BAR JOSEPH: BIOLOGICAL TERRORIST?

THE ANGELUS TRUMPET            OP-ED

BAR JOSEPH: BIOLOGICAL TERRORIST?

January 29, 04:24:05:12

by Matt Hughes

If the words, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” create a sense of angst for you, then the sudden influx of the possessed and infirm throughout the country seeking Joshua bar Joseph will cause at least a moment of suspense-filled pause.

Following forty days of retreat and reflection in the desert, Joshua bar Joseph began a new healing ministry for all comers. After healing many diseases and other minor afflictions, bar Joseph’s reputation as a healing guru spread from Damascus to Jerusalem, from Judah through Samaria, Galilee and into the outer reaches of the empire beyond the Jordan to the Palestinians.

His celebrity status has brought thousands, possibly millions, of mentally unstable people, as well as the chronically ill, streaming into our country. Who knows what contagious diseases these foreigners carry and what kind of criminal element they include? And there is no one to even determine if these people have real illnesses! These undocumented aliens strain our social resources and care, stretching our tax dollars to the limit.

Naively and apparently oblivious of his stir among the populous, bar Joseph was traveling through a wilderness area last Saturday when he turned to hear something said by one of his four disciples. Seeing the crowds gathering behind and around him, bar Joseph fled up a game trail on the nearby mountain. Finally, like a treed ‘coon surrounded by a pack of baying hounds, he faced down the crowd.

Bar Joseph’s speech, which certainly will be discussed by many over the next weeks (if not longer), began with what might be the organizing principles of a new revolution. It seems he is demanding adequate health care and counselling for the disenfranchised and the disabled.

Bar Joseph went so far as to call the rabble that followed him blessed and inheritors of some heavenly kingdom and then presented the accolades of our revered emperor—the great peacemaker and son of God—as titles for the crowd gathered before him. It all seems to be some dangerous pie-in-the-sky campaign.

There is more to come as we have time to analyze this speech and watch his further actions.

Snow Under Your Feet

I was sitting at the kitchen table just after breakfast thinking about what to do, and, like so many nine-year olds, I didn’t have sense enough to keep my wonderings to myself. “I’m bored. What’s there to do?” I asked.

Without any hesitation, my mom, washing the breakfast dishes said, “Grab the dishtowel and wipe these dishes; then go shovel the snow.”

This was 1962; I had recently lost my sight for the first time and was finding my way into blindness. Because there were some chores around the house I disliked and because I was testing the limits of what I could get out of doing because I was blind, I pleaded greater helplessness than my capabilities. I had already tested the dishwashing and wiping projects, and so I knew that I was stuck there, but snow shoveling?

As I went to the end of the counter to get the dishtowel, I said, “But I can’t see the sidewalk. How can I shovel it?”

Laughing, Mom quipped, “I can’t see the sidewalk either. The snow is covering it.” Then, with more patience, she said, “Peter, think about it. You know where the sidewalk is, and you know there is snow outside. You know how to shovel. You even like to shovel snow. So, if there’s snow under your feet, you need to shovel it.”

“But how will I know where the edge of the sidewalk is,” I asked, hoping this might change the decision.

“When you hit the grass edge, you stop,” she said.

“But what if I miss the edge of the grass and shovel out into the street,” I asked, thinking that I could arrange that easily.

“I’ll watch from inside and, if you get out in the street, I’ll come get you.”

“But what if I go too far,” I asked, not wanting to do too much shoveling.

“Then the neighbors will come out and thank you,” she laughed.

I knew I was stuck, but I had to try one more time. “But, what if I throw the snow too far and it gets on the neighbor’s driveway?”

“I’ll come out and clean up afterwards if that’s a problem,” she said.

So, when the dishes were dried and I had complained again about finding the right place for the frying pan, I put on my hat and coat, my boots and mittens and headed out into the snow.

It was my intention to prove that this was a chore that needed to have sight to be done properly. I started to scoop haphazardly and indiscriminately, but, after a few scoops of snow, I discovered that it was too difficult to keep my bearings and continue to do a bad job.

Besides, Mom was right; for some perverse reason, I liked to shovel snow. I was proud of the fact that at nine, I could handle the full-sized shovel, and, besides, cleared sidewalks made it easier for me to get around. So, after a few more feeble attempts at looking helpless, because I knew that my mom and sister would be looking out the window, I finally went back to the side door and started over. This was my introduction to my dance with winter.

What I discovered that day is that snow shoveling isn’t about seeing so much as it is about rhythm. Shoveling involves a kind of dance one does with winter. It is not elegant, but the foot-plant, scrape, brace, lift, throw and shuffle of snow shoveling are rhythmically dancelike.

After the muscles are warmed up and your rhythm gets started, the mind is able to disconnect in order to consider other issues, problems, and concerns. At times, the repetitious movement has given me time to pray, but that came much later. On that first day, I learned the fundamental steps of the dance and gained a sense of accomplishment. An hour later I was finished.

When I came back into the house, I was hot; I was tired; my clothes were wet with sweat. I was done, and Mom was waiting at the top of the stairs. She said, “I almost came out to get you, and then you finally set your mind to do it. We’ve got the cleanest walk on the block. How ‘bout some hot chocolate?” I don’t know whether her praise was true, but after that day I was hooked. I could shovel snow and it was good.

