"It Was the Winter Wild"

It was the Winter wild, 

While the Heaven born child,

    All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies;

Nature in awe to him

Had doffed her gaudy trim,

    With her great Master so to sympathize:

And waving wide her myrtle wand,

She strikes a universal Peace through Sea and Land.

No war or battle's sound

Was heard the world around,

    The idle spear and shield were high up hung;

The hookèd Chariot stood

Unstained with hostile blood,

    The Trumpet spake not to the armèd throng,

And Kings sate still with aweful eye,

As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by.

But peaceful was the night

Wherein the Prince of light

    His reign of peace upon the earth began:

The winds, with wonder whist,

Smoothly the waters kissed,

    Whispering new joys to the mild Ocean,

Who now hath quite forgot to rave,

While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmèd wave. (Milton) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIUziwptFos

Shepherds Watch

A devotion for our church for Christmas Eve. 

Shepherds Watch

Luke 2:1-20

Paul Stroble 

Are you traveling this Christmas? We are not, but we used to. When Beth’s and my parents were alive, we’d visit her parents in the Chicago area, and also my parents in south-central Illinois. Some Christmas, we flew, but others, we lived close enough to drive. Driving on Christmas Day has an almost apocalyptic feel, because almost no one is out and about. A few gas stations and drug stores were open. I remember one time when we stopped at a truck-stop on the way to Chicago. A tent had been set up as a church for truckers who had time to attend a Christmas service. We miss our parents, but we don’t miss those long trips. 

Joseph and Mary had to make a long trip for the sake of an intrusive government degree. The story makes wonderful theological points to ponder.  

First, the story contrasts the might of the Roman Empire with the small event of the Savior’s birth. Remember how Genesis 10-11 details the peoples of the earth and then zeros in on Abram and Sarai, who from then on are the key focus of God’s plans. Baby Jesus and his parents have no authority. His parents do not even have enough privilege to gain a better place to stay. But God’s plans and power do not rely upon human standards of power. 

Second, the story positions Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, the city of David. As Micah 5:2 reads, 

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

   who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

   one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

   from ancient days.

The trip from Nazareth, however, was probably a three- or four-day trip. Mary and Joseph probably knew that the region would be crowded. I tend to think of the “inn” in modern terms, as if it were a hotel. But it was more like a shelter for people and animals, perhaps an extra space in someone’s home. So, a stable would not have seemed a cruel place to stay. 

There, Mary gave birth. Lately, folks on Facebook have been sharing a poem about Mary, reminding us of the humanness of birth. Giving birth is a messy, agonizingly painful, and medically dangerous thing for a woman to experience. We would take away some of the humanness of Mary and Jesus if we think of it as a quiet, easy event. 

Third, the visit to Bethlehem involves the shepherds of that region. Shepherds are honored in the psalms as people who cared for their sheep, knowing each sheep, and protecting them from dangers. But shepherds could be held in suspicion because they did not attend religious services and were unkempt from their earthy occupation. 

Once again, the authorities and powers of the world are implicitly contrasted to the lowliness of the shepherds. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, not to be served (Mark 10:45). God’s angels appeared to them in a frightening arrival, lighting up the night. They assured the shepherds that they were chosen to visit the newborn Messiah. 

The shepherds returned to their flocks, praising God. Verse 19 tells us, “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” That is something we do each Christmas, too! We ponder the meaning of these wonderful events, and then we tell others what has happened. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, guide and bless us as we, too, “go to Bethlehem to see the child.” Amen. 

Peace on Earth

A devotion for our church for the last week of Advent. 

Peace on Earth

Luke 2:15-20

Paul Stroble 

When I visited Bethlehem years ago, I purchased a crèche, simply carved from olive wood. That was in early February; it finally arrived at my house in June. This was long before you could track your purchases on the internet. I’ve displayed it each year. In fact, during the last few years it’s been in my office year round. 

Of course, the crèche features the whole entourage, not only the holy family but the wise men, the shepherds, and one sheep. The Gospels do not depict them all together—the wise men appear in Matthew, and the shepherds in Luke—but we do tend to conflate the stories in our imaginations. I humorously imagine a wise man chatting with a shepherd, “How’s work?” “Same old same old. How was your trip from the East?” 

Our scripture is the familiar story of Luke’s gospel. The shepherds have been visited by the angels. The angels had told them about the birth of Jesus, and the heavenly armies sang, 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

   and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” 

I’d like to focus on that word “peace.” It has many layers. 

The Greek word Eirēnē is a New Testament word for peace. I learned that the Greek goddess named Eirēnē was sometimes depicted with a horn of plenty. Peace is a gift that provides fullness to one’s life! The word dovetails well with the Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, which means wholeness and harmony. God’s will for us is Shalom.

Philippians 4:6-7 reads, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

I wish I could say I don’t worry—although I do pray throughout the day. But I can say that the “peace that surpasses (or transcends) understanding” is a very wonderful thing. It is not “peace of mind,” exactly. It is a deep, inner certainly, deeper than emotions. I perceive this peace even when I’m struggling with something, or when I’m dealing with depression. 

There are, of course, other meanings of peace. The United Methodist Church has a Peace with Justice Sunday each year, in May or June depending on the year. Why peace with justice? Because they go together! The biblical idea of peace includes the cessation of conflict but also the idea of wholeness and well-being. Our church has supported mission trips to Haiti for several years, for instance. This kind of peacemaking (and others) are also about justice—because it is unjust to let people live in impoverished conditions. In the world, social conflict (the absence of peace) often happens when people are denied justice. 

“Peace on earth” is probably so elusive because injustice and dire social circumstances are present everywhere. Each year at Christmas, we sing “peace on earth” and praise Jesus as the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). But, war continues in our world because of unresolved conflicts of the past and failures of the present. Where armed conflict exists, justice and reconciliation have not been achieved. God’s Shalom for the whole world remains a wonderful, future reality. 

The adult Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” (John 14:27). This peace comes from the Holy Spirit, comforting and directing those who live in the power of God’s kingdom.  

I doubt that the shepherds did theological reflection on “peace” when they hurried to Bethlehem. But they did tell everyone what had happened! “When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:18). May we, too, hurry and tell others!   Amen.  

 

Alan Freed

Disc jockey Alan Freed was born 100 years ago, December 15, 1921. While he was a DJ in Cleveland, OH, he highlighted R&B by black artists and encouraged white and black kids to listen to the same music. He popularized the phrase "rock and roll" to describe music that he featured. His promotion of five acts at the Cleveland Arena in 1952 is considered the first rock concert. He died when he was only 43, so he didn't see his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Edward Coles

Edward Coles was a neighbor and associate of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, and served as James Madison's secretary. He was an anti-slavery advocate and urged Jefferson to free his slaves. Coles himself moved to Illinois in 1819 and manumitted 19 of his slaves and obtained land for them. He was one of a very few slaveowners to entirely manumit his slaves. Coles was elected Illinois governor in 1822 and served until 1826. During his term, he led the effort to prevent a constitutional convention that was a potential way by which slavery might be increased in Illinois. It is said that he contributed his gubernatorial salary ($1000 a year) to the anti-convention/anti-slavery effort. Later, Coles was a founding member of Illinois' first historical society. He moved to Philadelphia in the 1830s. Although he didn't resume a political career, he continued his anti-slavery advocacy and lived to see its end. He is considered one of the two best governors of early Illinois statehood (the other is Thomas Ford, governor in 1842-1846). Coles was born December 15, 1786.

John Mecer Langston

Abolitionist, attorney, educator, and politician John Mercer Langston was born on this day in 1829. He was one of the first African Americans elected to public office (as an Ohio town clerk in 1855) and later served in Congress as the first person of color representing Virginia. He was also the dean of the Howard University law school and the first president of what is now Virginia State University. He was the great-uncle of poet Langston Hughes.

Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe was a Danish astronomer whose observations and catalog of stars laid the foundation for future astronomical advances. The last astronomer to not use a telescope, he nevertheless made accurate observations of stars, provided a new description of comets, refuted the popular, Aristotelian belief in an unchanging celestial realm. He was born December 14, 1546. The large lunar crater Tycho---the location of the alien monolith in the movie "2001"---is named for Brahe, as is a Martian crater. Brahe is also known as an influence upon his assisant, Johannes Kepler.

 

In the Name of Love

My wife Beth's devotion for our church for the second Sunday of Advent.  

In The Name Of Love

By Beth Stroble

Together we read Luke’s account of the Christmas story, and we witness anew God’s love for humanity as God moved in the lives of ordinary people.  As I listened to Linda’s description of Mary as a common girl to whom a singularly uncommon proclamation and miracle were made true, I thought more about the name of Mary.

Because I grew up in a predominantly Catholic community and now am part of a university community that was Catholic in its origin and identity for much of its history, I have known many Marys. But conventions that favored giving girl babies a name in common with Mary and thus a shared identity seem to have faded. The practice, whether required or not in some parishes, began to disappear in the 1980s when parents preferred names that were not commonly used, seeking unique identities and identifiers, including creative spellings of more traditional names.

Names matter. Care was taken, for example, in the naming of the most recent virus variant to avoid unintended meanings; Omicron was not the sequential letter in the Greek alphabet.  Women named Alexa are reportedly changing their names to avoid confusion with the digital messenger, and incidents that have come from the Karen meme are not all humorous.

The fact that Mary was once a name that was a typical American name as well as a typical American Catholic name gave it a girl next door association and vibe—true to the Biblical Mary as one who could be counted on.  The name, Mary, addresses one who is unassuming when the angel Gabriel, says to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, God is honoring you” (Luke1:30)

This week’s scripture passage from Luke recounts the conversation between Mary and Elizabeth, both blessed with unexpected pregnancies, and their awareness of the miracles of love God was working in their lives.  As Mary greeted her cousin, Elizabeth and the babe in her womb responded from the calling out in love between two women whom God blessed. Mary came in the name of love. God was truly with her.

In this Advent season, let us greet each other with the love and acceptance shared between Mary and Elizabeth.  May we always hear our names called out in love.  And like generations before us, we embrace a bond with Mary, Elizabeth, Zachariah, and so many others with whom God was present—naming ourselves those whom God loves and those who share that blessing with others.

We live in the name of love.

Amen.

Smoke on the Water anniversary

Fifty years ago, December 4, 1971, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were playing at the casino at Montreux, Switzerland along Lake Geneva. Someone fired a flare gun, igniting the ceiling. Festival promoter Claude Nobs helped get concertgoers out, as did the Swiss firefighters. Zappa smashed a window with his Gibson to provide an exit. All 2000 concertgoers got out safely, even though the fire spread quickly and destroyed the casino. (It was rebuilt in 1975.) Frank and the Mothers lost all their equipment. Deep Purple was at the casino to record their "Machine Head" album but had to find a new location, the nearby, nearly empty Grand Hôtel de Territet. The song "Smoke on the Water" soon came together, telling the story of the incident, "Funky" Claude's heroism, and the band's use of the Grand Hotel. The band formed a bond with the town after the song began a hit. Sadly, Frank Zappa passed away in 1993, coincidentally on the anniversary of the fire. Fun to research all this, with the song's riff stuck in my head, LOL. Here is Deep Purple in the early '70s.

Come Home With Us

Here is my wife Beth's devotion for this past Sunday, written for our church to complement the Sunday sermon. 

Come Home With Us

By Beth Stroble

As we consider the meanings of being “at the table,” Linda first invited us to imagine how our gathering for communion joins us to a very big table of all the saints in our lives. The action of setting place cards for those most dear to us was a poignant and vivid way of experiencing that fellowship of all believers.

This week’s scripture (Luke 24:28-35) shares a different story of Jesus sharing a meal with the disciples after walking with them unbeknownst. Only as he breaks bread with them do they recognize him as the risen Christ. In retrospect, they realize their “hearts were burning” in his presence on the walk to Emmaus, but only as they joined him at the table are their eyes opened to see him clearly. This well-known story is puzzling.  Why would the disciples have not known him as they walked and talked together?  Yet they felt a familiarity from his presence.  What was it about the breaking of the bread that created the revelation?

Theologians across the ages have pondered these same questions. For Wesley, the experience of his “heart being strangely warmed” triggered an awakening of God’s grace in ways that were as life-changing as the moment when the Apostle Paul was momentarily struck blind.  These journeys did more than take individuals from one place to another. But in this case, it was the fellowship of the shared meal that created an epiphany that then forged the bond of shared identity—believers in the presence of God.

How true it is for me that my earliest sense of self was formed through interactions at kitchen tables with my immediate and extended family members!  What did it mean to be the firstborn? Who was I as the first generation of a Southern family to be raised in the north? What traditions and habits defined us as a family?  What topics of conversation were favored at the table?  What kinds of stories did we enjoy telling and retelling?  Who was the most skilled in the telling of those stories? What memories were sure to provoke gales of laughter?  And when would my father get ready to head to the car, always saying to his mother and the four brothers/families, “Just get in the car and come home with us.” An impossible thought, of course, but a sign of his true love and hospitality for his family. I knew what it meant to be a Powell and what it meant to be the granddaughter of the McNabbs and the Powells because the sense of being our truest and most grounded selves was formed at those tables. I was stamped with this sense of being together, being with my people, knowing who and whose I was.  While the aunts and uncles and grandparents did not physically come home with us, in a sense, they did and remain with me still.

And so it should be as we join the table of our Lord. Through the breaking of bread and the sharing of the wine, we affirm our identity as children of God.  We are the ones who believe that we are saved through Christ’s death and resurrection.  We are those who trust in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Just as we are our most relaxed and unguarded in family gatherings, may we feel fully welcomed at the Lord’s table, bringing our every care and need, knowing that our salvation is found there in Christ’s saving grace and in the fellowship of fellow believers. As we unmask to share the bread and the cup, may we welcome into our hearts and lives the abiding presence of our Lord. Come Lord Jesus, come home with us.  Amen.

Landscape: Gauguin

Paul Gauguin, Sunken Lane, 1884. 

Indigenous Peoples Day

A regretful post. The Washburn side of my family (my mom's maternal grandmother) lived in Plymouth Colony during the 1600s. Lately I've been reading about New England’s King Philip's War, 1675-1676, in which some Washburn uncles fought. Proportionately it was America's bloodiest war, killing about 10% of the white population and perhaps 50% of the Native population. By contrast, the Civil War cost 2% of the country's population. Perhaps more tragically, it became the template for future white relations with Native populations: failures to live together, white claims to Native lands, the ugly perception of Native peoples as savages. The notion of Manifest Destiny began at this time in New England, if not the phrase itself.

https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/king-philips-war?fbclid=IwAR1aMGTMSo7SHoaWg4_fZDr72JgHAgyJxS43QZ6vPuAFYgUHAK2VI21En2M 

The Black Hawk War is another tragic conflict between white forces and Native Americans. I've an ancestor, Henry Brown, and a distant cousin, John A Wakefield, who participated in the conflict (through Mom's paternal grandmother). As this says, Chief Black Hawk led his people across the Mississippi into disputed territory. Governor Reynolds of Illinois called up the state militia to repel the "invasion" and the threat to white settlers. With the US Army entering the situation, the Natives were outnumbered 10 to 1. A few months later, the conflict ended, with about 70 settlers and soldiers killed, and around 450 to 600 Indians killed. Thus ended much of the Native population of Illinois, as the survivors were relocated. Two future US presidents, Zachary Taylor and Abraham Lincoln, participated in the war, and also several men who became US Senators and state governors. Wakefield--who was an early settler near what is now Brownstown, IL--wrote a history of the war, to defend Governor Reynolds' course of action against the "ruthless savages." Now we see what a tragedy it all was.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/black-hawk-war-begins?fbclid=IwAR0BykmOBME4-uaJM6I6CitYnO0hnJmICMyombavXXsZFV836Yq0HExWz3A

Go Together, Go Far

Go Together, Go Far

Acts 2:14-18

Paul Stroble

(A devotion written for our church to complement the Sunday sermon. The title is provided by our pastor.) 

