The Texts for Advent 3, December 13th, 2015

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20

 14Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;

  shout, O Israel!

 Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

  O daughter Jerusalem!

 15The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,

  he has turned away your enemies.

 The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;

  you shall fear disaster no more.

 16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

 Do not fear, O Zion;

  do not let your hands grow weak.

 17The Lord, your God, is in your midst,

  a warrior who gives victory;

 he will rejoice over you with gladness,

  he will renew you in his love;

 he will exult over you with loud singing

  18as on a day of festival.

 I will remove disaster from you,

  so that you will not bear reproach for it.

 19I will deal with all your oppressors

  at that time.

 And I will save the lame

  and gather the outcast,

 and I will change their shame into praise

  and renown in all the earth.

 20At that time I will bring you home,

  at the time when I gather you;

 for I will make you renowned and praised

  among all the peoples of the earth,

 when I restore your fortunes

  before your eyes, says the Lord.

Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-6

 2Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid,

  for the Lord God is my strength and my might, and has become my salvation.

 3With joy you will draw water

  from the wells of salvation. 

 4And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on God’s name;

  make known the deeds of the Lord among the nations; proclaim that this name is exalted.

 5Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;

  let this be known in all the earth.

 6Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,

  for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. 

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7

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.

Gospel: Luke 3:7-18

7John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

  10And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

  15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

  18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Luke 3: 7-18 Greek Text Studies

Greek Study Luke 3:7-18

  
v7 ελεγεν (λεγω) imperf. "John said" τοις οχλοις (ος) dat. "to the crowds" – a dative of indirect object. In Matthew and Mark, John addresses the religious leaders, in Luke these rather harsh words are addressed to the crowd.

γεννηματα (α ατος) "offspring” εχιδνων (α) gen. "of snakes” a likely allusion to the Devil. These Israelites, who should be sons of God, are instead sons of the Devil, i.e. lost and facing judgment.

υπεδειξεν (υποδεικνυμι) aor. "warned" With an infinitive, "warned", but the more general "informed" fits better. It seems likely John is reacting to a superficial response to his preaching

φυγειν (φευγω) aor. inf. "to flee" - infinitive forms a dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what they were warned to do.

της μελλουσης οργης "the coming wrath" the day of judgment, an important element in John's preaching.

  
v8 ποιησατε (ποιεω) aor. imp. "produce" do – a strange expression, possibly a Semeticism "let your lives prove your change of heart".

μη αρξησθε (αρχω) aor. subj. "do not begin" – a negated subjunctive expressing prohibition, "do not even begin to say…", 

υμιν dat. "[I tell] you" οτι "that" – a dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what the Baptist tells them.

εκ + gen. "from [these stones]" - source/origin- the allusion is unclear; possibly Isaiah 51:1-2 where Abraham is referred to as a rock from which God cuts the stones who seek him. 

τω Αβρααμ dat. "for Abraham" - Dative of interest.

  
v9 ηδη adv. "already" - emphasizing the urgent nature of John's message.

των δενδρων (ον) gen. "of the trees" - partitive.

μη ποιουν (ποιεω) pres. part. "does not produce" - present tense, as with "cut down", is gnomic, expressing a timeless fact. 

εκκοπτεται (εκκοπτω) pres. "will be cut down" – a futuristic  present tense.

  
v10 ποιησωμεν (ποιεω) aor. subj. "should we do" – a deliberative subjunctive "What is the action that reflects repentance?" 

v11 ο εξων (εχω) pres. part. "the man with [two tunics]" μεταδοτω (μεταδιδωμι) aor. imp. "should share with" - note how John defines the fruit of repentance in the terms of radical generosity. He neither calls for the abandonment of nor reformation of society; only that mercy (generosity, kindness) is the primary fruit of repentance.

v12 ελωναι (ης ου) "tax collectors" - in the service of the Roman Government often used their franchise, under the authority of Rome to collect duties on the sale and transport of goods, over and above their normal commission.

βαπτισθηναι (βαπτιζω) aor. pas. inf. "to be baptized" - infinitive used to express purpose.