I learned several things about problem solving that day that have proved helpful throughout my life, but the single best lesson I learned that day was to shovel the snow under your feet. There is no trick to this. If, in the midst of winter’s dance, you feel snow under your feet at the end of the shuffle, go back and scoop again. It is this last step that has influenced so much of how I approach life.

Where Do We Stand? Matthew 4:12-23

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” (Martin Luther King, Jr).

If there is a common theme in the readings today, it is transition of power: How do we go about it and how do we live in it? Where do we stand in the times of challenge and controversy?

We hear words of hope in a short passage from a much longer poem in the book of Isaiah. The land that has been cursed, Zebulun and Naphtali, which was captured by Syria, shall be the site of new hope. The rod will be broken, the yoke and burden of slavery, will be lifted as it was in the day of Midian. This day of Midian is the final battle where God’s people were set free from the Midianites to enter the promised land and God’s favor again. It is the song that is ready to announce that the leader that will arise will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty Lord, Prince of Peace.” It is an amazing time of change with the transfer of power going from the oppressor to those who have been oppressed. Those who live in the shadow of death will now experience the light of new life—a victory for God’s people. It is a time of challenging the social order and the controversy over who are God’s chosen people.

From 1 Corinthians, we hear that there is conflict among the people of Corinth. It is reported by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling. Some are claiming greater authority in the faith because they have been baptized by important leaders within the Church. This early conflict centers on whose teaching they will follow. Some of the people are following Apollos, some Paul, some Cephas aka Peter, and some are claiming Christ.

Paul’s observation about the controversy of who to follow is as cryptic and concise today as it was almost 2000 years ago: Christ is not divided. We are not baptized in the name of our pastor nor in the name of our denomination nor in the name of government leaders. We are baptized in the name of Christ. We are baptized into Christ’s death and raised up with him into a new way of living together. The power and authority of our lives has been transferred, from us and our imperfections, to the perfect one who makes us right with God, the one who died upon the cross for us.

This message of the cross is challenging and foolishness to those who don’t believe because it seems implausible that one person’s death can have any influence on the living. And, if the cross were the final statement of who this Jesus is, we would all be fools, but the cross is not the final statement. It is the resurrected, living person of Jesus that makes the difference as he continues to create controversy, challenging our lives of comfort and convenience.

In our Gospel reading, with Jesus, we hear that John the Baptist has been arrested. Now it is time for Jesus to take the baton, or the torch that has been lighted by John, and continue the proclamation of the new relationship with God. “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” It is time to rethink who and whose we are. It is time to stand up and be counted. It is time to gather all of God’s people and to prepare them for the great wilderness journey, a journey from a world of trying to make themselves right with God through the law to one of living in the righteousness of Christ freed to love our enemy and to pray for those who persecute us. It is a time to challenge the powers of our world and to enter controversial times of peace.

As leadership transfers from John to Jesus, we witness the calling of Jesus’ first disciples: Peter, Andrew, James and John. We witness the power of what a new vision and dream for the world can do for young people who are looking for change. Then with these new disciples, we witness the first fruits of Jesus’ teaching and healing ministry that challenges the world order and initiates the controversy of who this Jesus is.

Today’s stories of transition are not about the good old days: a time that used to be; they are not about recapturing some glory of the past. They are stories of hope, with dreams of a better way of living where our historic prejudices, myths of ethnic superiority, and preferential treatment of the wealthy at the expense of the poor no longer exist. It is not about reclaiming comfort and convenience, but gladly entering challenging times and the controversy that surrounds them.

Although a coincidence, it is amazing to me that these texts have been set aside for us, have been assigned to us, for this week, during the changing administrations in our government, in this time of transition in our lives, in this time of division and struggle. I couldn’t help but think of these texts as I listened to the inauguration of President Trump because of the deep divisions that have created conversational impasses based on who we voted for, seeking comfort and convenience of like-minded people, rather than entering the challenge and controversy of open disagreement for the sake of a common goal.

Let us remember in Martin Luther’s words that we are to be “in the world but not of it.” In baptism, we are of Christ’s body for the sake of the world. We are of the mind of Christ for the salvation of the world. We are of God’s justice and individually ambassadors of it for the peace of the world—but we are not of the world. No, we are not of the world, we are of Christ who challenges the world, raising the controversy of leadership.

We are created in God’s image with the gift of faith. Believing in Christ’s authority and his healing presence, we have the power to be the children of God. When we awaken to this reality, we begin to see that the good old glory days we remember are not the past but the days yet to come. In the body of Christ, in the shadow of the cross, and in the morning of the empty tomb, we must, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, learn to live together as brothers (and sisters) or perish together as fools".

As we learn to live together in the mind of Christ, let us pause for a moment along the sea (of Galilee) to hear Christ’s calling, witness his authority and healing presence, and then proclaim his fulfillment of all righteousness in prayer. Please join me in this prayer I’ve adapted from one written by David Scherer, Contextual Learning Coordinator at Luther Seminary in St. Paul.

God of many languages, speak love to us. God of many nations, welcome strangers among us. God of many expressions, sing joy through us. You are one. We are many. Humble us. Hold us. Save us. Send us. Shelter us and guide us in these challenging and controversial times. Amen.

