the Fourth Friday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
Isaiah 9:2-7
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. 5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Psalm 96
1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. 9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. 12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. 13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
NIV
The Cost of Jesus-Centered Peace
by Elle Pyke
Elle Pyke is a dreamer, starter and a community builder who dreams of the church in Canada becoming a place where everyone can find belonging and flourishing. She's one of the founding members and Directors at New Leaf and has served as a Lay Minister and on numerous Boards in the charitable sector.
Elle is completing her MA in Theology and Culture at St. Stephens University in New Brunswick.
When she's not busy starting new things, she can be found planning a good party, playing on the shores of Lake Huron and passionately cheering for the Blue Jays! She lives with her beautiful family in the Waterloo Region in Ontario.
I cannot remember a time in my life where I have heard the word peace more often than I have in the last few years. It seems everyone everywhere is longing and calling for peace.
I've heard the cry for peace in the voices of Canadian protestors who took to the streets over police brutality, racism, and the uncovering of the unmarked graves of Indigenous children. "No justice, no peace".
I've heard the cry for peace in the words of world leaders, urging citizens in a world of endless possibilities to "choose peace."
I've heard the call to peace from Canadian religious leaders, urging Christians to be people of peace amid our current political, social and familial polarities.
Hearing the calls for peace during this Advent season seems fitting as one of the Advent candles we light is the peace candle, set ablaze in the life of Jesus. In today's reading from Isaiah, we see that the prophesied Messiah would not only be called “Redeemer” but would also be called "Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end."
I don't know about you, but honestly, I wasn't ready for all this talk of peace. Whose peace? My peace? Or their peace? And what kind of peace? How peace? It has become increasingly difficult to navigate and lead well with so many competing ideas of peace in our churches, families and neighbourhoods.
But how benevolent is our God that in the gift and incarnation of Jesus, we don't have to wander looking for the path to peace as followers of the way. We don't have to languish in the questions of what peace looks like when the Prince of Peace has come and dwelt among us. The nature of the incarnation is a literal expression of peace, through the translation of Divine love as compassion and mercy.
For those who long for Jesus-centered peace, this saviour child offers to us the opportunity for active peacemaking in the here and now. Jesus not only describes what peace looks like, but he embodies it as a roadmap for us. Through his humanity, the incarnation challenges us to do away with every inhuman behaviour. Jesus offers us the conditions of peaceful coexistence through his acknowledgement that human beings made in the imago Dei need dignity, justice, and equity.
I love that the Hebrew scriptures describe this idea of peace or shalom in a way that challenges our Western sentimentalities of peace. At least to this non-Hebrew scholar, when I read scripture, Jesus' ancestors seemed to articulate that shalom wasn't merely the idea of inner tranquility or even the absence of conflict or disagreement. Rather, they paint a picture of shalom wed together with justice in social and personal relationships, enacted in its fullness grounded in God's covenantal love.
When I read these words from Isaiah today, I see a prophet who longed for a peace-bringing Messiah, void of empty sentimentality and full of actual deliverance from evil and oppression in a world ripe with false shepherds, greedy tyrants and evil empires. When Isaiah declared that the Messiah would bring salvation and shalom, he prophesied the wholeness that came with hands-on justice and righteousness. Active peacemaking on full display.
If you're like me, one who has been wondering what peace looks like - may I offer you the only thing that has healed and sustained my soul this year? Turn your eyes upon Jesus. With cruciform and co-suffering love and his Kingdom manifesto of The Sermon on the Mount, this baby lying in a manger came not just as the person of peace but offers us the way of peace. The Kingdom of this Prince of Peace is a polis of the oppressed, the marginalized, the powerless, the humble. True peace becomes crystal clear when we see through the lens of Jesus.
If you currently find yourself part of the centre of power in any earthly or religious institution during this Advent season, Isaiah's prophecy about the coming King Jesus should make you squirm in your seat. The kind of shalom Jesus embodies and calls you to comes at a cost. What can be shaken is being shaken and the Spirit is beckoning you to pay attention to what Jesus is doing in our midst. A cruciform way is possible, not only for those you serve but for your life as well.
And if you find yourself on the margins this Advent season, on the list of those the gatekeepers are worried about, know that the kind of shalom Jesus embodies and calls you toward comes at a cost for you too. The price tag is called prayer for those who persecute you and radical "enemy love,” not just towards the enemy who would take your life, but also towards those who seek to erase your history, refuse you the pulpit or even deny you the cup and the bread.
The self-giving love of a Messiah who has joined himself to humanity forever, to your suffering and to mine, whether we're in the centre or on the margins, calls us to this Jesus-centered, peace-filled way. Still redeeming, still restoring, still beautiful Jesus is still announcing peace on earth. So roll up your sleeves, Jesus follower! The ancient path of Jesus' way of peace costs us all. To those at the centre and those at the margins, the Prince of Peace is calling, right here, at this moment. Will you hear his voice this Advent season?
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