ποιησωμεν (ποιεω) aor. subj. "[what] should we do?"

  
v13 μηδεν .... πρασσετε (πρασσω) pres. imp. "don't collect" -.

παρα + acc. "[any more] than" – a comparative genitive.

το διατεταγμενον (διατασσω) perf. pas. part. "required" i.e. the "fixed rate".

  
v14 στρατευομενοι (στρατευω) pres. part. "some soldiers" - participle serves as a substantive, either Jewish mercenaries in Roman service or members of Antipas' guard.

ενηρωτων (επερωταω) imperf. "asked" – (repeated asking although the imperfect is 

often used of speech.

μηδενα διασεισητε (διασειω) aor. subj. "don't shake down” by violence.

μηδε συκοφαντησητε (συκοφαντεω) aor. subj. "don't accuse people falsely" a subjunctive of prohibition so probably, "don't seek bribes."

τοις οψωνιοις (ον) dat. "with [your] wages” 

v15 προσδοκωντος (προσδοκαω) gen. pres. part. "[the people] were waiting expectantly" The participle with the noun του λαου, "the people",  form a temporal clause; "while the people were in suspense".

διαλογιζομενων (διαλογιζομαι) gen. pres. part. "were [all] wondering" - a genitive absolute formed with "everyone" - possibly temporal .so, "when they were all debating in their minds".

εν "in [their hearts]" - expressing sphere.

μηποτε "might" - perhaps, lest, maybe. expecting a negative conclusion, i.e. the people knew John was not the messiah. Yet, it seems more likely that here the conjunction expresses doubt, particularly with the optative of the verb to-be. "Whether perhaps he might be…” ο χριστος (ος) "the Christ".

v16 λεγων (λεγω) pres. part. πασιν "answered them all" - i.e. all Israel ", John is addressing all in the crowd about to be baptized. 

εγω "I" - Emphatic βαπτιζω pres. "I baptize" - ongoing action; "I am baptizing with…"

υδατι (ωρ ατος) dat. "water" - dative is instrumental, but locative "in" is possible. The position is emphatic, so, "only with water" is the most likely translation.

ο ισχυροτερος comp. adj. "one stronger μου gen. pro. "than I" - ablative of comparison.

ικανος adj. "[I am not] worthy"  competent λυσαι (λυω) aor. inf. "to loose” - infinitive is epexegetic, explaining what John is not worthy to do.

των υποδηματων (α ατος) gen. "[the straps] of [whose] sandals" - genitive is adjectival.

πνευματι αγιω και πυρι "the Holy Spirit and fire" - The meaning of these words has prompted endless debate. A singular sense is possible, .eg. "a purging (cleansing) Spirit", but it is likely the messiah "immerses/overwhelms" with both Spirit (cleansing through regeneration) and fire (cleansing through tribulation). 

  

v17 το πτυον (ον) "[his] winnowing fork" - agricultural implement used to separate chaff from grain by casting both into the air on a windy day. 

διακαθαραι (διακαθαιρω) aor. inf. "so to clear" - infinitive expressing purpose.

συναγαγειν (συναγω) aor. inf. "to gather" - call together- infinitive expressing purpose.

κατακαυσει (κατακαιω) fut. "he will burn up" - consume.

πυρι ασβεστω dat. "with unquenchable fire" – an instrumental dative, meaning a fire that "cannot be put out"- likely alluding to the rubbish dump outside Jerusalem which was constantly burning 

v18 πολλα .... ετερα "many other words" - many other. "Word's" assumed, although possibly "ways". The point is that the previous verses is but a summary of John's preaching. 

παρακαλων (παρακαλεω) pres. part. "John preached" ‘admonished” (?) reflecting John's stern message. 

ευηγγελιζετο (ευαγγελιζω) imperf. "the good news" - Usually a technical term referring to gospel preaching, so "evangelizing", but here likely his message to the people about God’s intent.

  

And Peace to God's People on Earth

Faith is the art of holding on to things in spite of your changing moods and circumstances. — C. S. Lewis 

There is a simple and beautiful symmetry in the writings of Luke. “What shall we do?” asks the crowd and Peter answers: “Be baptized all of you into the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin. And you will receive the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

Where have we heard those words: “Repent and be baptized,” before? In Luke 3, in the exhortations of St. John the Baptist. Not only that but the prolog to those invitations are symmetric as well. In both cases, the preachers leave little doubt: You are NOT alright.