A Facebook friend posted this story on her page. I looked around the internet and discovered that it has been circulating on social media for a year or so. Pastor Andy Stanley, the attributed author, is a pastor in Atlanta and author of several books.

"Sometimes I just want it to stop. Talk of COVID, looting, brutality. I lose my way. I become convinced that this ‘new normal’ is real life.

“Then I meet an 87-year-old who talks of living through polio, diphtheria, Vietnam protests and yet is still enchanted with life.

“He seemed surprised when I said that 2020 must be especially challenging for him. ‘No,’ he said slowly, looking me straight in the eyes. ‘I learned a long time ago to not see the world through the printed headlines, I see the world through the people that surround me. I see the world with the realization that we love big. Therefore, I just choose to write my own headlines: ‘Husband loves wife today.’ ‘Family drops everything to come to Grandma’s bedside.’ He patted my hand. ‘Old man makes new friend.’

“His words collide with my worries, freeing them from the tether I had been holding tight. They float away. I am left with a renewed spirit and a new way to write my own headlines."

Beth told me about this story as I was thinking about this week’s scripture. Our scripture from Acts is the beginning of Peter’s great sermon that culminated in the first major Christian gathering.

If there had been news sources in Roman Palestine at the time, they might have mentioned that Jerusalem was filled with Jewish pilgrims for Shavuot (Pentecost), the 50-day harvest festival, in time for the gathering of the wheat planted the previous autumn. The news might have included reports on how good the harvest was. Perhaps the news would have included words from Caesar, or from Province Governor Pontius Pilate.

The gatherings of Christian communities might not have made any headlines. “Families sold some of their property and gave the proceeds to people in need.” “Struggling people feel cared about.” “Followers of Jesus gather in prayer.” “Woman finds friendship.” “Man finds peace after listening to a sermon.” “Group feels motivated to serve the needs of others.”

As in the Andy Stanley story, we have a clearer sense of life’s blessings and possibilities when we pay attention to the people around us. John Wesley reminds us there are no solitary Christians. In the context of the church, we certainly see each other’s personal situations and, also, painful humanness. We also see the Spirit working in one another’s lives. The Spirit gathers us and moves us. The Spirit aligns us with God’s heart.

But the Spirit aligns us as the body of Christ, diverse people who work together and need one another. Serving the Lord in the world, we do so together---and with God’s help, we can do amazing things together! We can write wonderful headlines about what God is doing in our shared lives.

Prayer: Dear Lord, bless us, Your body, and lead us to do your will and serve your world. Amen.

Michael Praetorius

German composer-organist-music theorist Michael Praetorius was an important 17th-century composer known for his versatility. He composed important religious music based on Lutheran chorales. He was probably born on either September 27 or 28, 1571, making this the 450th anniversary of his birth. The 400th anniversary of his death was February 15.

 

Babi Yar

A horrible anniversary: the Babi Yar massacre was 80 years ago this week. As this article explains, the name comes from a ravine outside of Kiev. On September 29-30, 1941, Nazi paramilitary death squads (Einsatzgruppen) compelled nearly 34,000 Jews to assemble at the place, in order to rid Kiev of its remaining Jewish population. The squads machine-gunned nearly 34,000 Jews and buried (then later burned) the bodies. During the war, more Jews as well as Roma, Communist officials, POWs, and Soviet citizens were also killed at Babi Yar, for an estimated total of nearly 100,000 persons murdered. Soviets attempted to suppress the memory of the place and prevented construction of a memorial. In 1961, Soviet poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko published a poem which became highly influential for regaining memory of the massacre. Shostakovich used the poem in his thirteenth symphony. 

Babi Yar by Yevgeny Yevtushenko

Translated by Ben Okopnik

No monument stands over Babi Yar.

A steep cliff only, like the rudest headstone.

I am afraid.

Today, I am as old

As the entire Jewish race itself.

I see myself an ancient Israelite.

I wander o'er the roads of ancient Egypt

And here, upon the cross, I perish, tortured

And even now, I bear the marks of nails.

It seems to me that Dreyfus is myself. *1*

The Philistines betrayed me - and now judge.

I'm in a cage. Surrounded and trapped,

I'm persecuted, spat on, slandered, and

The dainty dollies in their Brussels frills

Squeal, as they stab umbrellas at my face.

I see myself a boy in Belostok *2*

Blood spills, and runs upon the floors,

The chiefs of bar and pub rage unimpeded

And reek of vodka and of onion, half and half.

I'm thrown back by a boot, I have no strength left,

In vain I beg the rabble of pogrom,

To jeers of "Kill the Jews, and save our Russia!"

My mother's being beaten by a clerk.

O, Russia of my heart, I know that you

Are international, by inner nature.

But often those whose hands are steeped in filth

Abused your purest name, in name of hatred.

I know the kindness of my native land.

How vile, that without the slightest quiver

The antisemites have proclaimed themselves

The "Union of the Russian People!"

It seems to me that I am Anna Frank,

Transparent, as the thinnest branch in April,

And I'm in love, and have no need of phrases,

But only that we gaze into each other's eyes.

How little one can see, or even sense!

Leaves are forbidden, so is sky,

But much is still allowed - very gently

In darkened rooms each other to embrace.

-"They come!"

-"No, fear not - those are sounds

Of spring itself. She's coming soon.

Quickly, your lips!"

-"They break the door!"

-"No, river ice is breaking..."

Wild grasses rustle over Babi Yar,

The trees look sternly, as if passing judgement.

Here, silently, all screams, and, hat in hand,

I feel my hair changing shade to gray.

And I myself, like one long soundless scream

Above the thousands of thousands interred,

I'm every old man executed here,

As I am every child murdered here.

No fiber of my body will forget this.

May "Internationale" thunder and ring *3*

When, for all time, is buried and forgotten

The last of antisemites on this earth.

There is no Jewish blood that's blood of mine,

But, hated with a passion that's corrosive

Am I by antisemites like a Jew.

And that is why I call myself a Russian!

(copied under fair use principles from: https://phdn.org/archives/www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/yevtushenko.htm

Landscape: Terry Miura

 From his Facebook page, copied under fair use principles: "Door, Wide Open." 

See his website for more wonderful paintings! https://www.terrymiura.com/viewcollection/107985

Obstacle Does Not Mean Impossible

(A devotion for our church for this past Sunday.)

Obstacle Does Not Mean Impossible

Luke 1:39-45

Paul Stroble

To quote the introduction to the sermon series, “Sometimes, God places a clear challenge before us. We may even wish that we couldn’t see as much detail because now we know how big a mountain we are being asked to move. This week we will consider the stories of two women who could clearly see how much God’s ‘ask’ was going to complicate their lives. How might their responses help us tackle God’s next ‘ask?’”

I enjoy the story of Mary and Elizabeth. It is a beautiful story of how the Holy Spirit “networks” people and accomplishes God’s wonderful work. At one point in my career, I considered doing ministry among older adults. Mary’s seeking out of Elizabeth is a reminder (as Pastor Linda points out) of the wisdom to be found among folks who have lived a long time.

Right before this story in Luke, Mary is greeted by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel promises to her a son named Jesus, “the Son of the Most High” who will assume the throne of David and rule for his people forever (Luke 1:28-33).

