Ponder Anew

What is the story that shapes the core of your being ? A friend of mine grew up in a conservative religious community. She obeyed all the rules, and had made many friends. It was not the usual custom for her family, but they sent her off to university, a few hours from the family home. She completed her undergraduate degree and obtained a professional certification as well. She told me that in here second year of studying, her religious upbringing made no sense to her life anymore, and she dropped it all. She never really believed again. . We have had many deep discussions about faith, ethics and the seemingly randomness of God . In thinking about this person, I think I have as many questions about the existence of God that she does, so why do I still participate in the church, and she does not ? There is no answer to that question, just life experience , I guess.

If you are an atheist or an agnostic or just do not care about religion, you still have a story to live by, or a story that shapes how you live in the world. Maybe it is scientific discovery or an ethic that honours all people throughout the world. Maybe for you, it is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights that make your life worth living. The U.S. Constitution has served the United States in its history well, and it is not a religious document.

So, if you are a Christian, what story out your history or out of the Bible gives you meaning ? Where do you find ways  to express the fundamentals of your faith in God ? Some people go to Church history, others go to the Old Testament prophets, while others see the gospel, the good news, to be found  in the early writings of the theologian we call Paul. Some will read nothing but the words and events that are about Jesus. There are four biographies of Jesus found in the Bible. They are all a little different, but the early church did not find that a problem with telling the story for their faith.

If you are going to tell someone about why you believe in God,  and are in the church, what story do you begin with ? I think we should begin with a story, that is part of our story. Deductive reasoning and principles of faith usually does not produce good faith discussion . Part of my faith journey begins with my parents path as refugees coming into this country. My mom suffered from mental illness for much of her adult life. This is part of my story. My wife Shirley and I worked with refugees  in the 1980’s. That is also part of my faith story. The births of our four children speak to me about God. To be the pastor of a faithful church for 25 years speaks to my journey with God. All of these experiences are not all positive and straightforward times with God and humanity. Life is hard and difficult sometimes, but my faith is not threatened with extinction everytime something bad happens in my life.

I am only on the way in my faith. I only know in part. Jesus is my saviour , teacher, friend,  judge of my ethical actions and creator. Jesus has never spoken to me other than the words in the Bible. I have sensed that Jesus has led me to some difficult places and had my sense of who I am in the palm of his hand.

I spoke at a church on Sunday where the children collected things that went into  relief kits for children , who are poor or refugees or victims of disasters. These children give me hope that God is still relevant  in our broken world. But that is just my faith.  What about you ?

Fred Redekop

It seems like every President of the United States of America says it. Often it is said at their inaugural address, but it happens throughout the time that they are President. Member of Congress state it to the people that vote them in. The people of the USA says it too themsleves and to the world. It seems to be a statement that is in the American DNA.

“ We are a city set on a hill “ This is a verse that comes from the Bible. It is from the Sermon on the Mount that is written about in the book of Matthew.  The sermon invites the followers of Jesus to be a different community. The beginning of the sermon starts with poetry: Blessed are the poor in Spirit. … blessed are merciful for they shall receive mercy. There are about 10 “blesseds” in the short passage.

I believe Jesus wants his community to be a city on the hill for people to love their enemies and pray for the those who persecute you. I believe the Sermon on the Mount is for the community of faith to be vulnerable open and honest.

The way that I see the United States using this verse is that they believe that they are the kings of the castle that they have built on the hill. They are the number one nation in the world.  They are the leaders of the free world. I do not know how they came to use this verse for their understanding of who they are. They are the most powerful nation in the world

When the Puritans came to America in 1620 it was also part of their motto,  but they want to set up a country based on religious principles.  When the Constitution was set up over 150 years later, the writers said that their country would have freedom from religion.

So this motto is not part of the legislative fabric of the nation but the politicians have used the concept to further the idea that the USA has the most favoured nation status with God. Many times they have melded the idea that they are city set on a hill from a nationalistic and Christian point of view. It is said that the USA is supposed to have a division between church and state. But in reality, the Americans, I think, are always going back and forth between these two ideas about who they are.