REBEL WITH A CAUSE

THE ANGELUS TRUMPET            ENTERTAINMENT 

REBEL WITH A CAUSE: THE SUBVERSIVE MANIFESTO

Coming to Local Theaters January 22, 04:12:23

by Matt Hughes

It is not often that sequels manage to surpass the original work, but I was pleasantly surprised with the energy and pathos that was generated in the new release of Freeing the Oppressed 3 titled, “Rebel with a Cause: The Subversive Manifesto”. FO1 was an original panoramic treatment of the Exodus. Ezra and Nehemiah magnificently took on the rebuilding of Jerusalem in FO2. And now FO3 has again avoided the overdone work covering the theme. It steered clear of much that has dismayed me in this genre, like the sometimes-gruesome shorts of the Judge family; the ponderous epic scripts of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; and the pessimistic shorts from Joel, Micah, and that noted Italian film director Malachi that portend the apocalyptic end of the world.  

Using out-takes from earlier scripts and stock footage, Rebel quickly establishes the violence of the times, the cosmic struggle between good and evil, and then a prolonged picaresque community-organizing journey demonstrates the power of the people in the face of big-brother government.

As the cameras begin shooting, an early freedom fighter, who has been arrested, hands the torch to the new leader. Even while the movement’s headquarters are relocated, the director recalls the history of oppression. Faces of former oppressors who have been overthrown are juxtaposed on the screen with those of battered but victorious heroes of the past who rose above their circumstances to create a better life for the people.

The early restatement of the movement’s manifesto, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”, sets the stage for new, young adherents to the cause to leave their jobs for what is only a speculative future. We are reminded that change is something for the young even as it depends on the older generation’s understanding and blessing.

This production bogs down in a few spots, but the overall treatment of the subject manages to pay homage to the past and has a fresh message of hope for the future. It includes power struggles and political in-fighting as it explores the themes of trust and betrayal. It portrays the mindset of the oppressed and their fear of confronting their oppressors, and it explores the disillusionment of inevitable outcomes of power politics with a twist.

It has taken many angels to make this production possible, and I think that it is ultimately worth it. I give it 4 (traveling) stars.

We Interrupt this Program John 1:29-42

One night when it was stormy and good to be home from work, having sat down to watch my favorite T.V. show in the comfort of my recliner, and beginning to relax, involved in the show’s plot, just as the mystery was about to be solved, a klaxon horn blared into the soundtrack of the show and a weather map with color coded symbols appeared. The crawler at the bottom of the screen and an over-recorded voice said, “We interrupt this program with a weather advisory. The National Weather Service in Sullivan, Wisconsin shows severe thunderstorms capable of producing hail, heavy rain and strong winds south of a line running from LaCrosse to Appleton. This advisory covers MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK counties between 7:45 and 10pm. If you are in this area, take shelter immediately.”  Then after the klaxon blared several more times, it repeated. Finally, we were told, “We now return you to your local program.” But did I get returned to the program? No! Not only did I miss the best part of the show, but it was now in commercial break.
 

From the time that we are little, we are taught that it is not polite to interrupt. We are taught to wait for your turn in the conversation and then say what you have to say. Yet our lives are filled with interruptions. This day, in particular, is an interruption to the rest of our week. God’s sabbath time interrupts our daily routines reminding us of God’s plan, including intentional rest and retreat from the cares of our daily living. In the midst of interruptions, I welcome you to the second Sunday in Epiphany.

In the midst of our local programming, the Gospel of Matthew, we hear from the Gospel of John, filled with different, sometimes conflicting accounts of Jesus. This is not coincidental; it happens this day every year. Each year we read a different passage, but none-the-less, the second Sunday of Epiphany belongs to John. I wish I could tell you why, but I really don’t know.

Last week, in Matthew, we witnessed Jesus being baptized. This is important for us because the book of John reports that Jesus has been baptized, but in John we never witness the actual baptism. In fact, today’s text appears to take place the day after the baptism. This is only one of the many oddities of the book of John. At the other end of this Gospel, we will see the disciples and Jesus gathered for the last supper, but instead of giving the disciples wine and bread, Jesus washes their feet.

We could spend a lot of time comparing the Gospels, but what we mostly need to note is that the purpose of John’s Gospel is different. The other three Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—are called the synoptic Gospels (“synoptic”, from Greek syn, with or together, and optikos, for seeing, or eye witness accounts). The Gospel of John is known as the exegetical Gospel (again, from the Greek, ex, out or from, and hegetikos, drawn out). This drawing out from or exegetical writing and reading of John allows us more direct understanding of who Jesus is. It is much more theological and therefore makes statements about Jesus that the other Gospels cannot make.

Today’s text is one of those statements about Jesus. John the Baptist says, “I have been telling you that I am not the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one. That person is coming after me. I do not know him, but I have been baptizing people because through baptism I knew I would be able to recognize who the messiah is. And I found him; it is that guy over there. I saw the spirit of God descend from heaven and alight on that one. You see, I was told that the one the spirit alighted on and stayed would be the messiah, so I know that is the messiah. He is the lamb of God, the one who will be the sacrifice for the world, the cosmos, and through him we will all be made right with God. Through him, the sins of our ancestors have been forgiven, and, through him, our sins will be forgiven too. See him, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the son of God.”