Martin Luther once wrote, “…there are here three miracles: that God and man should be joined in this Child; that a mother should remain a virgin; that Mary should have such faith as to believe that this mystery would be accomplished in her.” Luther added that Mary’s faith was as great as these other miracles. Hypothetically, she could have disbelieved the angel’s words. But she did believe and became the mother of God.

At the time, Elizabeth is six months pregnant. Elizabeth is past child-bearing years and has no children. She, too, has been given a great gift—a son who would herald the arrival of Messiah. In our story, Mary traveled in haste to visit Elizabeth, perhaps in happiness at Gabriel’s announcement, perhaps to feel affirmed through the company of a trusted relative. (For whatever reason, Mary’s parents are not mentioned in the Christmas stories.) Writers have speculated that Mary’s journey may have lasted three or four days, through hill country that was not necessarily hospitable. Mary was a strong person to begin with!

Of course, the episode brims over with excitement, anticipation, and joy. As Pastor Linda says in her message, Elizabeth has been keeping to herself, with a temporarily mute husband. When she and Mary meet, Elizabeth’s child—who would be named John—leaps in her womb. Elizabeth declares through the Spirit’s power:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

The first sentence of that scripture is the text of the beautiful Ave Maria: Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui. In the power of the Spirit, Elizabeth blessed Mary and the child in her womb.

The smallness of the story is also a lesson in God’s ability to overcome any human obstacles. In all the vast area of the Roman Empire, in an occupied territory of the near east, we learn of two women who are not at all insignificant. They are the major figures in God’s salvation of the world!

These, of course, are stories of Bible people, whom we’d expect to be special. But has God removed obstacles in your life? How have you known God’s amazing grace? In my own life, I’ve known several surprising circumstances that shows me God’s work for good (Rom. 8:28). Events that didn’t make much sense became meaningful overtime—sometimes across many years. I realized how God had guided me all along, even though I wasn’t at all sure of God’s provision.

Eventually, Mary knew great sorrow when her son was put to death. But shortly, her sorrow was turned to joy. With God, even death is not an obstacle!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us have faith in your wonderful work in our lives, no matter how difficult things seem to be. Amen.

(I wrote on this scripture in the 1997 and 2009 Advent study books for Abingdon Press. I reworked, condensed, and adapted those studies for this devotion.)

Landscape: Josef Stoitzner

 Josef Stoitzner (Austrian, 1884–1951) After the Rain. 

Copied under fair use principles. 

"How America Failed in Afghanistan"

Interesting New Yorker interview. 

https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-america-failed-in-afghanistan?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_081521&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=608b46bec12218465e4e03ec&cndid=64895482&hasha=163986279f01a2019644d80d9e8ffed6&hashb=76e87931f255e86e78a9c7cdedd4d5b148927633&hashc=efbf586b86a6704df62d6031f65140990d0dfd9a97cba02ce5da8c54649fd7f3&esrc=KEYWEE_FB_NEWS&mbid=CRMNYR012019&utm_content=A&utm_term=TNY_Daily

You Gotta Have Hope

My wife Beth's devotion for our church for this past Sunday 

You Gotta Have Hope

By Beth Stroble

You may have heard this cautionary statement in a variety of settings voiced by individuals with different political viewpoints or business perspectives: “Hope is not a strategy.”  Many attribute the statement to the late football coach Vincent Lombardi, with this corollary: “Fear is not an option.”  Apparently, neither statement can be verified as his.  Yet, they capture in succinct ways a perspective that came to mind as I thought about abundant hope, the focus of this week’s message.

The prophet Isaiah encourages and assures the people of God’s redemptive power, repeating the Lord’s own message: “Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you won’t be scorched and flame won’t burn you.” (Isaiah 43: 1-2).

Such vivid images of the threats to life!  How difficult for us, if faced with these physical sources of harm and destruction, to lay claim to these promises!  Much less can rattle me, shaking my confidence and sense of security. Then I think of David’s faithful words from the 23rd Psalm: “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff—they protect me.”

These scripture passages address that second apocryphal assertion, that fear is not an option.  But what about hope? How does hope figure in the absence of fear?  While hope may not be a strategy, I think abundant hope is at the heart of facing fear. It’s a matter of where hope resides.  If we approach hope as a strategy, then we may be placing our hope primarily in our own power, abilities, or skills. If instead we hold hope as a result of our trust and confidence in already being redeemed by God, our hope resides in a power greater than our own.  Thanks be to God.

Absent hope, our fears are magnified. Absent hope, cynicism creeps in. Absent hope, we cling to what gives us false security, even to our own peril.

Turning those two statements around, it might be more useful for us as God’s children to say: “Fear is not an option.  Hope in the Lord with all your heart.”

No strategy for our lives can succeed without that kind of hope. Let us proclaim, in the words of these great hymns, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness,” “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,” “If thou but suffer God to guide thee, and hope in God through all thy ways, God will give strength, whate’er betide thee.”

Hope, abundant hope, is loving and trusting in God’s eternal care. In the words of the song verse from the musical Damn Yankees, “Ya gotta have hope.”  Lack of hope is not an option. It is what carried the people from the Babylonian exile on their return to Jerusalem.  It is what will carry us through the challenges of our day.

Lord God, creator, redeemer, holy comforter, in these times of so much that rocks our confidence and inner peace, help us hold to our hope in you.  Restore us when we falter. Strengthen our confidence in your care. Remove our fear. And give us the courage to be givers of hope to others, messengers of the abundant hope found only in you.  Amen.

My Blooming, Varied Career

Someone has said that depression is like a suit of armor, that keeps the good things out and retains the painful thoughts. That certainly describes me! I'm better than I used to be. But lately, for some reason, my blues have been focused on my career. 

In college, I hoped to have a career using my various talents and interests dedicated to God. That was really my "call." So many pastors privilege the specific call to parish ministry, and my call included that plus other things that God might show me. Having a wonderful marriage wherein Beth and I are partners certainly has added amazing dimensions to the work of both of us. Plus, I've been able to have a career that gives me plenty of available time when our daughter Emily needs me.  

I decided to sketch out how my different interests were used in different settings and projects. I haven't done too badly, LOL. I wish I could quit feeling insecure about my work, once and for all. On this chart, he books that have asterisks are all related to the period (1997-2015) when I wrote and published ten or eleven church-related study books. I hope that period hasn't ended entirely! But since 2015, I've been focusing on poetry. 

In fact, Beth said that I hadn't represented my poetry sufficiently on the chart, so I added it in some categories. 

At Greenville College (now University), I majored in history, with an informal minor in religion, including a good philosophy component. I was socially lonely in college, but I appreciated my program. In hindsight, college prepared me well for all these categories. My masters at Yale Divinity School was an all around Mdiv degree: Bible, theology, history, and practical theology. My PhD at University of Virginia was philosophy and theology. One of the wonderful things about teaching at Webster U has been the ability to put a lot of my doctoral course work to good use, in undergraduate classes. 

I have a bachelors in history, which normally might not be enough to teach undergrads. But my Vandalia book (U of I Press, 1992) was kind of a substitute doctoral dissertation in history, although I hadn't planned it that way. This turned out to be wonderful, because at two crucial moments I was qualified to teach history--at Indiana University Southeast and University of Akron. 

I wrote and/or researched the current events curriculum FaithLink in 1996-2011. Although written for the benefit of church folks, the work became a great education in social issues and ethics generally. So I've been able to teach social topics at Webster U and also Eden Seminary for the past few years. "Current events and social issues" could've been a separate category. Funny to think that I tried to read the New York Times during seminary years, to try to educate myself on current events, but I couldn't get into it. 