“ We are the light of the the world, and we are the city set on a hill” is the whole verse found in Matthew 5:14. We cannot demand that the nations live up to this Christian principle. After all, nations want to be more stable, and more powerful, and and more progressive. If they want to use this idea of being a light, then we must call them out on it.

But, the task of the church is to be a light. The Sermon on the Mount has caused divisions in the church . Some say that the Sermon is too hard to follow,and it is a vision of heaven. So loving our enemies that is stated in Matthew 6 is too hard and impractical for life here on earth. Yes the Sermon is hard to follow, and impractical from the point of view of the world, but , I believe, it is at the heart of who we are as a church.

There was the childhood game called the king of the castle. At the end of the game, the winner would say, “ I am the king of the castle and your are the dirty rascal “ . The object of the game, was to keep people off the mound or small hill. People would try to run up, and stay on the top, but the biggest person would always throw everyone off, and win the game.

The church should never try to be the king of the castle of the world. We are called to welcome the stranger , feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We are called to work with the most vulnerable of this world. . King of the castle is not a game we should every play outside of the church or within the church. Period.

“Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God”  “prophet” Micah 6:8

A few weeks after Justin Trudeau was elected to be the Prime Minister of Canada, he announced his cabinet. It was news that he named an equal number of females and males to the cabinet. I agreed with this policy of Mr. Trudeau.  He was asked many questions about this announcement.  When asked by one reporter why he did it, he answered, “ Well it is 2015. “ For me, that is not enough reason to do anything.

This kind of thinking assumes that we are always getting better as a human race. The more we go forward, the better we will become. Mr. Trudeau is not the only person who has said this after making a decision. This kind of moral thinking, that we are smarter than we were yesterday just because the calendar turns into another year, is just not a good way to live or act as a society.  

I have heard this about the war going on in Syria. It is 2017, and we assume that we are better than being at war with one another . But we know that we are not. This kind of thinking also assumes that because it is 2017 we are all thinking the same. This is lazy moral thinking.

President Trump ran on the idea of “ making America great again “ and this is also lazy and dangerous. When exactly does Mr. Trump think that America was great in its history ? I have heard that two dates are important in American history ( and I am not an American), 1776 and today. So, is Mr Trump stating that we want to return to 1776, the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence ? I do not think so, but when does the President believe that America was at its greatest ? It is not when they had slavery, or when they dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima or Nagasaki, or is it ? Or was it the economic boom after World War II ? Or was it when they experienced the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communism in Russia ?

We are looking for the “golden era “ of our societies, and when we try to do this, we do not look at the dark parts of who we are. The Greeks think that they were the greatest at the time of the time of Alexander the Great, and all of those philosophers. Some think that the Muslim society was at its height during the Ottoman Empire around 1500-1600. Here in Canada , some Christians believe we must return to school prayer and no Sunday shopping rules.

But, we live in the here and now. I believe we are working for a just society for all. That is my bias that I try to live by. Everyone deserves to live in a safe and hunger-free environment . So, how do we decide to act in certain ways to make this happen. I know that not everyone wants justice for all. In his Inaugural Address, Mr Trump stated that his bias is that America will be first . Period. I am biased against such a worldview.

I think we should live by the first 11 verses in chapter 5 of the biography of Jesus that we call Matthew. It is the “blesseds” passage where Matthew quotes Jesus sermon… “ blessed are the poor in the spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus’ words are to lift up those who are at risk. This is the mark of great society, that they always keep those most at risk at the center of who they are. But , we live in a broken place.

The prophet Micah’s words were written maybe 2500 years ago. His society was at risk. His nation, Israel, was not living like a just society. They were not taking care of the most vulnerable in the society. His words are forward looking  inviting his community to live and act differently… “ Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God “ . These words are to live by, not looking back to a better period,  or saying that we just ought to be better because it is 2017. Change the world, our world, by living like Micah. The journey is hard, but worth it.

