Last Week of Advent: Emmanuel

Posted in Rites & Rituals | December 23rd, 2004 at 10:04 pm

One of the realities that captures me most this Advent season is the idea of Emmanuel, God with us. I love God as an infant, God as a fellow traveler, God as our sibling and friend. It’s one of the rare traits of Yahweh, this willingness, even eagerness to be near to us.

Last week ThPM gathered for our last week of Advent worship. Catie had been sick all week and I hadn’t had time to write my “sermon” (again.) But we were a small group, Iz was back after a long semester of night classes, and Lindell was home from Pasadena so we wanted to catch up anyway. We had planned to read an essay by Brennen Manning, but we just never got around to it. Still, I thought the opening paragraphs were lovely…and I also like the Bruce Cockburn tune it inspired. So here it is, a little late, for the third week of Advent.

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Chritmas
Orbis Books, 2001
“Shipwrecked at the Stable”
(full text here)

Do you think you could contain Niagra Falls in a teacup?

Is there anyone in our midst who pretends to understand the awesome love in the heart of the Abba of Jessus that inspired, motivated and brought about Chritmas? The shipwrecked at the stable kenel in the presence of mystery.

God entered our world not with the curshing impact of unbearable glory, but in the way of weakness, vulnerability and need. On a wintry night in an obscure cave, the infant Jesus was a humble, naked, helpless God who allowed us to get close to him.

We all know how difficult it is to receive anything from someone who has all the answers, who is completely cool, utterly unafraid, needing nothing and in control of every situation. We feel unnecessary, unrelated to this paragon. So God comes as a newborn baby, giving us a chance to love him, making us feel that we have something to give him.

Big Circumstance
Bruce Cockburn

Blessed are the poor in spirit -
Blessed are the meek
For theirs shall be the kingdom
That the power mongers seek
Blessed are the dead for love
And those who cry for peace
And those who love the gift of earth -
May their gene pool increase

Left like a shadow on the step
Where the body was before -
Shipwrecked at the stable door

2 Responses to “Last Week of Advent: Emmanuel”

  1. K Rains Says: (December 26th, 2004 at 11:23 am)

    Your poetic writing continues to stun and surprise me… surprise in the sense of mini-epiphanies followed quickly by, “Damn! I wish I could write this good!” You and Lamott and Dillard are my favorite female voices… on a list that is clearly dominated (wrong word. Told you i wish I could find words like you!) by women writers. (ok, not dominated… how about ‘haunted’? or ‘clear majoritiezed’ ….ok, now I’m using non-words) peace/

  2. Rachelle Says: (December 29th, 2004 at 9:55 am)

    Thanks Kevin….but I didn’t write either of these pieces. Sorry if I missrepresented that. The paragraph is by Brennen Manning and the lyrics are Cockburn. :-)

    Rachelle