Isa. 60: 1-6; Matt 2:1-12     Rise and Shine            E/GR   Jan. 8, 2006

1. Rise and Shine!  My Dad?s favourite way of calling me!  Needless to say, in my teen years, it may not have been my favourite way to wake up.  It now holds appeal, though as I realize it has a lot to do with his faith and philosophy of life.

2. Rise and Shine, Jerusalem.  Isaiah?s listeners are living in a climate of fear and uncertainty.  Their lives are at the whim of the current superpowers and the terror of war that could engulf them at any moment.  Their city was an economic disaster.  Some people are back from exile. Some had been left behind.  Now how could they work together to rebuild?  It would mean huge changes. How could they possibly build a safe life economically for their families?

3. Rise and Shine wise men.  Warned in a dream, all we are told is that they went home another way.  I can?t imagine that a despot such as Herod would have let them off that easily!  Were they marked men?  Was there a hit out on them?  Was their country at risk because of their courage?  I wonder what inspired their generosity and led them to risk everything for the sake of this family?

4. Rise and Shine people of St. Andrew?s Church!  The events of the last few years in our world have also left us recognizing in ways that perhaps weren?t so evident before, that we live our lives at the whim of the current superpower.  That despots and terrorists make choices that have no logic for us and over which we seem to have little control.  We live in constant change.  Events of last year politically, economically, wind and weather, and health crises have left many in deep darkness.  Can we really rise and shine?

Rise and shine, people of GR UC!  The events of this last week and a half have profoundly affected GR Church and community.  Vibrant, full of life Vi paralyzed, needing surgery and now facing extreme life style changes and chemotherapy.  Events of last year politically, economically, the wind and weather, have left many in deep darkness.  Can we possibly rise and shine?

5. Into that intense time of his darkness, in fact, because it was so dark, Isaiah proclaims God?s solution.  ?Arise, shine, for your light has come.?  What is God suggesting here?  That they acknowledge that light is already within them and allow that light to flow through them to those around them who are searching for signs of hope.  So don?t let it get blocked by your own stuff!

6. In order to do that, our Psalm invites those who hear in worship, to respond.  To not just sit there, but really participate.  Did you notice?  ?May all fall down before him.?  To bring themselves and their gifts in love and loyalty.  And in openness to receive God?s light, wisdom, blessing.  Daring to believe that such participating in worship will transform.

7. So how did the Magi deal with the darkness?  They come in the climate of intrigue and unknown, and when they see that the star has stopped, they are ?overwhelmed with joy.?  Have you noticed that before?  I hadn?t!  They were so intent on finding the light, God?s messiah.  When they saw it, they were overwhelmed with joy.  In spite of the intrigue, in spite of the darkness and the danger.  Great joy.
8. Matthew also underlines God?s direct participation in people?s lives.  Remember how the magi are warned in a dream?  God?s presence is such a big part of Matthew?s Christmas story.  An angel visits Mary.  Joseph learns in a dream that although this baby is very inconvenient he is of God, and it will be all right.  Mary and Joseph are warned in a dream to flee to Egypt.  And told when to come back.  These night visits whether by dream or some other form, are a beautiful narrative about the reality of God?s activity in their lives.

9. What about God?s activity in our lives?  There?s a hymn in our hymnbook that is an amazing reminder.  ?When pain of the world surrounds us with darkness and despair, when searching just confounds us with false hopes everywhere, when lives are starved for meaning and destiny is bare, we are called to follow Jesus and let God?s spirit flow through us.?  Can we believe God?s help is there for us no matter what the darkness?

10. Can we dare to believe that God?s light will help us get through our present darkness?  Whether you knew Vi Spence well or not, her story has the power to impact us all.  I wish each one of you could see her.  You would feel so much better.  As that?s not possible I want to paint a picture for you.  Vi has a lot to teach us:

a)     Heart rending honesty.  Vi feels all things deeply and shares her feelings appropriately not trying to lock things inside.  Sadness, fear, anger, despair are honestly faced and dealt with. 

b)     Heart stopping courage.  So after she?s shared and faced her feelings, she says, ?Now let?s get on with solving the next practical challenge!?  The physio department is already telling her how well she?s doing.  ?It?s my motivation!? she replies with a smile.

c)      Soul building humour.  A real gift in her family.  One day Belinda came in to find her crying.  They decided it would be designated blubbering day.  Then came the idea it would be Spontaneous Blubbering Day.  Splurb for short!

d)     Soul strengthening faith.  Many will know already her requests for prayer ? even before surgery.  ?God, give me the strength to face whatever lies ahead.  I do not pray for healing in the traditional sense but for wholeness of spirit.?  She also is asking God?s leading for how she can serve now, in these special circumstances.  I?m sure there will be many ways, not the least of which will be helping us all learn to live in the darkness and see the light that has already come.

e)      Appreciation of community.  Vi is so grateful for all your prayers, calls, notes, and thoughts. 

f)       No- nonsense practicality.  Vi is no stranger to darkness.  She knows this is no easy thing.  That no matter how many times you have seen the light, you still have to look for it each day ? again and again

g)      Now Vi would kill us if she thought in all this we were nominating her for sainthood.  She is as wonderfully human as each one of us.  And saint in the same way Paul calls each one of us saint.  We want to do something.  So the very least we can do is learn with her and grow in faith with her.