There is no kinship between John and Jesus recorded here as in the book of Luke and hinted at in the book of Mark. There is no understanding that John should be baptized by Jesus as in the book of Matthew. In the book of John, the way that John recognizes Jesus is by seeing the spirit of God come down and stay with Jesus. This seeing is not something that is John’s alone. We, the readers and hearers of this story, are invited to see, with John, Jesus who is the messiah, the Christ, the anointed, and, in that seeing, to enter into relationship with Jesus’ disciples and with Jesus himself. We are invited to see and to name Jesus as the one who takes away the sin of the world.

Last week we talked about how important Jesus’ first words were for the Gospel of Matthew. “Let us do so now, for it is proper, in this way, to fulfill all righteousness.” This week we get to hear Jesus’ first words in the book of John. “What are you looking for?” A more literal reading would be, “What are you seeking, or searching, for?”

John’s disciples reply with the question, “Teacher, where are you staying?” They are wondering, “Where are you teaching, what are you teaching, how are you teaching? What is it that you think is so important that is different from what John has been teaching? After all, we have been John’s disciples and have had a good relationship with him. Why should we become your disciples? By John’s testimony we believe that you are the Son of God, but what difference does that make?”

In response to the disciples, Jesus invites them to, “Come and see.” This seeing that Jesus invites them to is theaomai; this Greek word is the root of theater. This is not just a peek in kind of seeing, but an IMAX kind of experience. It is more than just looking; it is a come and have your world rocked, a sensory, amped-up, get involved looking/overwhelming feeling, kind of experience. It is a relationship that will involve all your senses: hearing the word, seeing Jesus’ interactions with others, smelling perfume, tasting wine and eating bread, and putting fingers into the holes in Jesus’ side and hands. We will go to weddings and to homes in the night, we will go to the temple and to the cleansing pools of the city. We will smell the odor of the poor and the diseased, and we will hear the distant sound of Roman authority in fear. Throughout the Gospel of John, we will see “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” reach out to people to establish and create new relationships of healing trust and hope. We will see the master gardener sow seeds of caring and compassion. We will see Christ stand before us as shepherd, gate, vine, and bread. We will witness Christ on the cross challenging our hearts and minds with claims of truth, life, and light.

Indeed, what are you seeking? What do you want to know about this Jesus who stands before you? What difference can he make in your life?

Jesus invites John’s disciples and us to, “Come and see.”

And so, when Andrew sees who Jesus is, he runs to report what he has seen, discovered, found. He goes to his brother Simon to bring him to what he has found: the messiah, the Christ, the anointed One of God. And the divine theater begins. “You are Simon. From now on you will be Cephas, and for the sake of you who don’t know Aramaic, that is Peter in Greek, and for those of you who don’t know either Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek, that is rock in English. You are the rock, the living foundation stone on which I will build.”

Jesus began to build with Simon Peter. It is not something that is done and completed; it is an ongoing building project that requires sweat equity, sacrificial living, and the hands of many. Come and see. Look around yourselves right now. For, in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our worship, Christ interrupts our comfort zones and invites us to see ourselves, the Church that has been built and the Church that continues to be built in the evangelizing relationship of the world of need, in the presence of the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus Christ, the son of God, our savior and Lord.

So, with Andrew, who accepted Jesus’ invitation and went to see, we too see Jesus, the Lamb of God, and find the Messiah. We too need to ask ourselves, who do we want to tell of our great find? Who do we want to invite into this relationship we have in the lamb? Who will benefit from our news of what is the Good news for God’s people? Who can we invite with Christ’s words, “Come and see.”

I now return you to your regular local programming already in progress.

BAD: MEANING of LAMB OF GOD

THE ANGELUS TRUMPET            INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

BAD: MEANING of LAMB OF GOD

Dateline: Jordan Creek, Holy Land?, January 15, 01:29:42

Matt Hughes

As the United States prepares to inaugurate a new president, new findings at Jordan Creek reveal helpful and hopeful words as we move into a new world of information gathering. It appears that even in Jesus’ time there were issues with party defections and veracity.

At the Biblical Archeology Digest (BAD) site, archeologist O. Toby Norske, coordinator, shared that the latest rune stone transcriptions reveal political forces within the anti-establishment reformers. Jesus left the extreme wilderness people, known as “acid heads”, to form his own reform party where he is addressed with the back-to-nature name “Rabbit”.

Ayne Shent, a Norwegian antiquity scholar with BAD said, “Some of the back to nature, locust-eating, honey-dipping moderates chose the messy life with Jesus rather than the sticky ways of John.”

This new way of living had some issues too. One of the new Reform Party followers had problems with disclosure. In the name of full transparency, Jesus outed this follower saying, “You are called Simon, aka Cephas, aka Peter, aka Rocky, aka The Fish.” Norma L. Prankster said, “This last name clears up much of Church history. There were claims this early head-over-heels party leader was the Bish of Rome. We now know that he was known as the Fish of Rome. I wonder if he was related to Abe Vigoda.”