Thank you, Lord, for leading me in different ways, forgiving me for so much self-doubt, and helping me "bloom where planted"

Dangers of the American Right

"It’s a peculiar statement of our times that Hungary — a small nation whose modest economy gets buoyed by E.U. handouts and whose government goes in search of Chinese loans — has become such a lodestar for the right-wing movement in the world’s most powerful country. But that is where we are. In its index tracking the political direction of democratic parties around the world, the Sweden-based V-Dem Institute found that the Republican Party had slid toward the illiberalism of ruling parties in Turkey and Hungary, both home to right-wing, majoritarian governments that have eroded democratic norms to maintain power." 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/04/american-conservatives-orban-hungary/?fbclid=IwAR36mh0hmAvl35zswBpR_dNfVnTBDEQUPgzTCde8KJmN2Uscr_TwkuwhOjU

Lincoln's First Political Success

On August 4, 1834, twenty-five year old Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Illinois Legislature for the first time. My hometown was state capital. He went on to serve four two-year terms, two more at Vandalia and one at Springfield. Here's the big man when he was about 37, in the earliest photo of him. 

Abundant Joy

A devotion for our church for this past Sunday 

Abundant Joy

Philippians 4:4-9

A long-time Baptist preacher in my hometown had a weekly newspaper column of Bible studies. He always concluded them with a quotation from this week’s scripture, “THINK ON THESE THINGS!” 

Our scripture certainly invites us to meditate on its meanings! What if I’m not feeling joy (vs. 4)? How can I suspend all my worries and anxieties (vs. 6)? What if peace of mind eludes me (vs. 7)? What if the things I think about fall short of the high standards Paul sets (vs. 8)?   

Beth and I were talking about this scripture. Beth wondered how other cultures define joy. Interesting question! 

Happiness and joy aren’t exactly the same thing, but I found articles online that discuss cultural attitudes toward happiness. In the U.S., we tend to associate personal achievement and freedom with happiness, while in Japan, happiness is connected to moderation, social harmony, and good luck. When we visited Japan in 2016, we saw so many shrines in urban neighborhoods, where passersby could honor the spirits of good fortune. We also experienced the cleanliness of urban environments, and an eagerness of people to help you if you’re distressed or look lost. 

Another article discussed how family ties and social relationships are important in places like India, where happiness seemed to abate as income grew. In the U.S., the pursuit of happiness is a natural right, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, while in other countries, happiness is associated with chance, and therefore not something worth seeking actively. 

I suppose I think of happiness as a specific emotional response—I have a great day with the family, I buy an antique book that I like, and so on—while joy is more like an attitude. Similarly, my feeling of happiness (say, I’m watching a favorite TV show) is different from peace of mind, a more long-lasting emotion. “The peace which surpasses all understanding” (verse 7) is deeper still. 

Where do abundant joy and transcending peace come from? They are gifts of the Spirit, provided as we grow in our relationship with God.  

I like to think of Christ's death and resurrection as bringing about a kind of reality, which is forceful and real for us today. Our sins and wrongdoings and failures (and our smallness in the universe) have no ability to separate us from God—because we’re protected in that resurrection reality. 

Eternal life is like being kept in a protective and secure place, out of reach of danger. Obviously, we still face difficult and dangerous, painful situations. But if we have a relationship with Christ, then Christ keeps us shielded from the full powers of death and evil. Our very lives are tucked away and protected, because we’re already sharing in the divine life of Christ. We have a new identity for the remainder of our physical existence, characterized and empowered by God’s tremendous and infinite love.

This is our reality! As Paul teaches, we can keep these things in mind, and through God’s Spirit, we can rejoice in our hearts. Paul is in prison as he writes these words, a good illustration of how he has thought a lot about his life in Christ. As we all go about our lives, we will still worry about things, but we understand that God is very near. We have an inner peace that is so pervasive through good times and bad, that we know it’s from the Lord!  

Prayer: Lord, give us the joy and peace that nothing can take away. Amen.  

Verdi's Operas: Macbeth

This year (and probably part of next year), I’m listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), and then listen in order. For reference I'm reading Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

Macbeth premiered at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence March 14, 1847. In a revised version, it premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique, April 21, 1865. The later version is the one most often performed. This recording is conducted by Claudio Abbado with the Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Alla Scalla, with Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Sherley Verrett, and Placido Domingo among the cast. 

We loved seeing Macbeth performed a few years ago by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis! How lovely to listen to the opera again!  

Osborne writes that “Verdi’s Macbeth is worthy to stand beside Shakespeare’s.” While not disparaging Verdi’s early works, he writes that “with Macbeth Verdi takes an immense leap forward: a leap away from the conventional demands of the time, and towards dramatic truth and a musical style which combines psychological depth with a continuing abundance of that prolific and individual melodic gift which was never to desert him. His intuitive feeling for Shakespeare was obviously to a large extent responsible for this.” (Of course, two of Verdi's most acclaimed masterpieces are based on Shakespeare's work: Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893).

Verdi himself wrote a prose version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and gave it to poet Francesco Piave to write a libretto. Piave was a reliable writer for Verdi: over the years he wrote the librettos for Ernadi, I due Foscari, Attila, both versions of Macbeth, Il corsaro, Stiffelio, Rigoletto, La traviata, Simon Boccanegra, Aroldo, and La forza del destino.  

In another chapter of his book, Osborne discusses the mystery of an unwritten Shakespearian opera, King Lear (or, as it would've been in Italian, Il re Lear). As early as 1843, Verdi expressed interest in such an opera. During the 1850s, he paid the playwright Antonia Somma to write the libretto. Yet Verdi always set the project aside to write other operas. 

Osborne explains that something about Lear’s madness, or perhaps Lear’s feeling for Cordelia, unsettled Verdi and kept him psychologically from tackling the subject (pp. 77-82). 

Verdi's Operas: Attila

This year (and probably part of next year), I’m listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), and then listen in order. For reference I'm reading Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

The composer famously referred to his “years in the galley": the several years where he wrote 13 operas between “Nabucco” in 1842 and “Rigoletto” in 1851. He probably referred to the labor-intensive work of a galley slave on a ship. Alzira and Attila are considered among Verdi’s lesser operas even of this early period of his compositions. I did enjoy listening to them, although recognizing that they aren’t nearly as memorable as his grater works. 

This recording is conducted by Lamberto Gardelli, with the Royal Philharmonie Orchestra, the Ambrosian Singers, and the Finchley Children’s Music Group. Ruggero Raimondi, Sherrill Milnes, and Charlo Bergonzi are among the cast. Attila premiered at Teatro La Fenice in Venice Mary 17, 1846

The story is based on a German play about Attila the Hun. The opera premiered in Venice, where the Venetians loved the depiction of the heroic Italians. Charles Osborne notes that Verdi’s health wasn’t good during this period. In fact, he took six months of complete inactivity during 1846. This may account for the fact that Alzira and Attila are not among even his middling works. 

Verdi's Operas: Alzira

This year (and probably part of next year), I’m listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), and then listen in order. For reference I’ll study Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

The composer famously referred to his “years in the galley": the several years where he wrote 13 operas between “Nabucco” in 1842 and “Rigoletto” in 1851. He probably referred to the labor-intensive work of a galley slave on a ship. From what I’ve read, Alzira and Attila are considered among Verdi’s lesser operas. I did enjoy listening to them, although recognizing that they aren’t nearly as memorable as his grater works. 

This recording of Alzira is conducted by Fabio Luisa, L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the Choeur du Grand Theatre de Geneve. The opera premiered at Teatro San Carlo in Naples August 12, 1845

The story concerns the Incas of Peru and the Spanish government.  It is based on Voltaire’s play Alzire. Charles Osborne questions whether Voltaire would’ve meant to uphold Christian morals compared to those of the Incas. Osborne wonders why the agnostic Verdi was attracted to the story. But he thinks the opera—one of Verdi’s least successful—is still enjoyable. 

