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This
is a new resource here in the Diocese of Olympia to help point out some
stewardship themes in the weekly lectionary to make it easier to preach,
teach, study, pray and speak about stewardship throughout the year.
The format for this information will evolve over time and sometimes it
may be more academic than others and other times it may be just what
the Spirit first speaks to me as I read the text.
In any event, I hope it is helpful to you and I invite
any feedback that you might want to give. In the future I will
provide links to other resources, as well.
The readings for the Nativity of our Lord,
are Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14 ;
and Luke 2:1-14(15-20). Or you may choose from the second option whichincludes Isaiah
62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; and Luke 2:(1-7)8-20,
or the third option which includes Isaiah
52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12); and John 1:1-14.
The gospel reading sets the birth of our Lord in the
midst of worldly political concerns with the Roman census taking place
throughout "all the world."
And this is the time that God chooses to enter into our time and space
as one of us - yet more fully human than any of
us. So it is here in the grand scheme of Roman power that Mary
and Joseph traverse to an insignificant town in a remote part of an
Imperial province and put up for the night in a barn because
"there is no room in the inn" for them.
This irony should not be lost on us. God chooses to enter into
the world in the most unassuming way as one of the poorest among
us. God makes a statement to us about what and whom
is important in the divine economy. If the Church ignores this
statement we have already missed the mark of what God asked us to do as
stewards of the good news of Jesus' coming into the world.
In addition giving hope in an oppressed world with this divine timing,
God also speaks acceptance to all through coming as one born to the poor,
outcast and abandoned Mary. We are called to be stewards of this
message God has entrusted to our care. For this we were baptized,
for this Jesus was crucified, for this he was raised from the dead, and
we were born again into the world to share this hope and acceptance in
our lives with both word and deed.
As the Luke tells us, Mary and Joseph find themselves alone in the
stable with only the livestock as attendants. I do not think it
is a mistake that there were no customary midwives there to help Jesus
be born into the world. If there were they might let the Church
off the hook for being the midwives helping to bear Jesus to the
world. This is the mission God has given us as the Church.
We have done a good job of this at times and not so good at other
times. Now we find ourselves in a similar world of political and
economic posturing to the 1st Century Roman world. So many people
throughout the world today feel poor, outcast and abandoned. As
Stewards of the Gospel we, the Church, are called to rewrite their
story today making room for them in the Inn of God's provident love,
radical welcome, and unconditional acceptance.
Stewardship is not just about giving our financial resources to the
mission of the Church, but it is about living our lives to reveal God's
coming into the world in times such as these. This might give us
pause to think about how we can respond appropriately to the Occupy
movement in our own communities. Certainly these people are
feeling disenfranchised by the worldly economic and political
systems. Who else in each of our communities might feel this
way? Christmas is not just about receiving Christ ourselves, but
it is also about us bearing God to the world that is desperate for
God's grace. It is no mistake that the first to visit the Christ
child were the shepherds who were considered lowly themselves.
Hope is essential to human thriving, therefore
hope is essential to life. God calls us give hope to the world by
bearing Christ in our lives.
I pray that we all will make room in our hearts for God to enter in, so
that we may be midwives helping to bear Christ into our world.
Peace be with you!
Lance
The Rev. Canon Lance Ousley
Canon for Stewardship and Development
The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
1551 10th Ave E.
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 325-4200 office
(360) 499-6070 cell
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February 2012
