John 1:1-14

Sisters & brothers, grace to you and peace from God the Word, from Christ the Word Made Flesh, and from the Spirit, whose sets the Word to music.  Amen.

“Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi.”

We start at the very beginning this morning.

We gather at the beginning of a new year, the first Sunday of 52 in 2009.

We assemble in the “beginning” mode, as we are barely four short days into this new set of 365 days called 2009.

Some of us are in the beginning stages of our new year resolutions. We are just beginning to make the adjustments, some of us to strengthen our resolve, to hunker down, or, perhaps others of us, to see how just how short-lived our resolve truly was.

Nationally, we are aware that in just 16 days, we will be at the beginning of a new era in the history of our country with the beginning of a new presidency, the beginning of a new chapter in the continuing saga of and struggle for racial equality, the beginning of a new generation of presidential leadership.

And internationally, we are at the painful and most-regrettable beginning of a new outbreak of war and violence in the Middle East as yesterday Israel began its ground assault into Gaza, a beginning, it was hoped, diplomacy could avert.

Amid these beginnings, comes the soaring symphony of the prologue to the Gospel of St. John, a sacred text which hearkens back to the very beginning of the cosmos, to the genesis of all things. The opening words of St. John’s Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” parallel those of the opening words of the Hebrew scriptures: “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.”

On this tenth day of Christmas, while the world around us and perhaps we ourselves have taken leave of what remains of the holiday season, today we are brought back to the beginning of all things. But, despite the lovely décor and this precious creche, we are no longer at the nativity. We are no longer at the manger with the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. The time for sentiment and sweetness has segued into something deeper, something not so much as endearing as it is enduring. We are beyond the nativity now, and we are into incarnation.

Incarnation: in the flesh. The wonder of the Word, who from the beginning of all time was face-to-face toward God, is now face-to-face toward us. “The Word became flesh and lived, dwelled, tented, tabernacled among us.” In the words of a modern paraphrase of the Bible called The Message: “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.”

Jesus — no longer the cooing, drooling, darling babe of Bethlehem, but the Eternal Word of God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, is the one who takes on flesh and blood and enters the fragile fray of humanity to bring peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, love, and light. “Light and life to all he brings, ris’n with healing in his wings” we sing.

In the words of a 10th century mystic and abbot at Constantinople by the name of Symeon, “…this unique being that appears shines forth, radiantly splendid, is participating in, is communicating, is everything good…. He is light and peace and joy, life, food and drink, clothing, a robe, a tent and a divine dwelling. He is the east, the resurrection, repose and a bath, fire, water, river, source of life and a flowing stream, bread and wine, the new delight of believers, the banquet, the pleasure which we enjoy in a mystical way, sun, indeed, without any setting, star always shining, lamp that burns inside the dwelling of the soul.”

St. John writes that this light “shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.”

Today, as we move from nativity to incarnation, we claim that this one whose birth heralded “peace on earth and mercy mild” will take flesh among us as a bringer of wisdom and — as the psalmist writes — one who will “establish peace on your borders.” Today, January 4, has been called “A Day for Justice and Peace in the Land of Peace” by the Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem, including Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson has written the following letter to all members of ELCA congregations this day:

December 31, 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

“For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:5-7)

In this New Year, we turn again to the Lord of hosts — praying urgently for the justice, righteousness and peace hailed by the birth of thenewborn babe in the manger, the humble child, the Prince of Peace.

In these days of terrible violence, death and destruction in Gaza and southern Israel, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) joins its voice with all in the region and around the world who call for an immediate ceasefire. The continuing loss of life, infliction of serious injury and devastation of property will only deepen hatred and divisions, and will serve no good end. Lamenting the recent escalation of violence, only negotiations, leading to a two-state solution, will bring about a durable peace with justice for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) are carefully monitoring events in the region as their bishops prepare for their upcoming Academy visit, the planning for which began two years ago. Bishops of both churches have met several times this week by phone, and are united in their assessment that the trip is timelier than ever and should proceed. In keeping with the 2005 ELCA “Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine,” the trip emphasizes accompaniment with its Lutheran partners in the region, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In this very difficult time, the bishops hope that their presence can be a source of comfort to these partners and manifest support for these ministries.

ELCA congregations are invited to join with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, including Bishop Munib Younan of the ELCJHL, who have called for this Sunday, January 4, to be “a day for justice and peace in the land of peace.” The ELCA joins them in calling upon, “officials of both parties to the conflict to … refrain from all violent acts, which only bring destruction and tragedy, and urge them instead to work to resolve their differences through peaceful and non-violent means.” And the ELCA joins them in praying, “for the victims, the wounded and the broken-hearted. May the Lord God Almighty grant all those who have lost loved ones consolation and patience. We pray for all those living in panic and fear, that God may bless them with calm, tranquility and true peace.”

The ELCA and ELCIC bishops invite the continuing prayers of their church members for building peace among Christians, Jews and Muslims and all of the region’s peoples. On behalf of their churches, the bishops offer to their Christian sisters and brothers and to all people affected by the conflict, their steadfast support and their efforts and prayers for peace to prevail and healing to begin.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Sisters and brothers, this day let us pray that the Word who becomes flesh and dwells among us, would be born yet again in us today, in this moment, in our hearing, in our sacramental eating and drinking, in our songs of praise and — especially today — in our prayers for peace. And may the Prince of Peace become flesh and live among his beloved people in Israel, Palestine, Gaza, and the West Bank, Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, the Sudan, Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Ethiopia. May the Word become flesh, and may the Word become peace and safety, and may the Word become food and water.

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace upon grace upon grace. So indeed, may we too become the Word incarnate in this darkened world. And may that word become flesh and blood in us, “move into the neighborhood,” and call it home. Amen.