
event may be named in the calendar.\The true significance of the event is to

be found in the quality of celebration which it inspires in the heart."| (p.31)

Consider for instance a most unlikely time - the Seventh century before
pwr
.
cetst:| and a most unlikely man - the reluctant and strange sen of God by
EES = an * =
peow gersvates Xe por Hcipel Vn a Sool &
the name of Jeremiah King Zedekiah had pessmetpeved im sexy inadvisable

weve
newebetion against the overwhelming power of babylon | sezeniah, whose advice
[== =a

wonsolicited vue poreesated
was netewequensed and netecepecsuated Whtiwhewwkiesedemit:, Wd warned against

Vive Corsgeqyener of eC
the feelekeh revolt.\Now all was lost:\the King and the entire ruling class
See ee

of Judah had carried off into Babylonian exite:\ serugalen, including the

——

Temple, was in ruins.\Who at the time saw the significance of the words which
——— |

Jeremiah wrote? ("Behold the days are coming says the Lord, when I will fulfill

the promise I made to teraet.\r will cause a righteous branch to shoot forth".
ed

kk jodie
ie Pe

No one, to be precise.\What the people heard was that the_nati nation

would be restored to its former glory || another great _king would sit on

eviers
the throne of David and the Jf—ms of Babylon and Egypt would know once again

that you can't get away with pushing God's people around indefinitely \No
one really heard. w wot Aeremiatse sara

i illed h conse d to
And when the promise was fulfil no one of muc pee’ seeme
notice with the exception of a few shepherds and several astrononers.\the

moment came and went.

Forty-five years later, a man who knew the significance of the = of
Wis Stiewds i~ Wa Jin GAT at Thesselucea ~

in Bethlehem wrote a letter to a group_of pesphanshentese=terrntts: and this
coe J ae

is what he said:

Le -

"the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the Wa: *
Ah. amp “y

night...so let us not sleep... let us keep awake..." paw +

Now we have trouble with those words because, unfortunately, people
See
ke, wiv @

seem more ready to believe that God wants to end than that He loves it.
———— Ss

=.

"The day of the Lord") has come if aomsmnnie with an ominous catyclsme,.

But, in fact, St. Paul was telling his friends something very important about

life in the world - something very important for us on this day in particular:
Swe

aS

namely, that any moment can become a moment of grace, and that a person who goes
See ee Se ey Se

=
through Life with eyes tightly closed - asleep, as it were - is likely to
oY Sa =a eas

miss the moment when it happens.
—aa

So, today, savent te season that reminds us to expect the unexpected:
Ss — as

the season of the year that suggests that the holy comes to us in the ordinary:

the season that reminds us that the holiest thing that ever happened in_human

history took place in the routine event of human birth.

ie
foie
Culturally, we begin in earnest something that_began when the
a —_SEE Eee Sap
first Santa Claus appeared on the counter_back in october. we will = all
a ecu] a)
of us - get caught in it. h
u get caught up in it.|\The chances are that in the next three weeks

over
we will overwork = get etired - a -
get over-tire @m anxious + and over irritable | We

may even look forward to the blessed silence of December 26 - and in the
——— =

meantime walk through the potentially begugiful and grace-filled days
=e ey Se

of Advent with our eyes tightly closed.

How God in his heaven must regret enact | Because, I believe, for those

who are awake and alert he graces this season with his love and peace and

healing in a special vay)|ven as his love came down in a humble birth, so
—— = — aes

I believe in this season His love lookscfer ways te be let loose among US «

It tugs at our hearts and somehow intensifies our tove.\cod, I believe, is

ery ready t t into th t duri d t d work i ti -
very ready to ge nto e ac uring Advent and work an incarnation ~ an

enfleshing of His love in us ~ that is if we're not too busy or too tired

or too irritable.

—

I believe there are moments of quiet grace given to us as gifts in
=

|

this season 1 believe the joy of God twinkles in the eyes of little children ~

if you will see it\s believe God's pleagure in His creation is reflected in
=e

with Ye wider @

exe & X“ grandparents who indulge the little ones a bit even if they would not dewwe
wr OF — SS eS
yer

or could not have done it with their own |x believe His love is revealed in
SS, San (eae

the thoughtful gift, the kind word.| And I believe His will for His world
ear aaa) ta eee

reaches into our lives as suddenly - at Christmas - we are made uncomfortable

at the thought of warffhunger, injustice, suffering.
co —— oe a

lghen DT be lieve Ld wuts vs wher fa thaugit cf
Hu. Cueryday realities th hunger , ta fete | sr th - beta. -a¥
Chresf mas — ™ Alecchle sisi

So, today, the first_Sunday in the season that reminds us to expect

that which is always unexpected.| And we begin - by design ~ at the place

He promised to meet us - His table:| eating and drinking together those

ordinary elements - by which He choses to have His presence remembered,

ee pies —_

"How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him, still the dear

Christ enters in," Amen.

Father, be with us in the days ahead. Keep us awake to your presence
in our lives: and alert to the moments of grace which you give. Through

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen,

ceed wittert. fautare + lat Sein Loering wheels pregency
it Hemcacle in Pe wah & vmund eval, ways «Shad
he Gries ynrments of Gord ness Greece fo Tose whe are Aerabe

ark alert
Mr me ever Said fhket beter Hur Philtys Larebs “A Weds an

will hear WEieg on fis Seasnm ,

-