Both preacher also have peculiar crowds in front of them. Peter has a festival crowd of devout Jews from many places hearing him. John has a crowd of devout people as well. He is preaching in the wilderness. It takes a determined soul to put down the day’s  necessary chores to go seek out the prophet. 

John’s crowd is further peculiar that it contains what are, for lack of a better term, “Henchmen.” Both soldiers and tax collectors. The soldiers were most likely Herod’s minions since it is not likely that the Romans would have sought him and besides that, the Roman’s had signed Herod the duty to keep order anyway. The tax collectors probably were the local “muscle” for the chief tax collectors like Zacchaeus, which made them “legalized” bandits, but wandering ruffians none-the-less. Like Herod’s soldiers, the tax collectors were underpaid. It was just part of doing business at the time that one had to deal with demands from both groups now again that were simply extortion. 

We can and ought to look at the way John deals with the questions the crowd asks of him. Unlike Matthew, Luke chose to report that John did not leave his proclamation at the point of calling everyone vipers. No, John has concrete things to say about the living of these days. 

To the crowd John directs a picture of community in charitable unity: “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” Having in excess of what the day demanded was questionable in Luke’s time. Later in the Gospel of Luke we meet those who have to the excess, like the man who builds more barns to hoard his harvest or Dives who has rich foods in excess. These are used as warnings to say: “The excess you are living is depriving Lazarus. This will not stand. This will be judged.” Riches were suspicious in the 1st century. They might have been given by the Almighty, but if so, why are you not sharing the blessings? Were they maybe not a blessing from God but the fruit of exploitive dealings? In a place where there are poor people that are landless, that question will very naturally be asked.

The tax collectors are told that honesty was to be valued. Toll stations had their set quota but a bit of cheating with the scales could net the henchmen a bit of extra income. 

Herod’s minions are told not to terrorize people for personal gain. In other words, they are to live without being a threat to their neighbors. 

In the words of Mary, Mother of God:  “He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their throne  and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.” 

If one was to be rich and read this with 1st century eyes Mary’s words are a warning. Yet, reading on, those same eyes would now read about John starting at the bottom, the root, (3:9) Even here a new mind is demanded. Here the bottom of society is invited to live honest, just, and charitable lives. 

The rich will get plenty of warning later in the Gospel of Luke. Their lot will be to prove with what they have that God is good by being the providence of God to others. 

Here, however, a group that seems to be of much lesser status is invited to live in peace, peace the likes of which is not found but on God’s holy mountain. 

“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.” The words Peter at Pentecost. It is for all because it is needed by all and it must and will be lived by all. 

It is Gaudate Sunday this week. The name is taken from the words of Paul in Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always.“ (Phil 4:4) True rejoicing will and does come really only when strength no longer devours that which is weak and when all flesh lives gently upon the face of the earth. 

Fiji Yoshikawa retells and adapts the story of the great last samurai Mitamoyo Musashi, a man who lives by the sword and therefor, in good buddhist fashion, has to live down a bunch of bad “Karma” due to the many dead swordsmen and relationships that his quest has left in its wake. He walks on the earth, says the old master at Hoinu, with such strength and ferocity that he can be sensed approaching for half a mile away. The rest of the story from there on is a quest to walk gently, in the words of the old priest, “weaker.” Not merely that, but to walk gently for the sake of others. 

Such is the call on Christians from the time of John and following: Walk peacefully for your neighbor. Be a gentle presence. Be a charitable energy in the world. Above all, a force of joy even in, and perhaps especially in, dark places, a force that proves that weakness is stronger than power. The babe of Bethlehem will prove it. 

The Texts for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, December 6, 2015

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

1See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? 