Fred Redekop

For most of the last four months,  I have listened to others preach.  This has been good for me, to have others speak, and interpret the Bible. It has felt good to sit in the pew and listen.  I know how hard it is to put your views out there in a sermon, and wait for people to respond to what you are saying.

So, a few weeks ago, I heard a pastor quote someone else. When you do this,  you have to own the words. It would be arrogant to think I could think of new stuff every week. Sometimes I do not remember where I heard things, but I try to compliment others who say things that I agree with. The pastor said that we should be attentive, be astonished and tell the, or your story, of God. These words might not be overly profound, but the have stuck with me for a few weeks now.

Be attentive to your surroundings. This may include nature . It also might include the people you speak with or the ones you watch in the mall or in a restaurant.  You should not make judgement,  but use the gift of observation to experience life. This past Sunday I was preaching again. It was in a multi – ethnic church in Toronto. They are supporters the work of Mennonite Central Committee,  but they are so different from me. I believe the Gospel does transcend different cultures and language.  But , what was I looking for as I visited this church and delivered the sermon. So when I say “ be attentive “ what am I asking you to watch for in your life. As Donald Trump becomes President;  what must we be attentive to as he begins to lead the USA ?

The second thing the the preacher quoted was that we must be astonished.  We must see the world as miracle. I was brought back from the dead over nine years ago. I do not have an astonishing story of heaven or an out of body experience, but it is a miracle that I am here. The odds of me being saved is a miracle. I am also overwhelmed with the generosity of people. People raise money for skate parks, the arena, Heart and Stroke and the work of MCC. People want the world to be a better place. I stand on holy ground as I think of how people give money  to good causes here and around the world.

Finally, as a Christian,  I must tell the story of God, and how it affects me. I know not everyone agrees with me. When I was preaching, I focused on the Bible. It is my guide to faith and life, and I think the church must continue to read and struggle with its meaning.  We do not agree , and that is part of God's story. We must listen to each other, and to God. It is dangerous to speak for God or how God has worked in my/our life. If I believe God has worked in my life in a certain way , and you disagree, I will take it personally.

When I was preaching three Sundays a month, I said what I believed God was saying to me. I changed my mind many times. I hold the Bible more lightly than when I started I ministry. I know I have been wrong and will continue to be wrong. But, God can still work through me and you.

The Bible has many interesting stories of people who are not believers ( Cyrus, Ruth, Naaman, the woman from Zarepheth, Lydia )in traditional faith. And yet God uses them to teach us about spirituality and about life.  Watch for truth in new places. Be amazed at the everyday things that you encounter.  And tell the stories of God , even when you disagree strongly. God can take it.

Fred Redekop

For the last twenty years as pastor at Floradale, I said the same benediction prayer at the end of the service. It comes from the Jewish Scriptures from the book of Numbers. It is the words given to Moses by God, but they were spoken by his brother Aaron. Moses had trouble speaking in public, especially in front of King Pharaoh, so he got his brother to speak some of the tough stuff for the Israelite people.

The words go like this, “ May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you …” (Number 6:24-25 ). I would insert some other words for God, and if I forgot someone in the pastoral prayer earlier in the service, I would remember them as I spoke this benediction. There were other words I inserted like inviting God to envelope us, and sometimes I even said that God would give us a great big hug. But, essentially I would offer the same prayer for twenty years.

What did I mean when I said the “ face of God” ? God is not male or female for me, so what kind of face was I thinking, and what did the congregation hear and see when I said “ the face of God “. When I was young,  I imagined that God had a beard and the face of a white man. I do not think anyone ever told me that, but I probably got it by osmosis from Sunday School, movies and a biased sense of God. I admit that this is what I thought of God, at least in terms of seeing God.

