Who is looking for who?

December 31, 2023

Scriptures: Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40

This passage is filled with interesting images…with Mary and Joseph’s faithful adherence to the law and customs surrounding Jesus’ dedication and reception into the covenant community, with Simeon’s affirmation that Jesus indeed was the promised Messiah, along with his prophecy that Jesus would in fact be a very controversial figure bringing about great social and religious change; change extending even to the suffering of Mary. And then there is the fascinating image of Anna. Close to 100 years old, long-suffering, totally dedicated to the Lord…and totally in sync with all that Simeon had just spoken of regarding the young boy Jesus.

Mary and Joseph made the pilgrimage to the Temple in order to fulfill the requirements of the Law calling for the dedication of their son unto God, and into the community of the faith. In doing so, they were not only doing the proper thing dictated by their faith, they also putthemselves in a place where they received an amazing blessing from God through the prophecy and revelations of Simeon and Anna. They had no idea that this day would be a day they would never forget…they were not expecting to receive the blessing they did…in fact, in fulfilling their ritual requirement…in doing what they were supposed to do…they received the greatest gift imaginable…a gift that is just as available to each one of us today…

…in doing what they felt they were called to do…in living out their day following the things their heart led them to do…

…they found God breaking in upon their ordinary life in an extraordinary way.

For Mary and Joseph, the practice of ritual was their faith-given way to be in the flow of God, their way to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. They were blessed in and for their obedience. In the middle of their ritual, they found the God who was actually reaching out to them…there in the middle of what they were doing as truthful followers of their faith.

So…what does that mean for us, here, today on this last day of the year? Jewish law taught of a constant awareness of God throughout the day, in fact, throughout the whole of one’s life. In waking, in lying down to sleep, in one’s going out and coming in, at meal times, and throughout all of the significant moments in an individual’s life, the focus was meant to be tempered with an awareness of God watching over them. All of it intended to bring them into a place where they might experience the divine.

However, it was not just about routinely and mechanically taking part in rituals, not just about showing up at the right time or in the right place. Remember, that Jesus himself was critical of any who held to the absolute letter of Jewish ritual without having the proper attitude of the heart. He was critical of those whose faith actions seemed to be in line with the Law’s expectations, but whose hearts were far from seeking or expecting a sense of God’s presence.

Jesus was very critical of  the hypocrisy he saw in the faith practice of the Pharisees. He accused them of upholding the letter of the Law for personal gain, rather than teaching, sharing and living out their faith as an opportunity to demonstrate the love of God to others. As a result of these criticisms by Jesus, early followers of his tended to distance themselves from highly ritual life and faith. And even down to today the place of ritual in Christian faith expression varies widely from denomination to denomination. Sometimes it is rigid and strictly legalistic, and at other times almost non-existent, or at the very least, weak. Let it be said, that there needs to be a balance…ritual and faithful practice is still a pathway to the divine.

In going back to the heart and intent of Mary and Joseph however, I think we might see in their reasoning and actions a lesson for ourselves.  For them, the ritual practice of the faith was fully a part of their understanding of life itself.  Their coming to the Temple to dedicate their son was something they knew they needed to do, it was not a chore, it was not a routine that could be seen as boring, but rather was a proper and desired part of the way they lived their lives as children of God. Ritual such as presenting their son at the Temple was an important part of the way they viewed life itself…their worldview included a prominent place for God. In their thoughts, God was an underlying given. Their daily lives were never far from a sense of the divine presence…the mystery of God was always hovering close by.

Which makes me wonder…is this different from our own waking and our daily thoughts? For many of us I would guess, our daily thought stream is pretty much filled with other, seemingly more pressing issues than what God might be thinking or doing. Probably filled far too full with ‘hurry up and get going’ thoughts that are wholly different than pausing, and quietly pondering the mysterious sense of God’s presence in one’s life. In all fairness though, it seems hard to imagine living each day fully aware of this God who is ever seeking after us. Are we even aware of God’s presence…or do we think of God mainly at ‘proper’ and set aside times, or perhaps, in an emergency?  These are tough questions to be sure. But finding the way back onto the pathway of God may not be as difficult as you may imagine.

So, does this mean that I am advocating a full fledged return to a highly ritualized and routine form of practicing our faith? No, I don’t think so. For that in itself would not make the doorway into holiness any more obvious or present. In truth, it really is after all a question of the heart. A question of our intent, and of our willingness to look for our Lord each day.

Perhaps the answer is to live our lives fully and joyfully…and to always be open to the interruption of our lives by the grace of God. Mary and Joseph were not looking for an amazing blessing per se, in fact, I am not sure they even knew Simeon or Anna, but rather, they were going about living faithfully…and God showed up!

It may be that to some extent we have lost our awareness that God is actively seeking to be in touch with us each day. Maybe we are just too busy to keep a look out for God in our lives. So, I guess my challenge to us all as we start this new year, is for us to covenant, to promise, to daily seek out a moment with God…to look for God right in the middle of our ordinary lives? 

But how do we do this? How can we find ways to set aside moments for grace?  There is a wonderful quote in the Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, a saying credited to Jesus which is found in a third century papyrus text which reads, ‘Wheresoever there are two, they are not without God: and where there is one alone, I say I am with him. Lift the stone and there shalt thou find me: cleave the wood, and I am there.’

Did you hear that? It is not just where ‘two or more are gathered’…for not even one soul all by itself that is searching will be left alone. And further, it affirms that even in the exercise of our daily work-life, no matter our occupation…in working with stone or in wood, in teaching or in public service, no matter what we are engaged in, we are called to dedicate those moments to the pursuit of an awareness of God…God who is moment by moment seeking after us.

        But this seems like it may be hard, given what our lives are already so filled up with…seems like a wholly different and unfamiliar way to live our daily lives. How can we possibly slow down enough to see God, how can we squeeze another thing into our already crammed schedules?  Make no mistake, this all may take time. For there is a real need in a sense, to ‘detox’ from the busy and hectic pace of life. For it is in moments of inner quiet that we will find the true meaning and beauty of life.  We need to learn how to find God daily, in both our quiet time, as well as in our work. We need to learn the mystery of the goodness of service, as well as the awe of a truly present God in our lives. We need to find God in the present, and not just in hindsight as we so often do. It is about seeking daily moments with God…intentionally looking for them, and making time for them. 

Foremost among these ways must be prayer…prayer, which in fact, is simply conversation with God. Prayer is an ongoing dialog during the day that becomes easier the more it is practiced.  Aside from that, there are many other small ways we can begin to set aside moments for God…perhaps we need to learn how to truly take time out, just to listen to the joyful chatter of children, or to get up early in order to catch the sunrise, or maybe go out of our way in offering to help someone…or even to take a long walk in the woods, drinking deeply of the beauty and glory of creation, no matter the season.…

        These are valid and can be holy little life-rituals, purposefully making time for God to enter into our daily life…for any of the time we set aside just to listen for the voice of our Lord will not go unrewarded…

…in truth our Lord is seeking to be in deep fellowship with each one of us, and to be a faithful companion on our walk through life no matter the circumstances we face…seeking to color our understanding with an awareness that simply defies words…and with a peace that runs deep…a joy that knows no bounds…

Truly our Lord is looking for us…let us start this New Year searching for him as well…amen