As information continues to come in from the BAD site, a more complex political scene is unfolding. Jesus, as the head of the reform party, was known as the LAMB of GOD.  Rather than being a title of divination, Shent claims it appears to be an acronym for “Lakes & Agriculture Management Bureau of Glaciated Oversight Districts”, akin to the DNR today.

When asked how these records help us understand the complexities of olden times and the general outlook of the world today, Shent said, “Well, we now know that speaking truth was clearly an issue even at the time of these writings.” BAD has gained knowledge from studying the runes and sifting through various errata. Shent shared, with a certain degree of certainty, that the central wisdom from the passage they finished recently reads, “Look here der, the L.A.M.B. of G.O.D., who takes away the spin of the world.” As she was packing up, Shent said, “Lord, have mercy. Even in those days they were trying to find truth in government.”

 

Show-and-Tell, Matthew 3:13-17

Today is the first Sunday in Epiphany. The word “Epiphany” comes from two Greek words, epi, which means “on,” or “to,” and phainein, “to show.” The Day of Epiphany was Friday, and the reading for the day is always the story of the wise men honoring Jesus as the king of our lives and giving him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is the season of God-made-known, expressed in unexpected ways and places that bring hope and new life in defiance of death.

It is what I like to call the ultimate show-and-tell time, well maybe the penultimate or second best show-and-tell next to Easter. It is bigger than Christmas Eve, in a sense, because the shepherds are, after all, just shepherds, and while they tell the Jewish people of all that they had seen and heard, the wise men represent the gentile world coming to honor or worship Jesus as king, or Lord of all.

 In this show-and-tell season, we will also see Jesus being baptized. We will hear him preach to the people on the mountain, and from a mountain we will witness Jesus talking with Elijah and Moses. But before we enter too far into this joyous season, let us take some time to review what has been happening in Matthew’s Gospel. We have read some of the things in worship since Advent began, some things are generally known to us, and maybe some things are not often thought about.

Thus far, in the book of Matthew, we have been presented with the great genealogy of God’s chosen people that begins with Abraham and ends with Joseph. We have heard how Joseph, guided by dreams, chooses to take Mary for his wife because of God’s work through the Holy Spirit. We know the story of the wise men who saw a star appear in the heavens at the time of Jesus’ birth; and after traveling for some time (as much as two years), they ask King Herod about the newborn king (supposing they will find a king among kings). We know also that the wise men, finding Jesus at home in Bethlehem, recognize him as king and give him royal gifts. We know that the wise men, directed by an angel, journeyed home by a different route to avoid King Herod’s wrath. We know of King Herod’s rage and his slaughter of all the children in Bethlehem two years old and under.

In the midst of the comings and goings of these different groups of people, in the midst of political intrigue, in the midst of joys and sorrow, Joseph, led by dreams, moves his family, first to Egypt and then to Nazareth, in Galilee, where Jesus grows up. At the same time, another person is living among God’s people who discerns God’s activity in the currents of time and history. His name is John, and he is actively working to prepare God’s people for receiving and recognizing God’s presence through repentance and cleansing in baptism.

That brings us to today’s gospel. John is proclaiming that the Kingdom of God has drawn near and that God’s people need to rethink their relationship with God. He is baptizing (cleansing, or anointing with water) those who are able to embrace this new way of thinking, those who are committed to changing the way they live in relationship with God, when the cause for that change, Jesus, appears before him. What a show-and-tell moment!

We are not surprised to see a subject of the king submit to the authority of the king. Therefore, we are not surprised that John might think that he should be baptized by Jesus. And, knowing Jesus to be sinless himself, we are puzzled by Jesus presenting himself to be baptized. Why should Jesus need this baptism of repentance? Confused, with John, we wonder in greater scope, not just whether John should be baptized by Jesus but whether the whole world shouldn’t be crowding in to be baptized by Jesus.

Then, with the first words Jesus speaks in this Gospel, Jesus tells John and us something that will direct much of the conversation that we will be having throughout the rest of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ teaching, trial, death, and resurrection life. Jesus’ first words in this gospel are: “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”

This statement seems so mundane. In fact, for all my life I have generally passed over these words thinking that they were divine theo-speak or God-talk for “I know, I know, but this is what is expected of me, so let’s get it over with.”

Indeed, until this year, I have always jumped past them to the big words and drama—the heavens opening, the dove descending, those stentorian words, “This is my son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” It seems so natural to go to God’s great endorsement of Jesus. “This is my son.” After that, it’s like “Well, there you have it. God said it; I believe it. What more is there to say? Go home knowing that God has spoken. Thanks be to God.”

But God’s words are only the final stamp of approval. They follow at the end of a long series of revelations. That is why there is a genealogy, Joseph’s acceptance of the angel’s words, the new star that shines in the heavens, the witness of the Wise Men, even the rage of Herod, and the exodus of the Holy Family to Egypt and back again. All of this speaks to Jesus being the one who saves, our Emmanuel, God revealed to us as human among humans.

Although this dramatic event is recalled in all the Gospels, Jesus’ words, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness”, are recorded only in Matthew, and somehow, they get passed over, even ignored. Matthew must think that they are important because it would be so easy to leave them out.

