daily life as life goes on . . .

For Karl Barth, the eye, the ear and the mouth are symbols of our co-humanity.  We are persons, that is, c0-humans, when we can look the other in the eye, when we hear the other, and when we speak to the other.  Most importantly, he adds, it is when we do all this gladly.  Contemporary culture seems to define humanity differently.  The eye becomes a means of detached voyeurism and its primary object is itself – the  fascination with self-discovery.  The ear listens to one’s needs and the mouth becomes the means of satisfying one’s appetites, those tastes , those predilections that the ear determines.  But we don’t do this gladly, we do it desperately . . . because time is short.

Dr. Alan Torrance quoted in Volume 2 of letters of faith through the seasons, edited by James M. Houston, p. 166-167

Had a great time tonight going over our Christmas program.  Little details like lighting and blocking and decor and staging.  The chaos is beginning to lift and I’m sure by dress rehearsal on Saturday we will be well on the way!!

What has amazed us is those who say they will be attending.  We had 145 last year at our Christmas program.  This year I suggested we might have 150 – 200.  That was almost a laughable prediction – the 145 last year was the first time we hit that mark in at least seven years.  So we quietly set about food preparations and seating for a lower number. 

Then we began to realize that people were planning on showing up – some who hadn’t been around the church for awhile.  The first tally prior to Sunday put us around the 140 mark.  Today we are at 165 reserved.  And 10 – 15 possibles.  With excitement also comes trepidation.  What if we don’t have enough food?  What if the program doesn’t flow well?  What if . . .

Well, I’m excited!  I can see this happening.  We have great people charged with various areas of responsibility.  This will be more than expected, but sometimes we just have to let God surprise us!!

Jill is reading a book called “Wicca’s Charm” by Catherine Edwards Sanders.  Wicca is a religion that is often associated with Witchcraft, but is much broader than that – having an appeal to people with a stress on the supernatural and an ability to let you make up your own religion.  A younger generation has embraced this approach – I remember a 20 something talking about her own background where one phase included being a Wiccan.

Sanders gives the following quote:

Wiccans and orthodox Christians may both agree that the supernatural exists, but I learned from my conversations with Wiccans that,  in their experience, many churches ignore the reality of an unseen world.  Church becomes another boring social exercise, and in our busy lives, who has time for that?  Churches that don’t encourage all the “basics” – forgiveness of sins, a relationship with Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – quickly lose people to alternative religions that do offer supernatural experiences.(p.23)

There is a moment each day when it is morning before it is morning.  Darkness hovers over the deep.  Those who wait for the dawn can hear it even before they see it.  At first are only the slight sounds of attunement as a chorus of birds assembles twits and trills, chirps and peeps, and even the occasional squawk.  Slowly they gather into one great concerted song of supplication:  Let it begin! Let us Begin!  May it begin again!

They are of one accord.  They do not take the dawn for granted.  When it  bursts upon them, once again, as on the first day of creation, they give thanks once again for this once only day, to begin.

The birds know, as we sometimes do, that the light does not dawn because of our singing.  We sign because the dawn appears as grace.

From:  Leddy, Mary Jo.  Radical Gratitude.  Orbis Books, 2002.  p. 38-39.