Verdi's Operas: Giovanna d'Arco

This year (and probably part of next year), I’m listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), and then listen in order. For reference, I'm studying Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

I’ve been listening right along. A summer visit to our cousin in Indianapolis—she reads my blog posts—reminded me that I need to catch up on writing about the operas! 

Verdi's opera about Joan of Arc premiered at La Scala on February 15, 1845. This performance is conducted by Paolo Garignani of the Philharmonica Chor Wien and the Munchner Rundfunkorchester. Anna Netrebko sings Giovanna, and Placido Domino sings Giacomo. 

The libretto is based on Schiller’s play Die Jungfrau von Orleans. Robert Osborne writes, “Solera’s libretto for Giovanna d’Arco is generally thought of as the epitome of the really silly opera libretto.” The story has Joan in love with the French Dauphin, so that she is caught between her love interest and her sacred duty. She dies in battle rather than by execution. Osborne comments that Schiller was a romantic like Byron and Hugo, and so this approach to the story appealed to Verdi. 

Osborne comments that although the libretto is two-dimensional, Verdi does write beautiful melodies as always. He writes, “One can love Tristan or Die Walkure while remaining impervious to Die Feen, Das Liebesverbot or Rienzi, for Wagner’s early efforts are heavily charmless; but I distrust the man who says he adores Flagstaff yet has no soft spot for Il corsaro or I masnadierei. Giovanna d’Arco has a curiously primitive but pervasive charm of its own that sets it apart from bigger works like Nabucco and Ernani.”

How Can I Find My Way Home?

Here is my wife Beth's devotion for our church to complement today's sermon. 

Devotion for July 11, 2021

By Beth Stroble

How can I find my way home?

This question, voiced by Simba (in the song “Endless Night”) at a defining moment in the Lion King story, expresses sorrow for the loss of his father Mufasa’s guidance.  Recalling Mufasa’s words about the Great Ones of the past always looking down on them, he yearns for his father’s presence through a sign—even a word that gives hope for the future, a marker for the way home.

Home, of course, has many meanings—an actual residence, a town, or community of our growing up years—at its most literal. Home can be one place or many. As one who has lived many places, I typically think of home as “where you hang your hat.” But to truly feel that a place is home evokes John Denver’s words, “Take me home, country roads, to the place I belong. . .” Simba recognizes that carefree cavorting with Timon and Pumbaa is not where he belongs and feels called to return to his rightful home.  Can he anchor himself once more in his father’s love and care for him and bridge the connection Simba feels has been broken?

The parallels to the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15: 11-32 are striking. While the circumstances that prompt the younger son to claim his inheritance and leave his father’s home are not Simba’s, we know that his “trip to a land far away” does not go well.  “There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living” (verse 13). Just as Simba is reduced to eating bugs with a warthog and a meerkat, the prodigal son hires himself out to feed pigs, yearning to eat as well as they do.  In the Common English Bible translation, we learn that these circumstances prompt the son to “come to his senses” (17).  The NRSV translation describes this moment of insight as the time when the son “comes to himself.” Finding his way home depends upon his recognition of his need for his father’s love and care, a birthright he believes he has squandered and no longer deserves.

In both cases, the fathers’ love has remained constant and was never lost by these two sons. Simba’s father appears to him as an image in the water, encouraging him to come to himself as king. When the prodigal son’s father sees him coming at a long distance, he runs to him with open arms, expressing joy and compassion in his return. The son who was dead has come to life. “He was lost and is found!” (24) Simba and the prodigal son find their way home, the place where they belong.

These stories of being lost and found matter.  Each of us may have stories of times when we lost our way and strayed from our true and best selves for any number of reasons. Blessed are we when these stories also include the joyous welcome and love of friends and family when we have found our way!

What we know is that our heavenly Father always welcomes us home.  We never lose God’s love and grace, and God constantly intervenes in our lives to bring us home. As Jesus explains to his disciples, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of the one who sent me, that I won’t lose anything he has given me, but I will raise it up at the last day” (John 6:38-39). We are those he was sent to claim and to raise up.  We are the sheep of his pasture.  We are the lost coin. We are the prodigal son. We may stray from the kingdom, but the kingdom is never lost to us because of the grace, love and care of our Father. All we need do is come to ourselves as children of God, those who have been redeemed by Christ Jesus, and cared for by the Holy Spirit.

We were lost and now are found. Hallelujah. Amen.

Retelling Stories

A devotion written for our church for this past Sunday.

Retelling Stories

Deuteronomy 26:1-10

Paul Stroble

Have you seen Hamilton? We’ve seen it twice: live at the Fox, and again on Disney+. The musical premiered Off-Broadway in February 2015 and on Broadway a few months later in August. Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda read Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton and became inspired to write the show.

The musical’s story begins as Hamilton reflects on his difficult early life. He had been born in the Caribbean, of unmarried parents, and suffered misfortunes as he grew and eventually struggled to succeed. The musical introduces us to the many figures in Hamilton’s life and traces his journey as a significant Founding Father. Of course, Hamilton is later assassinated by Vice President Aaron Burr. Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton survives Alexander by fifty years and devotes her life to the care of orphans.

The musical Hamilton draws from music like hip hop, R&B, pop, and soul. Much of the story is told in rap. The musical casts black and Latino actors in many of the roles. Miranda himself is of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent. He plays Hamilton himself.

Miranda writes, “This is a story about American then, told by American now, and we want to eliminate any distance between a contemporary audience and this story.” Another writer notes that “the founders really didn’t want to create the country we actually live in today.” So, Miranda retells the story of Alexander Hamilton and transforms it for our contemporary time, with its racial and ethnic diversity and ongoing struggles concerning immigration and social justice.

One of the things that fascinates me about the Bible, is that it does what Hamilton does! There are places where Bible passages reinterpret and retell other passages. For instance, Deuteronomy retells the story of Israel and reiterates God’s laws, giving a theological perspective that helps Israel get ready for the future in the Land. 1 and 2 Chronicles retells the story of Israel’s monarchy, previously told in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, but this time emphasizing the responsibility for Israel’s future to each generation of Bible readers. Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7 surveys the biblical history, in order to confront the religious leaders: the Prophets were often opposed by their communities, and so was Jesus in Stephen’s own time.

The book of Hebrews has several passages where Old Testament practices and stories are retold—often without what we would call historical accuracy—to make important theological points about Jesus. In important ways, the salvation of Jesus is a retelling of the story of the Exodus and the Mosaic covenant.

I’m taking a lot of devotional space, but I wanted to emphasize that the Bible itself gives us permission to study, apply, and reread its passages for contemporary situations. A “strict constructionist” approach to the Bible isn’t necessary or recommended. We always retell the Bible passages for new circumstances.

Our Deuteronomy passage is another example. It contains a wonderful confession of faith. “A wandering Aramean was my father” (verse 5). It is very interesting that the Bible refers to Jacob in this way. Abraham, his grandfather, was originally from the land of Aram, as was Jacob’s mother Rebecca. But since Abraham came to be called a Hebrew (Gen. 14), the text could’ve identified Jacob as a Hebrew, as well. Instead, it focuses upon his origins—where his family originally came from! It also focuses upon his vulnerability. He is a wanderer. He spends many years in an insecure situation, struggling with an uncertain future.

One of the favorite songs of Hamilton is “My Shot.” Hamilton sings, “Hey yo, I'm just like my country/I'm young, scrappy and hungry/And I'm not throwin' away my shot.” Of course, the phrase means to step up and do something while you have the chance. Pastor Linda points out how our Deuteronomy scripture enjoins the Israelites to be a blessing to others. Remembering their background with humility and gratitude, they can always “take their shot” by providing for others, doing good deeds, and worshiping God in faithfulness.

