Sunday, January 1, 2023

First Sunday After Christmas

The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:
– First Reading: Isaiah 63:7-9
– Psalm 148
– Second Reading: Hebrews 2:10-18
– Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:12-23

The liturgical color for the day is: White

“Joseph, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.” He dreams, he packs up, he moves out.

This really is the Christmas Dream—no, not the made for TV movie version, not even the story book version, but the one that is born of God. It is the God-with-us dream version that is our reality.

That reality which knows that innocence is slaughtered. That reality which knows that Christmases are often not the experience of imagination, but they are the letdown that they are even as the wrapping paper is crumpled on the floor.

Ah yes, but Joseph, Joseph, Joseph…Joseph in the well, Joseph in your dungeon, Joseph confused at the birth, Joseph fleeing in the night into Egypt—you, yes you—and I too—we are that Joseph. We are Joseph.

Joseph, Joseph you dreamer you. Dreaming, doing, daring to discern…

We are that Joseph who in moments, at least in moments and even in moments of dream we get it. We get it that despite all the pain and agony… Despite all the impossibilities of logic and sense and planning—despite all the ways of the world and the powers that be—oh, despite all of it: God is in this. God is in this!!!  And that news will make it possible to live in this next 365 days!

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Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
General Presbyter and Stated Clerk