Moses, the prophet of Israel,  says that if you see God, you will not live. Jacob, the founder of the Jewish faith, says he saw the face of God, and he was able to continue to live. So, do I really want to see the face of God, it is dangerous. But in my benediction, the prayer at the end of many Christian services, I invited God to show the face of God to everyone there. A few people told me that this prayer was the most important part of the whole service. They could leave the service ready to engage with the world. It was the same prayer every Sunday for twenty years, and yet it spoke to them in the most profound way.

When I said the words about the face of God, what did I hope the congregation would see ? A face of comfort, of hope and of peace ? Or, if it is not about a face, how did I want the people to experience the presence of God ? The face of God was to shine on all those who heard the words. Was this shining light that I was calling for, a way for the church people to be in the presence of God for the next week ?

I beleive I wanted the people to know that the presence of God would always be there for them. But, sometimes God does not seem to show up. When I am in a Tim Horton’s I look at the faces of people, and try to determine what is going on in their lives. I have no clue, but it is interesting for me to speculate. And what is on my face, the face of God ?  If people would look at my face, as I take a sip of my large dark roast coffee, what would they see ? Do I generally have a smile on my face, or do I look glum and serious ? And is my face different when I am listening to someone ? Can God been seen in my face, or your face ?

I believe that God is in all of our faces. Christ is the Light of the world, but so are we. When someone is hurting or poor or abused, we can be the hopeful  shining face of God to them. I cannot really define it, but I know when one of the followers of Jesus at Floradale was the face of God to me. It sustained me, and allowed me to find ways to be the face of God to them, and to the world.

Shalom and strength,

Fred Redekop.

 

Rumi is an ancient mystic, theologian, writer, Muslim and Facebook sensation. He was born in Persia, and he lived from 1207 to 1273. I learned to know about him through some of his poetry and his personal writings. On Facebook, there are many sites that quote some of his short statements of wisdom.  There are thousands of small statements that are posted on social media, like the one I “liked” today , “ Reason is powerless in the expression of love .”.  But, how do I know that what is posted actually comes from Rumi ? And how do I know what Rumi is said to have written was actually written by him ? And since Rumi was Persian, the words that I receive have been translated over many years. How do I know that the translators have done a good job with Rum’s words. As Jesus said, we must be “ wise and serpents and innocent as doves.”.

So, last week I came across another quote given to Rumi. It goes like this, that when you are about to speak [ or write ] the words must pass three gates, “ is it true, is it necessary and is it kind. “.  This seems like good wisdom. As I was trolling the internet about Rumi , I came across some quotes that Socrates is said to have written similar words in around 350 B.C. . So, how do I decide what is the truth about the these statements  ? And what about truth in general ?

In our world, we are struggling to know how to determine what is fake and what is real in the news. Do people lie about things on purpose, or do they just tell the stories that uphold their particular views ? I think that we all tell only half-truths. In my time as a pastor, I was told that I during my sermons that I told very good stories. They were relevant to life, and were connected to the text from the Bible. But I could never tell the whole truth. That would take too long, and people would have fallen asleep. Life and stories are too complicated for us to tell the whole truth.

News organizations say that they tell us the news that we need to know for our day. I believe that was CTV’s tagline for many years, but news shows make large decisions on what they choose to report and not report . They are guided by advertisers, viewers, politicians and themselves as they try to report the truth as they see it. So, how can we decide what it true on the CBC or CNN or even Fox News ?

I believe in the Bible, as a guide to my faith, and my life. But it is not the whole truth. Luke makes decisions about what stories to tell. John says that all the books in the world could not contain the stories of Jesus. What tales of Jesus did he leave out ? I believe there has been a lot of truth lived out in the world since the Resurrection. What role does God’s Spirit play in the telling of truth today.