We Gentile Christians can do the same! Like the cast of Hamilton, we’re part of an old story that didn’t originally include people of our ethnic and national origins. But we have a “shot” every day to be faithful to the Lord, to serve him, and to do good in society. Like both Alexander and Elizabeth, we can look around and see ways where we can be influential for good.

Prayer: Dear Lord, open our hearts and eyes and minds to ways to serve you eagerly and gratefully in the world. Help our hearts to feel compassion for the immigrant, the homeless, and all who live in uncertainty. Amen.

(After I wrote this, I thought of the musical 1776, which I saw at the Little Theatre in Sullivan, IL in the 1970s. It is another kind of retelling of early America: the congressional proceedings that led to the vote for independence. It was an upbeat, often bawdy story well-timed for the national Bicentennial, with John Adams badgering the delegates to do the right thing.) 

Favorite Songs: "Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESZpBYtQj44 

Such a great song, from the Woodstock II album. 

Opera Theatre of St Louis

We've enjoyed each season of the Opera Theatre of St. Louis since we moved to St. Louis in 2009. The current season consists of four one-act operas, performed outdoors because of the pandemic. 

Sunday, we enjoyed "Highway 1, U.S.A." by African American composer William Grant Still. I enjoy his music but had never heard this one, which is reviewed by the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/arts/music/william-grant-still-opera-st-louis.html

Last night, we enjoyed "La Voix Humaine," reviewed here: https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/reviews/one-woman-brings-cast-of-unseen-characters-to-life-in-otsls-la-voix-humaine/article_49b6139b-134a-5813-83c7-6a8562f83265.html  What an amazing drama, with only one cast member!  

Mona Lisa's Birthday

Italian noblewoman Lisa del Giocondo, member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany, was born on this day in 1479! Her husband commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint her portrait, which became kinda famous.... There was a big crowd to see it at the Louvre when we were there two years ago. Apparently (before the pandemic, anyway), there always is.

A Lark Ascending

 Ralph Vaughan Williams' piece, "A Lark Ascending" premiered in its familiar version (solo violin and orchestra) 100 years ago yesterday (June 14, 1921). It was performed by the dedicatee, Marie Hall (1884-1956), on this occasion and also the premiere with violin and piano in December 1920. The piece frequently appears at the top or the near top of polls of listeners' favorite classical music. It has certainly blessed and sustained me over the years!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOWN5fQnzGk

Dear Evan Hansen. A Devotion

A devotion for our church for June 6, 2021. Our pastor is doing a summer sermon series around popular musicals.  

The musical Dear Evan Hansen opened on Broadway in 2016 and was later nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning six. A film adaptation is scheduled to premiere later this year. 

The plot reminds me of several movies and other stories, where the hero makes a big mistake and, as a consequence, must make amends in order to find redemption. Evan Hansen is a teenager with serious social anxiety. His therapist recommends that he write letters to himself to describe what will be good about his life that day. His mother also suggests that Evan have people sign the cast on his arm; he had broken his arm falling out of a tree. Evan has a crush on Zoe Murphy. Evan tries to befriend Zoe’s brother Connor. Connor finds one of Evans’ letters in a printer, reads it, and becomes angry at Evan for mentioning Zoe. Unfortunately, Connor has the letter when he (Connor) died by suicide a few days later. When the Murphy family talk to Evan about Connor, Evan makes up a story that he and Connor were close. The tale has unintended consequences, and Evan must make amends. Later, it is revealed that Evan himself had attempted suicide; the fall from the tree had not been an accident but rather an attempt to take his own life. As Pastor Linda pointed out in her message Sunday, most of the people in the story are lost in their own way. 

A couple devotions ago, I wrote about my own struggles with high functioning depression. I have never been so sad as to consider suicide, but I’ve been low enough—especially when I was young—to know what a person might be feeling before taking such a tragic action. 

When depression gets that bad, you know the obvious—suicide will result in death—but you’re so confused and lost that you just want the pain to stop. The prospect of stopping the pain blinds you to the finality of the act. You also may be so confused, that you think people will be relieved that you’re gone—rather than devastated. 

Since this is Pride Month, it’s worth noting teen suicide rates among LGBTQ youth are higher than the general population, and even higher in families with parents who identify as Christian.  

Our scriptures are classics of God’s great love. Jesus tells the parable of the shepherd who makes the effort to find the one lost sheep out of his 100 sheep. “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” 

He also tells the parable of the woman who has lost one of her ten silver coins. Of course, she will make the effort to find the coin. “Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

I don’t want to imply that people who are depressed and suicidal are “sinners.” Of course, we’re all sinners; something is amiss in each of our lives. Rather, I want to highlight the deep love and anxious care that God takes toward people who are struggling—whatever may be the source of the struggle. When I was young—and today, too—I found these stories so comforting. They gave me a sense of value for my own life! God never, ever gives up on us. 

Jesus is particularly concerned about people who are lost in life. Jesus also directs these lessons toward anyone who are unfeeling toward those who are struggling. We should never let a veneer of respectability hide our own lostness and harden our hearts toward others. 

This week, check out the website of the National Alliance on Mental Illinois (https://nami.org). Also, make yourself aware of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is available 24/7 (1-800-273-8255). Their website is https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org  Think about the issues of mental health and depression, not only for your own benefit, but in case you may need to help someone close to you!  

For your prayer this week: think about aspects of your own life where you feel the most vulnerable and confused. Pray about ways that God helps you in those aspects. 

Hello, Dolly! A devotion

A devotion for our church for June 13, 2021. Our pastor is doing a summer sermon series around popular musicals.  

By Beth Stroble

Money—It's all in how you use it

As we begin this sermon series, Stories Matter: Lessons Learned from Musical Theatre, so many stories, songs, lines, plots, performances leap to mind! I have never been very good at identifying a favorite book, food,or place,much less naming my favorite musical. But,the experience of getting to see Carol Channing in a reprise of her Tony Award-winning role in Hello Dolly!  is a joyful high point in Paul’s and my experiences as audience members for live theatre.

The musical, set in the 1890s in Yonkers and in New York City, tells a complicated story of how the matchmaker and widow, Dolly Levi, assists several romantic matches to be made, including her own with her client, “half-a-millionaire” widower Horace Vandergelder. Because Dolly frequently quotes her late husband Ephraim’s wisdom about the best uses of wealth, we cannot miss the message about why as a single woman in the 1890s she seeks to regain the status and capacity for generosity she once enjoyed as Ephraim’s wife. It is clear that she has plans for Vandergelder’s wealth, recalling her late husband’s advice: “Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow. “

We recall the scripture passages that warn of the results of greed and urge us to place our confidence in God’s loving care, setting aside worry about our earthly needs, and instead to store up our treasures in heaven. Proverbs 23:5 compares a coveted possession to the elusive flight of a bird: “When your eyes light upon it, it is gone: for suddenly it takes wings to itself, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” As Jesus responded to a question about whether he would urge the questioner’s brother to share the family inheritance, Jesus shares a telling parable about the foolish man who built larger and larger barns to hold the bounty of his crops. While this man believed his future to now be secure, Jesus points out the folly of hording one’s treasure, “‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions’” Luke 12:15. Jesus tells his disciples to strive for God’s kingdom, taking comfort from the care God provides for the birds and the lilies of the field. I love these comforting words, “’Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom’” (Luke 12:32).

Finally, Jesus urges his listeners to be “rich with God” (verse 21). And it is here that we each can find ways that our wealth—the abundance of our talents, skills, time, attention, and financial assets—can benefit God’s creatures and creation rather than ourselves. As I read today that more have died from COVID in 2021 than in 2020 with ¾ of those deaths now in developing countries, I think of these wise words from Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director about another persistent and continuing health threat: “We’re not interconnected, we’re inseparable.  We cannot end AIDS in one country or one continent, we can only end AIDS everywhere.” As we celebrate being more social and enjoy being present without masks, pandemic disease continues to claim lives. There is an urgent and present need to share humanitarian relief, vaccines, medical knowledge and so much more.  Ending COVID here depends upon ending it everywhere.  And in the words of Rabbi Joachim Prinz, “Neighbor is not a geographic term. It is a moral concept.” We are called to love God and to love our neighbor.