  For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Psalm: Luke 1:68-79

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

    for he has visited and redeemed his people

69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us

    in the house of his servant David,

70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

71 that we should be saved from our enemies

    and from the hand of all who hate us;

72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers

    and to remember his holy covenant,

73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

74     that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

might serve him without fear,

75     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people

    in the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,

    whereby the sunrise shall visit us[h] from on high

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

3I thank my God every time I remember you, 4constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, 

 “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

 ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

  make his paths straight.

 5Every valley shall be filled,

  and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

 and the crooked shall be made straight,

  and the rough ways made smooth;

 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

Luke 3:1-7 Greek Stidies

Greek Study Luke 3:1-6 – Advent 2C

v1 Luke, as always the historian, identifies seven historical personalities so as to date the ministry of when "the word of God" came to John in the wilderness, v1-2.  Luke's dating of John's ministry dates the commencement of Jesus' ministry to @ 27-29 AD.

δε "of" – marks a seam in the text; note the argument as to whether John is the last prophet of the age of promise or the first prophet of the age of fulfilment.

της ηεμονιας (α) gen. "of the reign" - genitive is adverbial, reference; "with respect to the reign ..." of Τιβεριου Καισαρος gen. " Tiberius Caesar".  This word is usually reserved for empowers or high kings. 

ηγεμονευοντος (ηγενομευω) gen. pres. part. "when [Ποντιου Πιλατου] governed" - genitive absolute participle forms a temporal clause.

τετρααρχουντος (τετρααρχεω) gen. pres. part. " [Ηρωδου] being tetrarch participle is adjectival. The title "Tetrarch" was given to local rulers appointed by the Roman government to serve alongside a local Roman official- he governed one fourth (a tetrarchy) of King Herod’s former domain.  His proper title was Prefect (Herod Antipas 4BC-AD39.  Luke completes the dating my mentioning another tetrarch, Phillip (Herod’s brother) and Lysinius the Roman prefect of Abilene (not Texas).

επι + gen. "during" αρχιερεως (ευς εως) sing. "the high priesthood" - Annas and Caiaphas are both mentioned but the priesthood is singular as Caiaphas is functioning as the formal high priest with Annas as the “power behind the throne”. The Romans had removed Annas from serving in 14.

v2 ρεμα του θεου (ος) gen. "the word of God" – not using “λογοσ” as does John, this is an ablative of source - ρεμα means “matter or thing regarding" so this is a prophetic and verbal message not an incarnation/theophany or written one.

επι + acc. "came upon” reminiscent of the OT judges used in the LXX of divine inspiration. 

εν + dat. "in [the desert]" - a place of reflection, retreat and revelation; likely the area north west of the Dead sea leading into the Jordan valley.

  
v3 του Ιορδανου (ος) gen. "[all the country] around the Jordan" - genitive is partitive; referring to a specific region, here Luke literally “grounds” his narrative in the present. 

κηρυσσων (κηρυσσω) pres. part. "preaching" - modal, expressing manner, John came preaching (NOT baptizing which follows as a result of his preaching!) Funny, how he has not come to be known as John the Preacher! All of the following clause define what John preached.

βαπτισμα (α ατος) "a baptism" in the koine meaning, “to be overwhelmed or overcome by”.  So the word is used both figuratively and literally. It is often used to describe water immersion (but only in post Scriptural use) and to be overwhelmed by/with the Spirit, in tribulation ("fire") and in teaching ("into the Name"). So John preached a message concerning repentance for the forgiveness of sins which resulted in baptism as an outwardly expressed sign of that repentance, not so much of cleansing. Jesus' (and the church’s) later baptism by the Spirit is prefigured by John's water baptism in the Jordan.

Here an interesting discussion on baptism might follow, but…naah.

μετανοιας (α) gen. "repentance" - genitive is adjectival, limiting "baptism", so this is strictly a “repentance type” of baptism. I have spoken in the past of the Greek origin of this word (from agriculture, to turn a team of oxen by persistent persuasion). The Hebrew origins of this word also influence its meaning, shuv which involves a turning back (literally a returning - return to the Lord your God – Joel 2:13) rather than a mere expression of sorrow but the more interesting word is the one that follows; αμαρτιων (α) gen. "sins" – αμαρτιων (hamartia) comes from military jargon and means “to shoot an arrow and miss the mark”, hence to disqualify you from being an elite archer and condemning you to be an infantry grunt and therefore one of the first causalities in battle!  “Sin” has consequences.

v4 ως "as [it is written]" - - quotation from Isaiah 40:3-5. εν + dat. "in [the book]" for Luke this is an unusual formula.