So, how am I doing with Rumi’s ( or Socrates’ ) gates. I have to act as if , when I tell a story , that it is true. I cannot verify everything, but I cannot tell a lie, to further my point or faith. I have to tell the truth, even though I can never have the whole truth. Then, if I am confident that it is true, then is it necessary to tell the story ? Not all stories need to be told to everyone. This takes great wisdom; to know when to not tell a story, that might hurt someone. That bring us to the final gate. Is it kind to tell the story about someone or some event ? If you are telling it to raise your own status or place in the family and community, do not open your mouth. Make sure you are kind and compassionate when you tell your stories.

Pilate, the Roman leader, who sent Jesus of Nazareth to the cross, was so conflicted with Jesus and the crowd , he went back into the room where Jesus was, and asked, “ what is truth ?”  It is a question I must ask myself everytime I open my mouth or write with my pen.

Fred Redekop

“So what are you going to do now”, was the final words of the sermon I heard on December 18. The preacher told us once again that the Christ Child born in Bethlehem signifies that God is with us in a new way . The angels sing, the shepherds visit and the Kings of the East bring gifts. And then what ?  Do we go back to our same lives here on earth, and live in the same ways or does God being with us in a life changing way, actually change the way we do things. Are our souls, minds and hearts transformed into new living things that will not allow us to live in the same way ?

Let us begin with our neighborhoods . Here in Woolwich township, we live in a great place. Let us be good to our neighbours.  Let us help each other even more this year, so that we will know each other better, so we can care for each other more. Let us be committed to making the world a better place through loving our neighbour. A friend of mine tells me that poverty reduction begins with our lives in the neighbourhood. It is our smaller picture work that will make the bigger picture more clear.

So what will I do now since I celebrated Christmas last week. How will my life be changed ? If my life doesn't change, then Christmas has no meaning for me. How will God be with me in the coming year ?

Donald Trump. I will commit to pray for him as he becomes President in 2017. I do not agree with his bullying of people and policies. I have to admit that I have posted many cartoons that were not complementary to Mr. Trump. I just cannot understand that he can be mean to so many groups of people. I believe him to be a classic schoolyard bully. He demeans and then pulls back… and then demeans and then pulls back…. I have had a Obama key ring on me for 5 years. I prayed for him. I even sent him postcards. I did not agree with his drone warfare nor his  tough stand on immigration deportation. I need to get a new key ring for Trump. Praying for Mr. Trump will change me. I do not know about him. And what might God think of him… or me ?

Finally, I am going to continue to tell stories of people of faith. I might tell stories of Muslim women who have come to Canada as refugees. There is a story of young Christian kids raising money through baked goods for people who are poor. There are Jewish people who are afraid of what life will bring for them in Europe in the coming year.

There is an unfinished story of a man waiting for a kidney transplant.  He waited for  years to get on the list. He got a call from the hospital to stop eating. It was a false alarm. Then… another call came to stop eating again. “Come to the hospital”, said the voice on the phone. The transplant happened; and now they wait to see if his body will accept it. And what about the person who had to die in order for him to get the kidney. How should I pray to God about her/his family ? This story continues into the new year.

In terms of my faith, Christmas must have meaning throughout the year. It made a difference for many characters in the Bible. It must make changes in my life in terms of compassion, love and fear. I hope God continues to change me because I cannot do it. God is with you and me, and us today and tomorrow,  and the day after that. “ So what are you going to do ?”

Fred Redekop

“ To shine on those living in darkness,

and in the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Zechariah in Luke 1:79

An angel came to speak to Zechariah. The angel said that his wife Elizabeth would give birth to a baby. Zechariah thought that Elizabeth was too old to give birth. He said this to an angel that had come to him at night, and the angel waved his hand, and Zechariah could not speak for many months. That is quick punishment for not really doubting, but he just has a question for the night visitor.

Later on in chapter one of Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus, the Christ Child, Zechariah and Elizabeth become the proud parents of John. Their son is not the Messiah, but John is the one to identify the Son of Man, and he is to point other people to follow Jesus. Following the first of two miraculous births in the book, Zechariah writes a great piece of poetry or sings a great song. The church has thought it so important that it gave a name to it, the Benedictus.

