Elliott's Muses

In the days after the birth of Christ Jesus, Mary and Joseph found themselves pondering the good news, the prophetic words from Simeon, and Anna, in the Temple, and a visit from some mysterious Persians – Magi – who had traveled nearly a thousand miles (from the East) to worship the child King revealed to them in a strange star.  The visit of the Magi seems strange in our modern context, but they presented to his parents gifts fit for a King.   Two dreams followed this visit.  One came to the Magi warning them not to return to Herod to tell him they had found the newborn King.  The second dream came to Joseph.  As before an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and told him to quickly leave where they were living (Bethlehem?) and “ flee to Egypt…Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him” .  Remember? Matthew 2:13-15    When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.  On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and th

My God in All Things We are celebrating the days that follow the celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus on Christmas Day which will lead us to Epiphany on January 6.  While we waited in Advent, preparing for our Lord’s coming, we now enter into the liturgical year and the many different times of celebration in the Church.  These days of 2023 are quickly coming to a close and I think most of us would agree that it has been a tumultuous year filled with lots of odd contradictions.  We have a government that seems to want to self-destruct on many different levels, and with this next year as an election year, the turmoil, dissension, and division will only seem to increase.  We have wars still continuing in the Middle East, and the Ukraine, with even more threats of wars on the horizon.  In all of this, we also have our God, who is sovereign and rules – by his Providence – over all of the earth. On this sixth day of Christmas, we’re reminded of the narrative of Mary and Joseph taking

On this fourth day of the 12 days of Christmas, the Church remembers the slaughter of the Innocent children of Bethlehem by King Herod.  It is known as the Feast of Holy Innocents, Martyrs. The visit of the Magi, the Persian astrologers, left King Herod paranoid that a rival King would take over his rule.  Herod was a ruthless king who was known to eliminate anyone who appeared as a rival to his throne.  Herod ordered the killing of all boys under the age of two in Bethlehem.   These innocent lives bear witness to Christ who was persecuted from the time of His birth by a world which would not receive Him. Once again, Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, receives a message from God in a dream and moves his family to Egypt to avoid the coming slaughter.  The scripture describes the horror of what occurred.   Matthew 2:12-18 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.  Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared

Following Christmas Day, the Church celebrates twelve days called “The Octaves of Christmas”.   The first Octave Day is on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.   Advent was a season of preparation for the coming of the Lord – and now we celebrated his coming.     “ On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... “Everyone is familiar with the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” We are reminded that Christmas is not just one day.  The carol reminds us there are twelve days of Christmas that lead up to January 6 th and the celebration of the Epiphany. The Octaves of Christmas are filled with reminders of what Christmas means in our faith lives.   “Octave  means an eight-day celebration, that is, the prolongation of a feast to the eighth day... Christmas day is considered the first day, and it is followed by six days called “days within the octave.” The eighth or octave day is made on January 1 st .” (With Christ through the Year, by Bernard Strasser). Why eight days?  The number 8 is

It is here – Christmas Day.  Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of Our Lord.  Christianity is founded on this amazing truth – that God entered the world taking on humanity to share in our suffering and to rule over all of God’s creation.  Jesus’ life began in a Manger in Bethlehem and the joyous news of God’s coming to Shepherds watching sheep at night: Luke 2:10-12 “… the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." What did it mean?  That God had come to fix the world’s mess and symbolically he did so by entering a place of Mess. The ancient prophecy has come to life:  “ Unto US, a child is born, Unto US, a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor

This year (2023), Advent comes to a close with this Sunday being the only day in the fourth week. In the General Roman Calendar, today is the last day of Advent, Christmas Eve, and also the first day of Christmas time.  Advent may come to a close, but the joy of the Incarnation of Jesus has just begun.  While families – yours perhaps – busily prepare for Christmas gatherings, dinners, and church services, the scriptures remind us of what the significance of this Christmas Eve means. Matthew 1:23   “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).  Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord . What are the most significant words in the Christmas Eve announcements?  “Unto you is born this day…a Savior, Christ the Lord…”, and “they shall call his n

A friend of mine gave me a book about the early American space flights beginning with Alan Shepherd in the Mercury 7 through the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong along with Buzz Aldrin brought their capsule “the Eagle” to settle on the surface of this strange alien piece of rock that circles our planet.  In between these two space adventures came many different trial runs.  It was Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968, and the crew of Apollo 8, became the first humans to travel to the Moon. As they circled the moon on that Christmas Eve, the three astronauts – Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, and Frank Borman each read from the Book of Genesis as the world watched their journey on a live television broadcast.  The transcript was this: Bill Anders spoke first… We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the