λογων (ος) gen. "of the words" so for Luke this use of “word” as opposed to the former, (the word of the Lord in v2) indicates written versus verbal communications.

φωνη (η) "a voice" – literally a sound esp. when use without the definite article, so it may be understood as a description of a "calling." 

βοωντος (βοαω) gen. pres. part. "of one calling" 

την οδον (ος) "the way/road" - Luke sees John fulfilling Isaiah 40:3-5 as the one who prepares a way through the desert for the return from exile.  

κυριου (ος) gen. "for the Lord" - genitive, so "the Lord's way", or the King’s Highway

  
v5 Note the imagery of road building here.  Both the Assyrians and the Persians, (and later the Romans) were road builders, enabling the deployment of troops and merchants.

πληρωθησεται (πληροω) fut. pas. "shall be filled in" - (potholes?)

τα σκολια adj. "the crooked roads" - twisted. I am reminded of the county and township roads that form squares on a map. Here is an image of Fairfield, a village which, along with Osborn, merged in 1950 to form Fairborn.  Note the ‘layout” of streets, it is positively Biblical (see page 3)!  

The adjective here serves as a noun, so not an existing road, but a place too rough and steep to normally take a road. This intimates power over the terrain that requires a hegemony far greater than that of Herod, Phillip, etc. we’re talking interstates highways here not dirt paths.

εσται (ειμι) fut. "shall become [straight]" - Note the position of the verb to-be before the subject serving to emphasize the reality of what will be.

  
v6 σαρξ (ξ κος) "mankind" – literally flesh- used here for kin plcae of the Hebrew phrase "living being" i.e. “humaintty” cf. Genesis 2

το σωτηριον adj. "salvation" - Note how Luke replaces "glory" with "salvation" from the original quote. 

του θεου gen. "of God - genitive here is treated as subjective; so "all humanity will witness God's global work of salvation."

  

What Song will you sing?

“There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress . . .”  (Lk 21:25) is easier to take when we remember the Song of the Angels: “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:15) — P.K.

Who is John? Well, all his neighbors wondered the same thing at the time of his birth. (Lk 1:66) No one in his family had ever held the name: “John.” (1:62) But Zechariah insisted to give him that name. Actually, it was Elisabeth who first spoke it, Zechariah being struck speechless by the Gabriel as a sign. (1:20) Yet, his tongue is freed the moment he writes the words: “His name shall be John,” on a tablet. (1:63) 

After that, Zechariah proclaims the “Benedictus,” the psalm reading for this Sunday taken from Luke 1:68-79. It is well known to those who say the daily prayers of the church as it is the response to the Gospel reading in the services of Vigil or Matins.

That canticle is truly amazing as it foretells God breaking in from on high to keep the promises made to Abraham. It also proclaims John as a prophet. The hand of the Lord is with him. (1:66) It also introduces the theme of John’s proclamation: He will go before the Lord to prepare the way; to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because in the tender compassion of our God, the down from on high will break upon us. 

When John disturbed the silence of the wilderness around the Jordan, the place where he has spent most of his life (1:80), it should not surprise that he proposes baptism for repentance and the forgiveness of sin. He is the prophet, the last prophet before the Messiah does indeed come to seek those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

The other thing that might strike us is that immediately after telling of Zechariah singing his song and a brief synopsis of John’s life that sets the stage for chapter 3, Luke tells us of the birth of the Messiah whom John already knew: Jesus, the Son of Mary, announced by Gabriel, the same angel who foretold John’s birth. When John recognizes Jesus in Mary, his own mother blesses Mary — the Hail Mary — and Mary sings the song known as “Magnificat.” (1:41-42 and 1:46:55) 

The two canticles are rightly called “Gospel Canticles,” and, as mentioned before, are used to respond to Gospel reading at daily prayer. The Gospel, as Luke hopes to spell it out, is set forth in them. Our reading ends with an echo of last weeks reading as well: all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (3:6) Last week we were invited to lift up our heads because that salvation was even at hand. (21:28) The Gospel message of the canticles was there as well.