For what purposes did Dolly Levi plan to use her unique skills and restored wealth?  We can only write our own next chapter of that story, heeding the lesson in her words, “The difference between a little money and no money at all is enormous and can shatter the world! And the difference between a little money and an enormous amount of money is very slight and that can shatter the world, too. It’s all in how you use it.”

Heavenly Father, we need your comfort, your reminder to fear not. In our worry, we know we miss the full joy of embracing your love and grace. In our focus on ourselves, we lose the call to love our neighbor. Help us to use our time, our talents, our treasure to shatter the world’s ills and to seek your Kingdom. Amen.

The Lovings

54 years ago today, the Supreme Court decided the case Loving v. Virginia, thus legalizing interracial marriage in the U.S. 

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/12/1005848169/loving-day-interracial-marriage-legal-origin?fbclid=IwAR3uJrFWPAWIyze9jjNJx99yy_eabq7RvpczOCqQ2jG-ixp7wHKsQzQPuFU

Pulse anniversary

Today is the fifth anniversary of the Pulse massacre. As this says, there are scholarship funds, and a congressional bill that will make the site a national memorial. 

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/06/10/remembering-the-pulse-49-read-their-stories/

Verdi's Operas: I due Foscari

This year, I am listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), which I’ll listen to during the upcoming year. For reference I’ll study Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979).

I due Foscari (The Two Foscari), Verdi's seventh opera, premiered in Rome on November 3, 1844. The libretto is based on Byron’s play of the same name. The story concerns the Doge of Venice (Francesco Foscari), his son Jacopo Foscari who is accused of murder, and Jacopo’s wife Lucrezia. On this recording, those three principles are sung by Piero Cappuccilli, Jose Carreras, and Katia Ricciarelli, with Samuel Ramey portraying Loredano. 

Osborne comments that Verdi develops the role of the orchestra in this opera. Still very much a vocal event, nevertheless Verdi uses leading motives to a greater extent and makes the orchestra more of a "junior partner" in the story. Again, this is not because of influence from Wagner but because of Verdi’s own compositional and dramatic development. 

Verdi's Operas: Ernani

This year, I am listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), which I’ll listen to during the upcoming year. For reference I’ll study Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979).

Ernani premiered at Teatro La Feinice in Venice on March 9, 1844. The story is based on the play Hernani by Victor Hugo. After the success of Verdi’s previous two operas, he received several possibilities for a commission. When he settled on the Venice, he stipulated terms for payment and performance, including the provision that the libretto should be first finished to his satisfaction. He noted that composition of the music flowed naturally for him from a suitable libretto. It was for many years Verdi’s most performed opera. In fact, the first recording of a complete opera was Ernani, on 40 single-sided discs in 1904. 

The story concerns the bandit Ernani, who is in love with Elvira, about to be married to Gomez de Silva. Ernani want his fellow bandits to kidnap her. She thwarts that, but the love between her and Ernani is still complicated! 

This recording is conducted by Richard Bonynge for the Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera. Joan Suterhland is Elvira, and Luciano Pavarotti is Ernani. 

Osborne writes, “The weak pages in Ernani are comparatively few. What is most impressive is the opera’s wealth of beautiful and gloriously singable tunes… perhaps it is worth pointing out the obvious: that Silva’s horn theme is Verdi’s earliest use of a primitive form of the Leitmotif, which he has often been accused of appropriating from Wagner. He had heard no Wagner in 1844… There is really no Wagner influence anywhere in Verdi… It is much more likely that Der fliegende Hollander contains music written under the influence of Verdi and Donizetti.” 

Verdi's Operas: I Lombardi

This year, I am listening to the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. I’ve heard some of his operas, and have seen Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. But I’ve been curious about his several others. So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), which I’ll listen to during the upcoming year. For reference I’ll study Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

I Lombardi alla prima crociata (The Lombards on the First Crusade) is Verdi's fourth opera. A four-act opera, it premiered at La Scala on February 11, 1843. This recording is conducted by James Levine with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Richard leech and Samuel Ramey perform Arvino and Pagano, while Luciano Pavarotti performes Oronte, and Patricia Racette portrays Vinclinda.  

The story, which takes place in Milan, the Antioch area, and the Jerusalem area, concerns the brothers Pagano and Arvino. They had feuded over Viclinda but had apparently reconciled. Now, Viclinda is married to Arvino. But he is called upon to lead a crusade to the Holy Land, and Pagano wants to use the opportunity to win Vinclinda himself. 

Osborne writes that the opera is “fairly typical early Verdi… The finest pages… have that melodic beauty and creative energy which, by the time of Il trovatore, were to become Verdian characteristics. But much of the opera merely matches the crudity of [the librettist’s] historical imagination." A few years later, Verdi revised the opera for a French audience, renaming it Jérusalem. I'll listen to that one later this summer. 

Verdi's Operas: Nabucco

As I wrote in my November 26, 2020 post, I like to use this blog as a record of year-long “projects,” often beginning on the first Sunday of Advent. A composer about whom I’ve always felt curious is Verdi. When I began in parish ministry in the early 1980s, in a very rural area of southeastern Illinois, I liked to listen to classical music and opera at my lonesome little parsonage. Anytime I listen to an opera, something in me connects back to that time when I was starting out in ministry. 

So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), which I’ll listen to during the upcoming year. For reference, I’ll study Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

Little Taako’s death (see previous post) sparked in me a time of depression. I had trouble keeping motivated this past spring semester. I feel better now and am catching up on some things, like this blog. I haven’t posted about Verdi since January 20th. But I’ve still listened to his operas right along. 

Verdi’s third opera, Nabucco, premiered under its original title, Nabucodonosar, at La Scalia on March 9, 1842. Its plot concerned the exile of the Judahites under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves", “Va, pensiero, sull’ali dorate” ("Fly, thought, on golden wings") is a popular operatic encore. Verdi’s third opera, it established Verdi’s reputation as a popular and important opera composer. As Charles Osborne writes, it is perhaps not as satisfactory among Verdi’s early operas as Macbeth, but it is his earliest to remain in the repertoire. 

This set is performed by the Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, conducted by Lamberto Gardelli. Tito Gobbi is Nabucco. Abigaille is Elena Souliotis, a Greek soprano, for whom this role was one of her best known. The peak of her career lasted only about ten years. She certainly had a thrilling voice!  

Taako

Earlier this year, Emily sadly called us that her three-year-old boy Taako (named for the Adventure Zone character) was failing. He had feline leukemia (undiagnosed when she adopted him in 2018) but was holding his own until that time. So we had Emily bring him over to our house, where he had more room to  explore, and we could pamper and love him until the end. Finally, a woman came over and did an at-home euthanasia. Again, we were all there to love him. 

Taako was a wonderful buddy for Emily while she did her masters degree in Tucson. Taako definitely got to travel a lot, to and from St. Louis for his sojourn in Arizona. He was also the subject of a lovely tattoo that Emily got from Mo Malone, now of Boulder, CO. 

His too-soon passing was so difficult. Taako was not even my cat, but I was really bereaved during this past spring semester. In the final picture, he is probably pausing from licking his leg, but he strikes a Fortune Cat pose and seems to send us wisdom--and assurance that his spirit lives on in some way we'll eventually understand. 

Emily soon adopted a black cat whom she named Poe. He has joined Siamese sister Maia in her household. I'll write about him soon. Most of these photos are ones that Emily took. 

 

Photos by Mauhaus