Heavenly Music

From Comfortable to Contemplative to Expectant

Piano music floats over us as we enter the sanctuary, creating a comfortable, and familiar backdrop.  Ethereal with soft harmonies, and comfortable rhythms where our quiet conversation creates the counterpoint in this the pre-worship stage of our service.

Something has changes the music remains in the background yet it is different, still comfortable, yet different the harmonies at times create a dissidence just enough to bring attention to the music where we contemplate the melody.

The rhythm is what has changed the rhythm is wholly unique and with expectation we look to the pianist.

Susan sit at the piano, sheet music spread in front of her yet the music is not for her it is not the musical score of the piece she is playing.  This piece of music comes from her spirit she is playing out of love to her Creator.

We stop talking, we wait and listen in expectation.  Susan’s music draws us into this holy place a place, a place where God has preceded us.  We listen knowing that the music we hear will never to be heard again it is a singular unique offering that we have been allowed to overhear.

We have entered a Holy space lead by Susan’s music, Susan’s gift to her God.

Susan who cannot read musicSusan a single woman in her 40’sSusan defined by her out forward facial features that mark her as having Downs SyndromeSusan who today through her music took us into the presence of God.

She moved us from comfortable in our spiritual expression to contemplating how it is that we worship to ultimately expecting the miracle that is the birth of Christ on this the 4^th Sunday of Advent.  

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Love

Today the fourth Advent candle shone with Love “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 16 

Tuesday evening, Christmas Eve we will celebrate the birthday of Christ and the promise of redemption and renewal for all peoples.

Source

Juanita introduced us to the concept of Dayenu, a song that is sung as part of the Jewish celebration of Passover.  It’s approximate meaning is “it would have been enough for us”.  The song is about being grateful to God for all of the gifts given to us, where any one gift would have been sufficient ‘Dayenu’ more are given to us.

Christ’s Mass is the Christian world's ‘Dayenu’ song.  With Christ’s birth the doors of heaven were open to all people and God’s love encompassed the world, an answer to the Psalmist lament:

Psalm 80: 1-7

1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.  You who sit enthroned between the cherubim shine forth 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.  Awaken your might; come and save us.  3 Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.  4 How long, Lord God Almighty, will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?  5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.  6 You have made us an object of derision[b] to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.  7 Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

 The events leading up to the birth of Christ are a story of:

• Oppression: Mary and Joseph were far from their home on the night of Christ’s birth, ordered to do so that the number of Jews in the Roman Empire might be known and taxed.
• Fatigue: they were tired from their walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem a journey on foot of approximately 90 miles.
• Hunger: they would have had little in provisions and to purchase food on the way expensive and scares to Jews
• Loneliness: Bethlehem was Joseph’s birth place and we are told he knew no one there anymore.
• Begging: Joseph was reduced to pleading with inn keepers for shelter and
• Homelessness: the only place for them was in a stable with the animals.

 Our romantic remake of the birth of Christ has diminished the strength of the stable message.  God's gift was not given to the middle and wealthy classes alone.  God's gift of love, Christ, was given to the oppressed, tired, hungry, lonely and homeless as well and in equal measure.

 

Juanita read A Teachable Moment in the Nativity Scene   and asked us to expand our understanding of who should be at Christ's Mass.  Who we share God's Christmas gift with: who are our brothers and sisters in God are.

'Dayenu’ God’s gift at this Christ’s Mass is enough and yet God gives us so much more each day.

 

First Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Grandma Snyder

Laverty, J. (2013, December 22). God is with us -have a blessed Christmas!. Hanover , Ontario: Hanover Mennonite Church.

 ©2013 Twosnydergirls

 

Third Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Love

Matthew 11: 2-3.

2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 

 “Between Thanksgiving (Canadian October 14^th, 2013) and Christmas there are too many choices, too many things that you could possibly do” Laverty (2013) in the preparation of perfect Christmas experience.

We are bombarded with images, stories, movies and our own desire to achieve that perfect Christmas moment.  We search for the perfect mix:

•  of family, 
• gift giving and receiving, 
• decorated home, 
• carol singing, 
• pageantry, 
• parties and 
• food.   

That moment of joy and love that will sustain us through coming winter.

 Once Christmas is over many of us will have a few more Christmas pictures, more things to store and look at, extra weight from over eating, less income because of the Christmas bills, a sense of emptiness and letdown because the Christmas of 2013 did not achieve what we were looking for.

What am I looking for this Christmas?  I am seeking to find a glimpse into that first Christmas Eve.  Like John the Baptist I am seeking the birth of my Saviour, the knowledge that all that I have believed in is true.  Unlike John the Baptist who waited within the dank, squalled conditions of a jail, in fear of his life.  I wait in the safety and comfort of my home, surrounded by Christmas tree, and family.

On this the third Sunday of Advent I am again surprised by a simple truth.  Jesus was not born in a moment that had been wondrously prepared by human hands: the opposite is true.  Jesus was born in a stable cave in a manager of straw amongst animals and animal refuse.  To parents who had not or could not prepare for a room for the night. 

And yet his birth had been foreseen and expected from the beginning of human history.  There had been preparation miraculous preparation over centuries and the pageantry was heavenly. 

I have yet to find my Saviour and Creator in the moments that I manufacture to do so.  I experienced Gods love today when Rylee climbed in my lap during the sermon and said “I love you Grandma”.  I knew my God to be alive and working in my life when Emma called to ask if her cousin could come to church with us today.  The song “I Sought the Lord” captures my moment of spiritual clarity today in the world -

“I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew, he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me; it was not I that found, O Savior true; no, I was found of thee.” Anonymous, ca. 1878

Juanita ended her message today with a quoted Leonard Cohen's  Anthem

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

In our human preparations for this Christmas are we leaving room for us to receive the gift that God has given us in the birth of his son?

Grandma Snyder

 

Laverty, J. (2013, December 15). Seeking and Affirmation. Hanover , Ontario: Hanover Mennonite Church.

 ©2013 Twosnydergirls