A Rule for Advent

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By “rule” I don’t mean rules, as in strictures and limitations but as a practice – as in the Benedictine Rule. St. Benedict was a sixth Century monk who developed a practice for the lives of monks. In addition to the basic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience it included a set of hours during the day for prayer, worship, working, study, silence, and rest. It was a very structured life, something we can hardly imagine. Pastor Paula went to stay at the Benedictine Monastery in the desert and got a taste of what it means to follow such a patterned daily life. In short, it was great for the four days she was there. It was calming and regenerative. Even the vow of silence (all meals are taken in silence) was refreshing for her. A few years ago, I went on a five day silent retreat that also had a very patterned daily routine. It is hard to adjust to, but the feelings of calm that come over one are healing. I wouldn’t for a minute want to BE a monk and live all my days that way. But once in a while, having such a retreat or to have a rule as a practice during a particular time in our lives can be beneficial.

Most of the time when we think of this sort of thing we think of Lent, but Advent, too, was traditionally understood as a time for preparation for the coming of the Christ Child. The lectionary readings are about watching and waiting, being awake to see the coming child. The irony here is that what actually happens to us during the Advent season is that we prepare for Christmas and in the process go in the exact opposite direction; we become less attentive and more discombobulated. To salvage a little of the spirit of Advent, I propose coming up with a Rule for Advent. It doesn’t have to be much – just some kind of practice that will encourage the sense of wakefulness and calm that has been associated with Advent.

Here are some suggestions:

• Pray three times a day.

• Meditate once or twice a day.

• Read an Advent devotional.

• Attend worship every Sunday in Advent.

• Limit checking email, cell phone or Facebook to twice a day.

• Schedule some time for silence – maybe even a day for silence.

• Limit TV/movie watching to three events per week (including football).

• Do not listen to music while driving.

• Fast from the Internet outside of what is required for work or school.

• Limit spending for Christmas.

• Drive the speed limit.

• Have a family Advent candle lighting ritual.

These are just suggestions. Choose one or more that you think would bring a watchful calm into your life. See you in worship. Pastor Jim

Mad Men

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This is the sermon that was meant to be…. As I said this past Sunday my plan was for this to be an AMC Advent: The Walking Dead, Breaking Good and then on the 22nd the sermon title was going to be Mad Men. Here’s a brief synopsis of what I was going to say. “How in the world did Joseph avoid getting angry? He should have been angry, conventionally – that is what would have been expected of him. It would have been the right thing to do and more importantly the manly thing to do. One has to imagine the guys hanging out at the equivalent of the pub shaking their heads – Come on man! – at Joseph for being so wimpy and caring. Be a Man, for God’s sake – as strange as that sounds, that was the thinking. He decided not to get angry and to resolve things quietly so as not to disgrace Mary – so that she might be able to avoid becoming a prostitute. That’s just not how men are, is it?

Some things never change and one is that indeed, there are a lot of mad men in the world. There were then, there are now and there were back in the 1960s the time period for another AMC show, Mad Men. The title is a play on words for Ad Men – the story is about the lives of people who run an advertising agency in New York in the early 60’s. The show is full of mad men (and women too, actually). The main character is Don Draper but that is not his real name. In the Korean War he took on the identity of a man who died in front of him so that he could get home sooner. Besides, he had no trouble leaving his family and past – his upbringing was horrid. Between his puffs on an ubiquitous cigarette and a gulp of whiskey one can see in his eyes an almost animal resentment, both fearful and angry. He has the model 1960s family on the outside but at work he is driven and competitive; he has affairs and his marriage ends (in season 3, I think).

As was true with The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad, the writers of Mad Men are uncovering something that is true about our world today. Sometimes it is exaggerated – it is entertainment – but this deep spirit of anger and resentment. Walter White had it too. One can almost hear the vulgarities emanating from their hearts. And I will tell you that there are many people today who feel this all the time – more men than women but by not means exclusively. It is a kind of madness that is more dangerous than most clinical mental illnesses. (If this was a sermon I would probably say more about the state of boys in our culture).

The angel Gabriel came to Joseph and said do not be afraid – fear is usually behind both anger and resentment. I think the angel could have also said, don’t be angry or resentful. Go ahead, against convention and take Mary: love her, care for her, rather than toss her out, even if the guys at the bar think you’re “mad.” When I imagine this I wonder when we need to hear these words? So often our first response is anger – even with our families. Advent is a time to search our hearts to see what is there. Are we living with this latent resentment? Do we feel anxious and ready to be angry? How can we calm our fears so that anger isn’t the ready response?

Another character in Mad Men is Peggy who starts out as a secretary at the Ad firm. At a party she has sex with one of the “mad men” and becomes pregnant. This is the 60s so abortion isn’t the option it has become. She retreats into seclusion to have the baby. When the baby is born she refuses to hold it; the same deep resentment that was in Don Draper’s eyes are now in Peggy’s. If only the angel Gabriel could have come to Peggy and said, “do not be afraid to hold the child.” P.Jim

Ouch!

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That’s what I’ve been feeling a lot of lately; that and some numbness and weakness. In October I went to the doctor and x-rays determined that I have arthritis in my neck, as well as my toes. O the joys of getting older! By the end of November the symptoms had progressed enough to get me back in the doctors office and this time it was an MRI that indicated my spinal cord is being obstructed and I have to have surgery. The technical name is anterior cervical distectomy with fusion. By the time this Crossings is published I will have already had the surgery (December 10).. I will be out of the pulpit for about a month. Doctors are very noncommittal about recovery; on-line I think it says 6-8 weeks. Of course I will do all I can to recover as soon as possible.

In my absence the SPRC Committee is in charge of both filling the pulpit and coordinating any response to our needs. Derek Wood is the chair of the SPR Committee and is the first person to contact.

I have two requests of everyone: The first is the obvious one – I ask for your prayers, for me and for my family. The second is that you all remain present, active and faithful while I am recuperating. Be even more vigilant in being the Church. Reach out to each other and care for each other. If there is a niche to fill, jump in and feel God’s blessings. I thank you all for being such a wonderful church. See you one of these Sundays. Pastor Jim