The name comes from the first word of the song that was recorded in the Bible in Latin. It means blessed. Maybe John will blessed. Maybe it refers to Elizabeth to being blessed by having given birth. Maybe Zechariah is feeling the blessedness of the day, as he celebrates being a father.

After the the birth of John , we do not hear anything about John’s parents. John has a tough life; he was out in the wilderness for a few years, and then he started baptizing people in the name of a person who was to come. The religious people did not like it. John was imprisoned later on  as a follower of Jesus. He is executed on the whim of one of the religious leaders.

What did his parents think of all of this ? Zechariah’s song is all about hope. The hope that is found in the song is not fulfilled in the life of John. The kingdom of God does not come into being while John walked the earth. So, what  can we find in this old song in our journey of life and faith for ourselves ?

The final verse( at the top of the article ) of the Zechariah’s song is helpful and hopeful for me. I am looking for someone to name the darkness in my own life, and bring sunshine into my life this Christmas season. We have endured a lot of change in our work lives this year. Every time someone asks me about it, I feel that there is a light shining into my existence , just by their asking the question. I left a secure job of 25 years, and trusting God for direction, My faith in God was not just theoretical, but I have had to trust in new ways.

We have had a death to our community this year. We had been part of of a loving community for these past 25 years, and we have had to look for a new worshipping community of believers. When a community has been so much part of our faith in God, it is hard to fill in the hole that is so large in my life. We are naming the grief and loss to ourselves. What do God want to teach to us through this past year and living forward ? We are living through the shadow of death.

As Zechariah ends the song, with a call to God, to guide our lives in path of peace, I am called to be that kind of person of peace in my life. I have noticed feelings of loss, bitterness and anger in the last year, as I have lived through this change. That is all part of grief. I do not want to be a bitter old guy. I want to invite people to the ways of peace.

I will look to Zech and Liz, their nicknames, to provide me with hope this year. I am going to sing this song from my roof ( not really ), reminding me of God’s presence in my life. I will trust in God.

Fred Redekop

If you believe in the Christmas story as part of your faith journey, then God gave it all. God is in it for the long journey. If you do not believe in the story from a faith perspective, you can still celebrate Christmas. It is still about giving, family, sacrifice and hope. As you approach another Christmas Day, what are looking forward to on that day ? What are you dreading on that day, and how can you change how you react to something bad happening ?

In the New Testament ( one of the holy books of  the Christian faith ) there are many people who are introduced into the story before the birth of Jesus. These people include Elizabeth, Zechariah, angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, and there is also a long genealogy in the Matthew biography of Jesus. In the family tree, there are three women named who were sinners or outsiders. What does this do to our remembering the story ?

In the biography of Jesus, written by Luke, there are other characters. We are reminded of John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit, more angels, and that there were politicians who were in charge different areas of the Roman Empire. Then, there are the people that are in the story but not mentioned. What were the parents of Joseph and Mary thinking of the events that their young children told to them. “ You are not pregnant, and it is not God that made you pregnant. This is blasphemy.” might have been the words that Mary’s mother said to her daughter, or at least thought to say to her daughter.

Then, when the young couple get to Bethlehem we have the innkeeper, the tax assessors, the shepherds, and the singing angel choir. You can imagine who might also be in the story. Where was the local rabbi during this time ? And what were the neighbours saying about this birth, if their house was just down the road ?

As we put our manger scenes together this year, we want the season to be a happy one. We want all the animals to behave in the scene. We want the birth to be uncomplicated, even though the mother might be delivering in a barn or a cave. We want soft caroling to be sung in the background, and all the characters, from the Wise Men to the shepherds, to have smiles on their faces. And we all will understand what the birth will mean for us and the world. And when we take down the manger for the year, we will know how to act as followers of the baby Jesus.

