Advent Hymn: Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah

The season of Advent is a short one, with only four Sundays prior to Christmas. Thus the singing of Advent hymns is usually limited to the season—with perhaps a few exceptions when pastors and worship committees deliberately choose one or more Advent hymns in other seasons of the liturgical church year. 

I enjoy singing the Advent hymns, and lament not being able to sing them more often—especially when congregations prefer to sing Christmas carols during Advent instead of the Advent hymns. I like both the lyrics and theology of several Advent hymns, as well as a number of the hymn tunes, to enhance an atmosphere of quiet, thoughtful reflection upon these hymns’ words and the seasons themes of, among others: hope, peace, joy, love, anticipation, preparation, judgement, justice, and the coming of Jesus at Christmas and his coming again in the future, at the consummation of history. Many of these Advent hymns are based on and inspired by several beautiful biblical passages. 

One of my favourite Advent hymns is the contemporary “Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah,” written by Wayne L. Wold, #240 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. There are four short stanzas, and often congregations sing stanza one on the first Sunday in Advent, and stanzas one and two in the second Sunday in Advent, and so on. It is sung while the Advent wreath candles are being lit. 

The lyrics are as follows: 1 “Light one candle to watch for Messiah: let the light banish darkness./He shall bring salvation to Israel, God fulfills the promise.” The light in this hymn, as I interpret it, refers to Jesus our Messiah, who described himself in the Gospels as “the light of the world.” In our Northern hemisphere, when the days are so short and dark, light is a sign for us of life and hope. The life, ministry, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus banish the darkness of sin, death, and evil. The exhortation “to watch for Messiah” highlights the emphasis in Advent of watchfulness, expectation and preparation for Jesus. 

2 “Light two candles to watch for Messiah: let the light banish darkness./He shall feed the flock like a shepherd, gently lead them homeward.” This stanza reminds us of Jesus the Good Shepherd, who lovingly cares for each one of us and, in response, we trust him with our life’s destination.

3 “Light three candles to watch for Messiah: let the light banish darkness./Lift your heads and lift high the gate-way for the King of glory.” With the exhortation to lift our heads, we will be able to see what heads gazing downwards will miss—namely, the coming Jesus, King of glory. Reference to “lift high the gate-way” I interpret as making room in our lives for Jesus with open hearts and minds, which involve careful and joyful watching, observing, anticipating and expecting. 

4 “Light four candles to watch for Messiah: let the light banish darkness./He is coming, tell the glad tidings. Let your lights be shining!” Now the expectation, and joy are nearing their climax as Jesus’s coming at Christmas is closer. The exhortation to “tell the glad tidings” is an exhortation to share the story of Jesus’s birth. The exhortation to “Let your lights be shining” may involve deeds of loving-kindness toward others, especially those in greatest need. 

According to Hymnary.org: “Wayne L. Wold was born April 16, 1954 in Fosston, Minnesota. He presently serves as Associate Professor of Music and College Organist at Hood College in Frederick, MD. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Music degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, a Master of Sacred Music degree from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia.”

His professional accomplishments are as follows: “Over 200 compositions in print.

Numerous articles, several hymn and anthem texts, and two books in print.

Performed with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, in Lincoln Center, and in numerous churches across the U.S. and in Europe.

Past president of Region One of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.

Member of the editorial committee for the ELCA's Evangelical Lutheran Worship.”¹

The hymn tune is a Yiddish folk tune, TIF IN VELDELE, the metre is: 10.7.9.6. It is a very “catchy” tune, for me it has, on more than one occasion become an earworm. 

In closing, I’d like to include the following citation from The Days Before Christmas, (p. 33), by Professor W.A. Poovey, in which he encourages the faithful to sing the Advent hymns at home, in addition to during worship services: “The hymns written to be sung during the days before Christmas may never be listed among “My Ten Favourite Hymns,” but they all underscore the message of a coming Saviour and king. They are worth our study and meditation. Sing them at home during this season. Advent hymns make the message of the coming Christ more personal and vital.” To that, I say: “Amen! May it be so!”

