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Dear St. Augustine's 'ohana,
As we flip the calendar from one year to the next, I marvel at the explosion of information about self improvement on the Internet.
Advice on making changes for a better year seems to hold our collective attention for a minute or two (or until the next thing pops up in our newsfeed). Some articles offer good tips (relieve stress by focusing on gratitude), while click-bait ads totally miss the mark (pop these pricey pills to lose weight eating junk food). What might serious "self improvement" look like? How do we as Christians define it?
I believe we ponder various aspects of “self improvement” when we come together every Sunday. For us, this is not a “new year’s only” thing. Every week, in the context of our liturgy, we listen to readings, sing about them, and reflect on their meaning in our daily lives. We recall our core beliefs, pray, and gather at the table to remember Christ’s gifts and give thanks.
In short, we seek to come closer to God by coming closer to embodying Christ’s goodness.
This Sunday, we hear the story of King Herod and the magi as told through the Gospel of Matthew. It’s a study of contrasts, showing us how Herod moves further from God while the magi (like the gentiles) experience an "epiphany."
King Herod closes his heart, fearing a prophecy he perceives as a threat. The magi hold their hearts wide open, seeking a foretold miracle they regard with wonder and gratitude.
Although Herod's situation points to our human need for control and self-righteous power, it may be too easy to see the villain in Herod while letting ourselves off the hook. "I'm certainly not as bad as Herod," we might muse.
Perhaps we can dig a little deeper into the harder, more nuanced questions about ourselves.
- In what ways do we respond with fear, closing our eyes, ears, and hearts to those around us as though they were invisible?
- How do our tightly held beliefs prevent us from connecting with our neighbors?
- Do we sit in judgment of public figures, acquaintances, friends, family, or coworkers as a power play?
- Are we aware of the micro-aggressions we wield, even if we don't intend to?
- How can we sense the Light of Christ in our brothers and sisters if we're convinced they are wrong and we are right?
We make some serious promises as part of our baptismal covenant: "I will seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself. I will strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." By remaining open to the wonder of God's diversity among us, we can see Christ in everyone.
With clear eyes and open hearts, we can embrace those with whom we disagree. Like the magi, we can discover a capacity to make the long and hard journey to meet people where they are, no matter their beliefs. We can see that God's love bridges the gaps between warring ideologies. This is our call to self improvement to embrace in the coming year as we gather each week, seeking to come closer to God by coming closer to embodying Christ’s goodness.
Christmas blessings,
Vicar Jennifer
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