This is a lot of expectations to have on every Christmas season. No wonder, we enter January with a great sense of loss, that we have missed it again. “ I do not know what I missed this Christmas, but I did not find what I might not have been looking for on December 25 “, might explain the confusion that we find ourselves every January. So, what are we looking to receive during Advent and Christmas ?

God gave us the gift of the child, “God with us “. God gave the baby to change the world. Maybe it is the giving that we might find the meaning and joy of Christmas. I have given gifts every year, and it sometimes leaves me with saying that it is not enough, or it was not quite the right gift for the right person. So, where do I find the meaning of Christmas this year, in giving or receiving ?

I came across a story on the Woolwich Community Services facebook page. It is a story that might shape my faith response to the birth of the baby, this year. Emily and Cassidy Bauman were walking in town, and found $10 on the road. They decided to pay it forward to the Goodwill program. I know these girls, and their parents, and both sets of grandparents. I am almost sure it came out of their understanding of what the story means. The story has been embedded in their hearts, souls and minds. The $10 does not solve all the problems in this world, but it has made a difference in how think and act in my faith. Thank you Cassidy and Emily.

Fred Redekop

Since the beginning of my life, I have been waiting for Jesus to return, known as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ . I must have learned it from my parents or the church where my parents took me as a young boy. For a variety of reasons, this Second Coming scared me out of my mind. It might have been the tone of voice of my Sunday School teacher or the preacher, but I always experienced it with much fear, and trembling. I never heard it taught as a comforting event at all. I was a sinner, and I might have to endure great suffering because I would be left behind after Jesus returned . I would not be taken up in into the sky, and live in heaven forever. Now, I understand that this kind of interpretation is only a small slice of the Christian tradition.

The church celebrates for the four Sundays before Christmas. It is called Advent, and the Bible passages that are usually read are about the coming of the Christ Child, and the coming of Jesus again.  The Church wants to worship God coming among us in the child born to Mary and Joseph, but they also want to celebrate the coming again of Jesus. These two events should be comforting to me as a child of God. One Christmas carol that I like is “ Come thou Long Expected Jesus. “.

Christmas, as most of us celebrate it,  is a romantic story of the birth of the Saviour of the world. Our manger scenes are quaint and quiet, and we want to feel hopeful and happy during the whole season of Advent. We sing songs, that I love, of mostly scenes of the tiny baby born of a virgin, and everything is just perfect with lambs, donkeys, cows, wise Men, and anything else that will make us feel good.. It was not as neat a scene as we portray it to be.

There is the long ride to Bethlehem at the end of the pregnancy. The child is born in a cave, or a barn, but not at home. There is the evil King Herod, who kills those other babies,  trying to find the new King that was born. Then after Jesus is born, he and his family become refugees,  until it is safe to come back to their homeland.

Near the end of Jesus’ life, he might have been around 30 when he died, he begins to talk about his return. It is a confusing part of the story for me. He is in Jerusalem preparing to die, and he has this short conversation with his friends ( the disciples ) about when he, the Son of Man , will return again to the earth. I thought that Jesus has come to bring peace to the whole world, bringing salvation from God to everybody. But, even after the Resurrection, he has to go back to heaven, and we must now wait for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ .?.? I am tired of waiting for Jesus to return.

As Christians, we have waited a long time. In every generation since around 35 A.D., and now for around two thousand years, the church has talked about waiting. We have framed theologies that have not come to pass, and have scared little children , like myself. In business, in education and in the government, you would not wait for this long. You would do something different.

Maybe, me and the church have gotten it all wrong. Maybe Jesus returns to the earth each day, and we do not see him, nor do we act like we are Christians, working for justice and peace.. We are judgmental, we are violent, we are racist, we hate women and Muslims. We do not love our neighbours. We only live for ourselves. How could we ever see the Second Coming, if we are so focused on our own needs and wants ?

I know now that I have gotten it all wrong. “Open my eyes , O God.” I have been waiting these 58 years, and you have been here all along. “ Forgive me, O Lord.” I know that I will see you today.

Fred Redekop