So what does “all righteousness” mean. Back in Advent, we talked about righteousness because Joseph was a righteous man. We talked about righteousness as being living by the law and doing God’s justice. Today we discover that there might even be more. What might it mean to fulfill all righteousness? Elizabeth Achtemeier writes, “’Righteousness,’ throughout the Bible, is the fulfillment of the demands of a relationship.” So, fulfilling all righteousness has something to do with living into the demands and expectations required of the relationship we have with God.

If it is expected that all people should be baptized, then Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us as being, truly human, must also be baptized. But is it necessary? Douglas John Hall, in his book, God and Human Suffering writes, “Though sinless himself, Christ suffers the consequences of sin, i.e., he suffers temptation, alienation, anxiety, and limitation.” As such, Jesus’ baptism models a new relationship for dealing with both the dying to the causes of sin and a sustaining relationship transcending the consequences of sin. This new relationship includes forgiveness, grace, mercy, presence, peace and wholeness, and eternal life.

At Bible camp one year, I was the counselor for a group of boys who ranged from eight to thirteen years old. Many of them were openly challenging the rules of safety established by the camp. I had determined that violators of the law would suffer the punishment of having to clean the bathroom beyond their usual daily cleaning responsibilities. As an incentive, I told them that if they were good, I would clean the bathroom.

Each day, one group or another of my boys managed to get in trouble. By the end of the week all of the boys had had an opportunity to learn the skills of cleaning the bathroom except two eight-year-old boys who were particularly compliant in all things.

The night before we were to go home, these two boys came to me. They looked embarrassed. They had difficulty looking at me. They were shuffling their feet and mumbling a lot. Finally, I asked them if there was a problem? One boy finally looked at me and asked, “How bad do we have to be in order to clean the bathroom tomorrow?” I told them that questioning my judgment about punishments was enough.

The next day, these two boys started cleaning the bathroom. The others came and asked what those two had done to deserve it? When the two boys refused to answer, the older boys began to think that those two had really done something wrong. And then, one by one, the older boys said something like, “Let me help you with that.” Before I knew it, all fourteen boys were in there cleaning, scrubbing and sweeping the bathroom. My two eight-year-olds were grinning from ear-to-ear. Somehow, the demands of the relationship of belonging included cleaning the bathroom, and they had made the grade. That time, fulfilling all righteousness included cleaning the bathroom.

I was proud of my boys that week at camp. They had found a way to value each other without exception. Jesus’ statement claims that fulfilling all righteousness includes baptism and models a new way of living together in relationship with one another. I can’t help but think that God’s endorsement of Jesus’ work at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry is no less proud.

In the coming weeks, we will witness Jesus fully entering into our world where he will suffer all of the consequences of sin, but he will also show-and-tell new ways of being in relationship with one another. He will preach new ways of thinking about the law. He will teach new ways of thinking about giving value to all of God’s creation and the people in it. He will model new healing ways of wholeness that will challenge the way we live. In all of this, Jesus will challenge the way we think about death and our eternal relationship with God.

So, let us begin our time of learning the new demand of this new relationship we have with God and one another. Let us stand before the world in this show-and-tell time of Epiphany to claim God’s word revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ. “Let us do so now, for it is proper, in this way, to fulfill all righteousness.” And fulfilling all righteousness, let the mercy, redemption, and liberation of God’s rule cover the world as Christ’s baptismal waters have covered us.

Happy Birthday, Louis B

My uncle rides an electric scooter because of a chronic progressive disease that is slowly paralyzing him. I saw him one day while a chronic eye condition was causing me to lose my sight. My uncle was interested in how I used large print to do my work; I was interested in how he got around. After comparing notes, Uncle Charles said, “Facing the challenges of life requires adaptation.”

We all have challenges that require adaptation and reorientation. These challenges may be as simple as road construction on the way to work or as complex as a sudden disability that may result in reorienting your entire dreams and expectations in life. For some reason or other the old ways will no longer work. If the bridge is out, you have to find a new way to get to work. In the case of disability, you may have to find a new way to do your job; you may even have to find a new job.

When these life challenges arise, for indeed they will, do not panic and freeze. The old ways may have been good, but those old ways are not going to help you in the moment. Trying to live in the old ways will only leave you in the pits of despair and rage. If you can’t walk any more, then physical therapy and strenuous exercise is not likely to be of much use. Mental exercises of willing yourself to do what can’t be done will not be of much help either, but finding the most maneuverable electric vehicle may just be the ticket.

For a while, large print (30 point) worked for me. Eventually I moved to 48 point print and then even 64 point print. Eventually that was not enough. It was time to learn new tricks; adaptation was going to be necessary. Today I use a computer with a screen reader that reads what I write. I write and read Braille for many of the other tasks I need to do.

I am grateful that there are so many devices through technology today. Much of the innovation and adaptation I use and live in was begun by another person who understood the value of challenges we face in our lives. January 4 is World Braille day. It is the day when many blind people give thanks for Louis Braille’s organization and refinement of Captain Barbier ‘s creation of night message writing for Napoleon’s army. In 1824, Louis Braille tested how many dots could comfortably fit under the fingertip, and discovered that 6 dots, 2 dots wide and 3 dots high, was the most efficient. Braille developed a way of writing for blind people that has become the standard around the world.