All of the people in the Christmas story were – for the most part – unknown in their time.  Joseph and Mary were from Nazareth and traveled to Bethlehem because they came from the heritage of King David.  Because they found no room when they arrived meant that neither Joseph nor Mary, had family to receive them.  The census ordered by Caesar first, and then the governor must have brought many people to the cities of their families, so we can assume Bethlehem was crowded with people needing lodging.  Mary and Joseph arrived to find there was no room in any traditional lodging place. Luke 2:4-7   Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.  He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of

 Many people take trips during Advent.  Most are to visit family, sometimes close friends for the holidays.  Families coming together renew the bonds of their connections to one another.  Many people stay home and family comes to them; but then again, there are many who load up the car, or hop on a plane, or train, and go to their family.  It was a trip that happened in Luke’s Gospel that made the way for the Nativity or birth of Jesus to take place.  The Scripture: Luke 2:1-5 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  All went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.  He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. Months have passed since

Advent is a time of reflection, patiently waiting, hope, and promise.  There are only a few people in the Advent story:  Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Zechariah are prominent.  Later the Angels announce Jesus’ birth to the Shepherds in Bethlehem, and even later, the Magi follow the star to Jesus.  God uses a few people and most people – at that time – would have thought all of these to be rather insignificant, even anonymous. It's a strange thing to “wait” in Advent.  I love the time of quiet reflection, of praying, of worshipping with the sacraments of communion, the scriptures, the songs of praise to God.  I don’t need a lot of other things, though there are some decorations in the house.  Quietness is a treasured love.  Thus, I lead us back to Zechariah, and the final part he plays in the Advent story.  Yesterday we read of his silence ending.  He named his Son John, and he was released from the Angel Gabriel’s discipline of being mute.  Imagine it, silent for over nine months.

 Advent is not linear in its celebration.  There’s a time for preparation, a time for examination, and with that confession.  There’s a time for celebration, for rejoicing, and for rehearsing the promises of God that were fulfilled in Jesus’ coming.  We enter into Advent to look back at Christ Jesus’ first coming, and we continue through Advent hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promise for Jesus’ second coming at the end of the age.  Advent is a time for HOPE. Hope is not always easy to put our finger on.  We hope for many things throughout our lives.  As a child, we hoped at Christmas for the gift we were getting.  As an adult, we hoped (perhaps) for marriage, for our children to grow into young men and women, for a satisfying career, and for our life to be enjoyable as we grow old.  We recognize that many of these hopes may not come to pass.  Marriages go through rough times, and some don’t make it.  Children grow up and make their own decisions about life which we don’t always a

As a Father, and now a Grandfather, I have vivid memories of pregnancies and births.   The week before Christmas, every year, we celebrate, on the same day, three births.   One of those is our one grandson born in our son’s family, and the other two are births of our twin grandchildren in our daughter’s family.   They were all born on the same day and in the same year.   Those are birthdays that are easy to remember.   We have four children, and I remember all of their births.   It’s amazing to be able to think back many years ago and think of our children as newborn babies.   It might be the most amazing godly moment of our lives.   Advent reminds us that Jesus came into this world as a baby.  Yet, it also reminds us that there was nothing easy about God sending his Son to be born of his mother, Mary.  Mary was not yet married when she conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.  She was “betrothed” to Joseph.  To be betrothed meant much more than Mary and Joseph were “eng

 “Come Gaudete – Rejoice With” We come to the midway point of Advent, although this year there are but 8 days left before Christmas is here.  The third Sunday of Advent is called “ Gaudete” which is Latin for the word “ Rejoice ”.  If you are using an Advent wreath, the Rose candle is what is lit today.  In the middle of the Advent season, we pause in our reflections and meditations to “rejoice” – to be joyful in remembering why we are celebrating Advent in the first place. You may remember that for many centuries in the church Advent was marked by repentance and reconciliation – a time to “prepare for the Lord’s coming”, like a person would prepare for someone’s coming visit by cleaning things up before they come.  Now, in the middle of this season, the house is clean, and our hearts also.  We have been preparing, cleaning up if you will, and we take a moment in our preparation to enjoy what lies ahead – we rejoice! The Prophet Isaiah of the Messiah and in his coming, a time t

We have come to the end of the second week of Advent.  All week long we’ve looked, mused if you will, on Mary and visitations of God to her.  I have often thought that we don’t understand God’s heart for people until we see how he sent his Son into the world for us through the Virgin Mary.  It makes me wonder, "All of this is in the eternal council, or plan of God - just what was God thinking?  Remember how the Apostle John opened his Gospel? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.   In him was life, and the life was the light of men...  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.   He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.   But to all who did receive him, who believed in his