Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 11 was our annual Lessons and Carols service. Davin put together an incredible set of music featuring varied styles and instruments interspersed with readings. Together they communicated the Christmas story in a wonderfully unique way.
Bob's Reflection from Sunday's service:
I heard an interview this past week with Pablo Larrain, who directed the Jackie (Kennedy) movie that is just coming out now. In the interview he talked about how what interested him in particular about this project was the question of perspective - he set out to tell the story of the few days following the assassination of John F Kennedy from the perspective of Jackie, his wife.
Here is Larrain talking about it:
If you read the the Warren Commission account: “He was killed by a number of bullets and here and there and it would say that Jacqueline Kennedy his 34 year old wife was sitting next to him...so the whole question is what happens if we think that JFK was sitting next to her and we take the whole story from her perspective and her point of view.”
As I listened, it struck me that this is one important way of talking about what Advent is - the story of God entering into the story of our lives to see what they are like from our perspective - It is a holy and mysterious truth we confess. Here is how one New Testament author puts it:
Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things… he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect…. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested….
Whatever you suffer in your life he is there to suffer with you, whether it be loneliness, abuse, being cheated, slandered, or the subject of gossip…he has been right there with us… and it is all for the purpose of putting a redemptive energy at work in our life circumstances on our behalf, an energy that moves us from the circumstances that hold us back and moves us towards newness of life - an energy that activates when we welcome God’s presence into the story that is our life and open ourselves to his love….
I hope it sinks in for you during this advent season that all of the talk about Jesus in the manger and the nearness of God all boils down to God caring so much about your life from your perspective that he became human - that is a fantastic claim but that is the claim… may God increase our faith.