So when John preaches  Baptism and repentance and forgiveness of sin, maybe we need to see it in the light of Benedictus and Magnificat, and perhaps Gloria (2:14) as well, since it has been sung when our story in  chapter 3 comes around. 

Yes, I know, John is advertised as a firebrand preacher who called people: “a brood of vipers.” (3:7 and Mt 3:7) That is next week’s Gospel text. But, John is also not merely condemnatory in Luke — unlike Matthew. No, John is conciliatory he does not just condemn but teaches better living — as does just about all of the Gospel of Luke. For example: The great sin of the Rich Man is to not notice and be reconciled with the poor man, Lazarus, at his gates. (16:19-31) There as in John’s preaching recalled next week, Abraham looms in the background. 

It is hard, even in Luke, to make John a preacher of “Love,” unless one has the proper perspective on “Love.” Graham Green in Power and the Glory has the drunken priest describe God’s love this way:  “It set fire to a bush in the desert, didn’t it, and smashed open graves and set the dead walking in the dark. Oh, a man like me would run a mile to get away if he felt that love around.”

But, that love, once only written in Isaiah 40 and quoted by Luke in verses 3:4-6, now has to gain a voice. It is much like John’s father’s fate: The word written on the tablet suddenly set loose the tongue held in chains to that point. God’s promise is seen in the baby John and now praise must follow, the redemption of Zechariah and Elisabeth has been seen, surely the redemption of Israel will and must follow. The written word now gains and gives voice. Likewise with Isaiah. (quoted from the Greek New Testament in our reading) 

40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people,”

    says your God.

2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.

Tell her that her sad days are gone

    and her sins are pardoned.

Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over

    for all her sins.”

3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,

“Clear the way through the wilderness

    for the Lord!

Make a straight highway through the wasteland

    for our God!

4 Fill in the valleys,

    and level the mountains and hills.

Straighten the curves,

    and smooth out the rough places.

5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

    and all people will see it together.

    The Lord has spoken!”

The Angel Gabriel’s words have proven true and become true in  flesh both in John and later in Jesus. Surely Isaiah’s words will find likewise fulfillment. 

You have read, most excellent Theophilus, (Lk 1:3) the ordered account set out for you from eye witness reports. Now, will those words remain locked in a prison of a heart that cannot speak or act in response to hearing of the presence of the Love of God come to his people? Is God’s presence, God’s Love to you a thing that you will run a mile to get away from? Who will lie at your gate and in what state are they whom you have not reconciled yourself to? The Songs of the father of the prophets, the Mother of God, even the Angels invite you to believe and join with the mother of Faith — church — to join singing those canticles, to hum them in the streets as beggars and those who are mourning under sorrows load fill your eyes. You are invited to hear Zechariah’s words: “You my child will be called the prophet of the most high, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way. To give God’s people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, etc” and know that Zechariah was singing about John but that mother church is singing about you. So, you, Theophilus, what will you sing?

The Readings for Advent 1, November 29th, 2015

First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16

14The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Psalm 25:1-10

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

my God, I put my trust in you; 

    let me not be humiliated,

    nor let my enemies triumph over me.

2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; 

    let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.

3 Show me your ways, O LORD, 

    and teach me your paths.

4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, 

     for you are the God of my salvation;

    in you have I trusted all the day long.

5 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love, 

    for they are from everlasting.

6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; 

    remember me according to your love

    and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD.

7 Gracious and upright is the LORD; 

     therefore he teaches sinners in his way.

8 He guides the humble in doing right 

    and teaches his way to the lowly.

9 All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness 

    to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

10 For your Name's sake, O LORD, 

    forgive my sin, for it is great.

11 Who are they who fear the LORD? 

    he will teach them the way that they should choose.

12 They shall dwell in prosperity, 

    and their offspring shall inherit the land.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

  11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-36

[Jesus said:] 25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

  29Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

  34“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”