In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Okay, so the post date for this blog indicates that we have not yet arrived at the winter solstice date, the darkest day of the year.  Also, there is no indication of frozen ground nor a white Christmas around the corner; only more of the same gray rainish West Michigan weather.  It's bleak outside.  It's also bleak around our nation as it mourns for the Sandy Hook Elementary School community in Connecticut.  Grief. Questions. Why? And so come the flood of religious responses from gay-bashing Christians naming this bleak tragedy as God's punishment or those asking why God would allow this to happen, and even President Obama inferring God's action in calling these innocents "home".  We want answers as to how this can happen.  We want information about how a troubled young man can act with such violence and no one is prepared.  We want labels to put on such situations  to calm our fears.  If we can name this tragedy and the cause of it we can control it, yes?!?!

(interrobang)

Its Advent.  Its Chanukah. Its happy holiday spirits cheery and bright. Where is the comfort and joy? Can there be comfort and joy when we continue to make space for a violent culture? a culture that gives way to ecological, economic, political, and yes religious violence? one that assumes there must be winners and losers? one that maintains "freedom" laws that keep assault weapons available?

I am trying to listen to the prophets again this season. To Malachi and Zephaniah, to Micah and Isaiah.  I am trying to look for the light; light of God's righteousness, light that shines in darkness.  Did Isaiah have it right that this light could not be overcome by the darkness?  Is this the same light that burned for Judas Maccabeus after his resistance to the imposing empire of religious, economic and political oppression, a resistance came through violence in Judas, the Hammer, hero and man of God.  I look for the starlight guiding those Sages from the east whose return home by a different way led to a massacre of the innocents by insane King Herod. Violence used over and against another for the sake of power, out of insanity, or for righteous causes still remains violence; and so much that is innocent suffers in its wake.  What does this promise of a Prince of Peace mean? Where is this ruler of peace? Scripture itself often conveys a seemingly violent God, a jealous and intolerant God, depending on how one interprets the text.  Where do we look for truth?  THE truth? Is there absolute truth?  How can we know it? share it? agree upon it?  Where is the light of truth?

So many questions, wonderings, wanderings.  Where are the answers?  Is Jesus the answer to all the questions as some suggest?  Is it that easy? What would Jesus say and do about December 2012?  Are there questions that we simply need to reside with, living the questions in the unknowing?  Richard Rohr says, "When we look for answers, we're looking to change the pattern.  When we look at the questions, we look for the opening to transformation." (from Everything Belongs)  Perhaps our questioning that seeks comfort and joy invites us toward our own transformation.  Can we be renewed in care-full mindfulness as we pay attention to being transformed ourselves?  Can we attend to the ways we participate in violence? of speech or thought or intent disguised by acts of niceness?  Can we begin to transform our thoughts and hearts, our motives and actions to be full of mercy and kindness, to be rooted in love?  Is it possible that the truth, the true light that enlightens all might be the wisdom of love in the flesh and begins within me?

May we be receptive to messages and messengers of God's grace that all may live and love and laugh and be according to whole and holy peace.  May there be peace on earth, good will to all and may we be instruments of that holy peace.