Saturday, December 09, 2006

Advent, Week 1: Saturday - POSADA Chainblog 2006

Recommended readings from the second Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6


I suggest reading Malachi 3:1-4 and Philippians 1:3-11 in preparation for tomorrow's Old Testament and Epistle lessons.

I am hosting Mary and Joseph today for Andii Bowsher's wonderful Posada chainblog project. If you wish to follow the blog's progress, visit my friend Dr. Platypus tomorrow (Sunday, Dec. 10).

What always strikes me about this part of the Nativity story is the sheer danger of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was not an easy trip, even had Mary not been pregnant. It's easy for us to say, from the safety of 2,000+ years of history, that God protected them. It's true, but a very different thing for them to live in that trust than for us to celebrate it. I suspect that when I finally see "face to face" once this life is over, I will recognize the providence of God in many ways that I could not while on earth. The fact is, it took obedience, guts, and courage for the Holy Couple to trek from Galilee to the City of David. Then, to add insult to injury, they had to pay for the "privilege" of being enrolled in the census. They not only had to be obedient to the will of God, they had to be immediately obedient to the Roman authorities.

What a fascinating chain of events began with Mary's "Let it be with me according to your word" assent to God's will! Saying "yes" to God nearly always marks the beginning of an adventure.

As one of the pre-December 24 "hosts" of the Posada, I can give shelter only for this one day. It is my assigned role to send Mary and Joseph on their way with a "Sorry, no room" message. Realizing that fact has made me reflect, in writing this, on the times I have done exactly the same thing to "the least of these." There have been times when I've welcomed and served the least, as well.

Lord Jesus, please forgive my refusals and accept the halting welcomes you've received from me. Help me be more faithful, even as I now symbolically turn away your earthly parents.


Jennie hosted the Posada yesterday here. For more on the Posada chainblog, read Andii's initial post here.

Here is the rest of the Posada hosting schedule:

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well done, Psalmist! The next link in the chainblog is now up here.

Sally said...

wow- that is a challenging thought- having to send them on- no room-- they rest at my blog today- onwards again tomorrow....