This form of writing revolutionized educational and vocational opportunities for the blind. It meant that with some time and patience, blind people could have the world of writing and literature opened to them. With some adaptation, blind people could accomplish most of what their sighted counterparts could. It gave blind people rich opportunities for living in a world that is different, not worse, and gave them a way to know words in a way that even sighted people can’t. To quote Jim Fiebig, “There is a wonder in reading Braille that the sighted will never know: to touch words and have them touch you back.” Adaptation may even give us more than what he had before.

Minnesota Finds Jesus

THE ANGELUS TRUMPET            INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

MINNESOTA FINDS JESUS!!!

Dateline: Jordan Creek, Holy Land?, January 8, 03:13:17

Matt Hughes

Among many in the Ole Land, it has long been believed that Jesus was Norwegian, but, until recently, little evidence has been found for that. Now breaking archeological news from BAD (Biblical Archaeology Digest) reveals that Jesus may have very well been Norwegian. That is still inconclusive, but more importantly, Jesus IS from Minnesota.

According to the BAD archeologist heading up this recent dig, O. Toby Norske, the before unknown collection of rune stones found in Fillmore county, Minnesota, indicates that the baptism of our Lord occurred on the North American continent. The team was first intrigued by the solar alignment of the stones. The first comparison of the writing was to aboriginal first nation petroglyphs. Norske said nothing came of that.

Although not a member of the dig team, Ayne Shent (St. Olive, ‘02), one of BAD’s Norwegian antiquity scholars, looked at the stones and suggested that they could be ancient runes. Templates of other runic writings were calibrated to the exact size of the writings on the stones and then properly oriented to accommodate lithographic shifting. Norske enthusiastically said, “Hoorah! We were able to read the message of divine providence that was left for us.”

In an aside, Norske confessed, “You know, some people still think they are just a bunch of rocks with random scratches on them” before he explained that this runic find corrects several scribal errors in the Greek editions of the New Testament. The letter to Philemon should more accurately be read the letter to Fillmore. Instead of Galilean, the runes show gal-o-Lena. Norske interprets this to mean that Mary’s mother’s name was not Anna or Hannah as previously thought. He explained, “Now we can more fully understand that Jesus went to gal of Lena who is Mary. This really helps us understand the humanity of Jesus as he was growing up. How natural it is for a young boy to go to his mother in times of trouble as Paul wrote concerning Jesus’ early life:

‘whenifindmyselfintimesoftroublemotherMarycomestomespeakingwordsofwisdomLetitbeandinmyhourofdarknesssheisstandingrightinfrontofmespeakingwordsofwisdomLetitbeiwakeuptothesoundofmusicmotherMarycomestomespeakingwordsofwisdomLetitbe’”.

Norske believes this passage demonstrates the prime paradigm of the Biblical mother-son relationship and facilitates our understanding of that daily “mother and child reunion that is only a moment away”. He further declared, “It also leads to a greater understanding of Jesus’ willingness to die for us—“’Let it be’.”

When asked how interest got started in this project, Norske responded, “All of this got started because of the account of Jesus’ baptism. Some textual variants suggested that the baptism wasn’t at the Jordan River, but the Jordan Creek. And you can tell from the story that John and Jesus are very close and respect one another. They are just so darn polite, just like Minnesotans. You can almost hear their conversation that day. ‘I should be baptized by you.’”

“’No, I should be baptized by you.’”

“’No, I should be baptized by you.’”

“’No, I should be baptized by you.’”

“’No, I should be baptized by you.’”

“’No, I should be baptized by you.’”

“And after that issue is resolved, you can just see them, on that clear January day, standing on the banks of Jordan Creek saying, ‘After you, cousin.’”

“’No, after you.’”

“’No, after you.’”

“’No, after you.’”

“’No, after you.’”

“’No, after you.’”

“’No, after you.’”

 “I mean, it just warms your heart to think of them going out there with their ice axes and saws to prepare a place for the baptism. You can tell how refreshing it was too. The shout they must have made opened the heavens and scared a local pigeon right out of the sky.”

Norske admitted many of the textual variants are slight. He indicated the clearest textual difference found among the stones is God’s approving words of Jesus. It appears that the rune account says, “Ja, hey der. Lookin’ pretty good der, lille buddy!”

When asked about what she thought of the importance of the find, Norma L. Prankstor said, “This find helps us understand the old story concerning the lack of Minnesotans in heaven.” She was referring to a local legend concerning the first Minnesotans at the pearly gates. It is believed that one of them held open the gate for those who were coming after, waving them through and everyone was stepping aside saying, “No, after you.” Prankstor added, “It [the story] means so much more to me now. It really makes you think, y’know?”

A new BAD site dig in nearby St. Peter hopes to discover whether St. Lucy might be a Minnesotan too. Gustolphus Adavus enthusiasts are hopeful.

The Peoples' Court, Matthew 25:31-46

To everything there is a season: a time to reflect and a time to dream. As we stand on the threshold of 2017, reflecting on the past year and looking forward to our time together in the future, we are called in today’s readings to pause and consider Christ’s judgment of where we have been and challenged to think about where we are going. We are called to take time to contemplate our place in the world and our place in God’s Kingdom. We are encouraged to take some time to dream about the possibilities of what God’s good creation and goodness means and what a world of mutual care and support might be like.

