Advent

 

Peace and Gratitude        

Stay Awake!

 

 

11Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Romans 13:11-14

At Dawn

HERMANS, Charles

1875

Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts de Belgique

Brussels

Belgium

 

Notes:

First Sunday of Advent, Year A: "Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Romans 13:11-14 

This painting by the Belgian artist, Charles Hermans, caused a sensation when it was first exhibited because of its critical social realism. Hermans contrasts a group of elegantly-dressed party-goers at the end of a long night, spilling out onto the sidewalk. They block the path of early morning laborers, whose stable, hardworking values are communicated by their working garb and lunch pails. The contrast is further underscored by the spilled ash refuse bag lying next to the bouquet of flowers on the street in the foreground. Charles Hermans' body of work included many works of a religious nature, as he developed an interest in the activities of the monastic orders when in Italy.

 

https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-displayindex.pl?SID=20221124200110861&pagenumber=2&code=act

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace is not an absence of war,

it is a virtue, a state of mind,

a disposition 

for benevolence, confidence, justice.

~ Baruch Spinoza

 

 

 

We listen to the evening news with its usual recital of shabbiness and horror, and God, if we believe in him at all, seems remote and powerless, a child's dream. But there are other times—often the most unexpected, unlikely times—when strong as life itself comes the sense that there is a holiness deeper than shabbiness and horror and at the very heart of darkness a light unutterable. 

 

Is it only the unpredictable fluctuations of the human spirit that we have to thank? We must each of us answer for ourselves, remember for ourselves, preach to ourselves our own sermons. But "Remember the wonderful works," sings King David, because if we remember deeply and truly, he says, we will know whom to thank, and in that room of thanksgiving and remembering there is peace.

Frederick Buechner *

 

 

 

Tokyo - continued

Robin rented a lovely 4-bedroom airbnb for us near Kamakura.

 

I LOVE the Japanese ofuro (Japanese soaking bathtub)!!!

 

Just wash and shower well, then hop in the tub for a nice relaxing soak.

The tub is about eighteen inches deep and can be reheated for 

additional use.

 

We met Junna and her husband Eugene at a small favorite restaurant of theirs.

 

Robin Sakamoto (my niece), Ray and Tina and Junna Sakamoto Yoshioka

 

Robin and Ray

 

Eugene and Tina Yoshioka, Kei Sakamoto (my great-grand-nephew)

 

Such delicious food!  Gobo (burdock roots) **

 

Robin and Ray and Eugene Yoshioka, Kei Sakamoto, and his girlfriend, Kokoro

 

Ray ate his whole bowl of soba!

 

Tina, Eugene, and Kei

 

Kei Sakamoto, Carolyn Alexander, and my brother, Jack Alexander

 

The next day we spent at the Yoshioka’s home in Kamakura.

 

They combined two rooms to make a big living room looking 

out on their lawn.

 

The dining room; getting ready for a BIG feast!

 

Eugene the Chef

 

 

 

 

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me.

~ Jill Jackson and

Seymour Miller

 

Sing Along:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRFNg-Eyt_0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 27, 2022   First Sunday of Advent Year A

 

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

 

* From Frederick Buechner’s sermon, “A Room Called Remember.”

 

**Gobo (burdock roots)  

     https://www.japanesecooking101.com/gobo/

    

 

 

 

 

36“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, or the Son, but only the Father. 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Matthew 24:36-44

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

 

 

 

First Sunday of Advent

 

Advent is a season of spiritual preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ (Christmas) and looks forward to the future reign of Christ. Eschatological expectation rather than personal penitence is the central theme of the season. Advent is a preparation for rather than a celebration of Christmas, so Advent hymns should be sung instead of Christmas carols. The first Sunday of Advent is not the beginning of the Christmas season. The Christmas celebration begins on Christmas Eve and continues for the next "twelve days of Christmas."

Purple is normally Advent's liturgical color, associated both with the sovereignty of Christ and with penitence. Deep Blue is also sometimes used to distinguish the season from Lent. As the color of the night sky, Blue symbolizes Christ who in one ancient Advent song is called the "Dayspring" or source of day. As the color associated with Mary, Blue also reminds us that during Advent the church waits with Mary for the birth of Jesus.

 

http://www.ucc.org/worship/liturgies/liturgical-colors.html

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 2:1–5 

Psalm 122 

Romans 13:11–14 

Matthew 24:36–44

 

 

“Stay awake!  For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”
Matthew 24: 37-44

THE WORD:

Today’s Advent Gospel is a “wake up” call:

  • Noah’s flood and the thief are signs that the Lord will return for those who have been faithfully waiting for his return.
  • Although Matthew is writing his Gospel for a Christian community who expected Christ’s return during their lifetimes, this Gospel can also be read as Jesus teaching us about the reality of our own deaths and being ready at every moment we are given to meet the Lord.
  • Jesus calls his Church and Christians of every place and time to be conscientious in the call to be prophets, confronting a “sleeping” world with the risks of losing its soul.

 

 

 

First Reading Isaiah 2:1-5

1The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2   In days to come 
          the mountain of the Lord’s house 
     shall be established as the highest of the mountains, 
          and shall be raised above the hills; 
     all the nations shall stream to it. 
3        Many peoples shall come and say, 
     “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, 
          to the house of the God of Jacob; 
     that he may teach us his ways 
          and that we may walk in his paths.” 
     For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, 
          and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 
4   He shall judge between the nations, 
          and shall arbitrate for many peoples; 
     they shall beat their swords into plowshares, 
          and their spears into pruning hooks; 
     nation shall not lift up sword against nation, 
          neither shall they learn war any more.

5   O house of Jacob, 
          come, let us walk 
          in the light of the LORD!

Psalm 122:1-9

1   I was glad when they said to me, 
          “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” 
2   Our feet are standing 
          within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3   Jerusalem — built as a city 
          that is bound firmly together. 
4   To it the tribes go up, 
          the tribes of the LORD, 
     as was decreed for Israel, 
          to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 
5   For there the thrones for judgment were set up, 
          the thrones of the house of David.

6   Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 
          “May they prosper who love you. 
7   Peace be within your walls, 
          and security within your towers.” 
8   For the sake of my relatives and friends 
          I will say, “Peace be within you.” 
9   For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, 
          I will seek your good.

Second Reading Romans 13:11-14

11Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Gospel Matthew 24:36-44

36“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, or the Son, but only the Father. 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”