Hope of The World

Epiphany is the day we celebrate the Magi, bringing gifts to the baby Jesus, recognizing that God’s gift in Christ was meant for everyone.

It is a day of celebration and joy. I like that it always occurs in the very beginning of a new year. It helps me ground myself in hope as I face the unknown possibilities and challenges offered in the days, weeks and months to come.

Are you hopeful as we face the new year?

In his book Agents of Hope: A Pastoral Psychology, Donald Capps says that the primary task of the pastor is to offer hope. For Capps, the threats to hope are despair, apathy and shame. These burdens we carry dash hope and cause the lights within us to dim.

How will you help those around you face into their despair to see glimmers of possibilities? How will you help people shake off apathy and move to engagement? How can you help others heal from whatever shame they carry so they can claim their self-worth?

Hope is an essential element of a human being fully human. Through hope, we see that the past doesn’t have to dictate our future. Through hope, we know that another’s damaging judgement about our worthiness cannot dim the light of God that shines within us. Through hope, we can face whatever challenges us.

This is one reason why I love Epiphany. As John’s Gospel reminds us, the true light, which enlightens everyone, has come into the world. The Hope of the World is with us! May we, like the Magi, find this One who brings us Hope.

A PRAYER FOR THESE DAYS

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears

 

God of Trayvon Martin, God of George Zimmerman, God of countless brown and black men who have been profiled, gunned down, locked up.

We are weary O God and we have wept too many tears. It is a nation’s shame when justice is meted out to some but not to all. It is a nation’s shame when the killer of an unarmed teenage boy is not only given his freedom but his gun. It is a nation’s shame that there is not more outrage in our streets, in our political chambers, and in our churches.

We know that each one of us is created in the image of your image, O God, your  fingerprint resides on every face of every race in every corner of this earth. With your strength, we commit ourselves to protecting the dignity and worth of every child of God, and we will not rest until liberty and justice for all is not just a lofty dream but a reality in this land.

We will continue to march, to speak out, to protest, to show up, to tell the stories of racial profiling and oppression. We will continue to cross lines that have divided us from each other, so that together we can push back the evil isms that destroy beloved community.

We will lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring, ring with harmonies of liberty.

 

We will not forget Trayvon Martin, and all the unnamed young people lost to violence. We will continue to work for justice,

We will march on till victory is won. Amen.