Here, near the end of Matthew, tucked in between Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem and his arrest, crucifixion and resurrection, is this amazing and disturbing scene of the end time. It is not presented as a parable, “The kingdom of God is like…”; rather, it is set in apocalyptic literary form in the great judgment hall of heaven. Here the son of man comes in glory to sit upon the throne of glory to judge the nations.

In this heavenly courtroom, we are called to look around and notice where we are. We are called to remember the other times we have been here. Noting this space, we remember the other words that have come down to us from this judgment place. We hear the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the other prophets declaring God’s words of judgment, forgiveness, and reconciliation; and we remember that this scene of judgment is not the final statement of Matthew’s Gospel.

So, as a people of the nations, as people of the United States of America, let us sit in the gallery of the heavenly courtroom and witness the judgment of the world. Let us sit in anticipation of our nation’s judgment. Will we be among the sheep or the goats?

I can imagine myself sitting in the gallery, not being surprised to discover that there are no sheep, only goats. And yet, in this heavenly courtroom, Jesus tells us that the picture of the world is not as dismal as it first seems: indeed, the nations wonder how they were chosen as sheep. Indeed, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or imprisoned?

2016 has been one of those years that will probably have historians scratching their heads for many years to come. Crises throughout the world have raised the specters of fear and hate, death and despair, arrogance and oppression, and, in response to these specters, many nations have turned to isolationism, preferring to pull into themselves like a turtle into its shell, withdrawing from the problems of the world.

Yet, the problems of the world do not go away. More than 4300 people have been shot this past year in Chicago alone. Of them, more than 700 died. There was the shooting massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the bombing and the attempted bombings in New York. This is without mentioning those who have died in our area due to violence and drugs.

Many of those who have been entrusted with the duty of protecting and serving us have been captive to racism and power. In the performance of their duties, law enforcement officials have killed more than 950 people; more than 40 of the victims were unarmed, and many were mentally ill. In response, people have shot and killed 64 innocent police personnel without cause. These 64 deaths account for almost half of the 135 police officers who died in the line of duty.

“Then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate the peoples, one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Other than the fact that I am blind, is there something wrong with my vision? I am not seeing any sheep! I am only hearing the bleating of goats.

Internationally, we were already reeling from the bombings in Paris, when Brussels was bombed in February. Then there were the truck attacks where more than 80 people were killed in Nice, and most recently, 12 killed and 48 injured in Germany. Let us not forget the tens of thousands of men, women and children who died in Aleppo.

In the meantime, we held an election that included the selection for the highest office in our country. During that process, some of the most vitriolic language was used by our two major parties. Threats of imprisonment and charges that parts of our society are irredeemable were made. Indeed, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger, or naked, sick or imprisoned?

But there are sheep. They are gathered at the son of man’s right hand. He has called them to recognize their blessings and to enter the kingdom that has been prepared for them from the foundations of the world. But where are the sheep coming from?

If this heavenly courtroom scene were the last statement of Matthew, I would have nothing but dreadful words of condemnation for you today. With the disciples, I would throw up my hands and say, “So who can be saved? I know that there was a plan that was good and strong from the foundations of the world, but remember? Humanity screwed that one up years ago. We have proven time and again that we are more interested in ourselves and our personal relationships than we are with you, God, or anyone outside our personal zones of influence. We are a selfish, stiff-necked people. We are interested in our own sense of honor, our own privilege, our own homes and our 401K’s. Okay, we give to what we consider to be good causes, but really Lord, the dead-beat jobless? The sick? The imprisoned? Illegal aliens? The naked? The hungry? And thirsty? Why don’t you just ask us to clean up the air and the water, to give up our scenic vistas so that endangered species will thrive again? What do you mean, it’s not about us?”

And as the Gospel of Matthew continues, we are confronted with a hierarchy that wants to arrest and kill Jesus; disciples who begrudge Christ’s anointing; the Last Supper that leads to Jesus’ arrest, trial, renunciation, crucifixion and death. Jesus will be hungry, thirsty, called a Nazarean stranger, stripped of his clothes, sickened by oppression, and imprisoned. Throughout this time, his closest disciples will betray and desert him. It will be left to just a few—Pilate’s wife, Simon of Cyrene, a centurion and those with him, Joseph of Arimathea, and some women—to be the sheep, the ones who cared enough to recognize Christ for who he is. The rest of the world are goats who deserve to suffer eternal punishment.

But wait! The throne of glory for the son of man is not a royal throne but a cross. The judgment of the world is not based on merit but grace. The verdict is not about who we are but whose we are. The decision of eternity is not based on our lives but the resurrected body of Christ. God’s judgment does not end at the tomb. He goes ahead of us to Galilee; and we are called to follow and find him there to baptize and teach, to gather at Christ’s table to feed and give drink, to welcome all into our midst in Christ’s name, to be clothed in Christ’s righteousness, to support them in sickness and in health, to lift them up from the prisons of those things that attempt to separate us from the love of God, and to walk in Christ’s ways.

To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to despair and a time to hope, a time to die and a time to rise from the dead, a time for reconciling peace. I swear it’s not too late. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, I am beginning to see a lot of hopeful sheep. Thanks be to God!