Now if I was to say UP, what would you say it the opposite? (DOWN)
Similarly, what is the opposite of out? (In)
When I went through seminary in Philly, we were all encouraged to seek Spiritual Direction
—a unique mixture of traditional counseling along with faith based reflection.
By my Senior year most of my 12 person cohort realized we were being directed by the same lady, Susan Cole…
and we all noticed that at the same time, about 40 minutes into a fifty-five-minute conversation
—Susan would ask each of us the same question, “Where is God in all that?”
Locating God…
Finding God…
looking for God in my life.
Heck of a question to answer, honestly.
And I want you all to know, when you’re faced with those type of questions:
“Where is God in all this?”
Whenever you want to locate God
—you can do so using the sign of the cross:
God is: UP, DOWN, OUT, IN +
“Where is God?” UP, DOWN, OUT, IN
Prayer
“Where is God?”
We can look up,
not to look for those overhyped drones,
but to see that army of angels overhead…
to hear the heavenly songs of the angelic choir,
serenaded by the hope filled message that they bring from God.
To not look up, would be a mistake—a mistake often made…
We are easily trapped in an imminent frame,
meaning we believe that the extraordinary is off limits
—we confuse the transcendent and profound—the things sought by faith
with superstition and wishful thinking…
In our attempts to stick to the facts
and begin everything as a healthy skeptic
(Modernism, the Enlightenment… all that)
—we sell life short.
We limit ourselves to a life that consists of waiting for the next Marvel Movie
or anticipating the next family fight.
But when we look up, we risk
—like a tightrope walker,
or someone on the bomb squad,
—risk seeking God,
seeking that which is greater than ourselves…
—we can at least be real about our meaning making soul
—“Gee I wish it was so.” “If only!” “God!”
We can allow for awe,
for those things that we can’t categorize…
-friendship and beauty,
-emotion and pathos,
-rest and redemption.
“Where is God?”
We can look down,
under the feet of Augustus and Quirinius and all of their ilk…
When we look down we see a strange sigil—a strange sign
—one different from thosed used by all the great Lords of History, the winners of this world
—you wouldn’t plant it as a flag, to claim a foreign land,
you wouldn’t choose to use it as a logo, to brand your business…
A trough and strips of clothe
—swaddling clothes and manger.
“That’s how you’ll know your savior,” the angels tell the shepherds.
We might want to work out our own salvation…
Clinging to the big and mighty,
crowning an ideology or party slogan, as something to put our trust in,
Perhaps our own hard work, or some unfailing system we see as deeply sacred
… but Salvation is being birthed into the world—our Savior—Jesus Christ.
God comes down,
dwells with us,
doesn’t quit us! That’s Gospel!
“Where is God?”
We can look out. Out into the fields, at the margins
—flocks at the edge of town flanked and cared for by Shepherds.
Out in the cold and crisp night,
tedium and vigilance,
watching over those sheep.
But we don’t know those shepherds, do we?
We don’t even want to!
I know they’re right next door,
I know they’re just down the road,
one town over,
neighbors we already know just enough about to render judgment.
Going out into the field and meeting those men might mean extending trust,
a thing so often shattered,
its pieces are strewn about our world like
a child’s broken mirror caught in shag carpet.
It might mean admitting you don’t always have it right…
it might mean humility, crossing boundaries,
not saying that thing you just want to say,
listening a little,
throwing away assumptions…
All that hard, relational, work so the message, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors” that was sung to those shepherds, might become a refrain for all humankind!
So that we can experience what Francis of Assisi experienced when he embraced a leper
—it was the very embrace of God
We can experience that old bit of wisdom:
the reconciled, siblings putting down their swords and seeing each other
—they see God!
A commentator recently described his transcendent moment
—he was sitting in a packed subway
and he looked around and saw how everyone sort of glowed and realized,
“Wait, they all have souls! They’re all unique. Loved by God!”
“Where is God?”
We look in… yes, like Mary we ponder these things
—this God with us—this savior,
this night an echo of all previous Christmases, and also unique
—how is God meeting you tonight?
“Where is God in all that?”…
Looking inside is hard
—We want to be human doings, but we’re human beings.
We would much rather act that reflect…
shoot, ready, aim
—cutting before you measure…
is a heck of a lot easier, than taking the time to ask, and sit with the one who sits with us
—dwell with the God who dwells with us
—consider the Christ Child.
Our inclination is to be like Shakespeare’s poor player: “strutting and fretting, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…”
But something significant has happened
—in the midst of chest thumping Emperors and lowing beasts,
apologies of “Sorry no room here” and the percussive trot of travel
—Christ is born!
On this day, we can shift into the silence and quiet of it… treasure it,
this night,
these words of scripture,
savor the savior born of Mary
—consider him with joy and gladness!
That question Susan Cole asked all us Seminarians, when we had about 15 minutes left in our session… “Where is God in all of that?”
Everywhere!
Up, Down, Out, and In.
The transcendent God breaking into our flesh and blood world,
Incarnate among us—with us, in the flesh.
Reconciling us all to God and to our neighbors, especially those on the margins.
Beating within us, a heartbeat to reflect upon, to mull over and adore.
Ultimately wherever you look—there, there is God!
UP, DOWN, OUT, IN +
Jesus has come for us and will not abandon us, thanks be to God. Amen.