1 Found at Hymnary.org: <http://bach.calvin.edu/person/Wold_Wayne>.

Sermon for 1st Sunday in Advent Yr C

1^st Sunday in Advent Yr C, 28/11/2021

Lk 21:25-36

Pastor Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

“A living hope in this troubled world”

Today marks the beginning of a new church calendar year. Advent, which means coming, is a season in which we prepare for and focus on the three different comings of Jesus. Jesus came in the past born as a human being in Bethlehem. Jesus comes to us in the present in many and various ways, including through the word and the sacrament, worship, prayers, and in our relationships with one another. Because Jesus comes in the present in many and various ways, it is not actually proper to refer to his coming in the future as the second coming. However, be that as it may, Jesus will come again in the future—and that is the focus of today’s gospel, although not entirely. 

You may wonder why we have this gospel passage, since Advent is the season we prepare for Christmas and Jesus’s birth, isn’t it more appropriate to focus on hope than the sobering gloom and doom of this passage? Why do we have to focus on cosmic disasters of the sun, moon and stars wearing out, the earth and seas going crazy by terrorizing nations with tornados, earthquakes, and tsunamis? As you know, earlier this month, COP26 tried to address climate change yet again and make commitments to prevent global warming more than 1.5 degrees above what it is now. And, as we watch, read and listen to the news, we learn of unprecedented floods, fires and droughts threatening our planet. Will we be able to reach or exceed the goals of COP26? If so, will they really make any difference? As many environmental critics of the COP meetings have said, this is the 26^th meeting and all they can do is talk way too much, and fail to take the necessary actions that would involve radical changes—especially for us affluent nations in the northern hemisphere. 

Indeed, people today are, as Jesus tells us, fainting from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world. As Jesus says, there are signs, tragedies happening before our very eyes. For far too many, there is a growing lack of food security; a growing number of homeless people because of natural disasters; places in the world that may no longer be inhabited by human beings due to a changing environment. In addition to all of these tragic changes, in the world of politics it seems that there are an alarming and growing number of tyrannical governments and dictatorships, which cause even more suffering, oppression, evil and injustice for way too many people. 

Where do we find a living hope in a world like this? That reminds me of the following Peanuts comic strip: Linus and Lucy are standing at the window looking out at the rain falling. Lucy says to Linus, “Boy, look at it rain ... What if it floods the earth?”

Linus, the resident biblical scholar for Peanuts, answers, “It will never do that ... in the ninth chapter of Genesis, God promised Noah that would never happen again, and the sign of the promise is the rainbow.”

With a smile on her face, Lucy replies, “Linus, you've taken a great load off my mind.”

To which Linus responds, “Sound theology has a way of doing that.” 

Linus is correct, sound theology can give us a living hope in a world like this. Why? Well because it is rooted in a careful reading and study of the Bible, and then responding by actions of faith. 

Our gospel is not all gloom and doom. Look at verses 27 and 28 again: “Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Here Jesus quotes from Daniel 7:13-14, in which he has a vision of the Son of Man, in which all peoples and nations will serve him in his everlasting dominion. Now that certainly is a message of hope. 

There is more hope in this gospel in the closing verses. Jesus exhorts us to “be on guard.” Being on guard is not something passive, it is as he goes on to say, not allowing our hearts to be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the worries of this life. In case you’re wondering what dissipation means, well one of its meanings is expending or wasting energy without getting anywhere—kind of like spinning your tires when you are stuck in a snowdrift and not getting anywhere. As for drunkenness, well, as you know, some folks drink too much to try and escape their problems, only to discover that the problems only get worse. And, of course, several studies have shown that people who allow the worries of this life to control them can and often do end up with serious health issues, as well as may fail to act in hopeful ways because their worries paralyze them. 

In contrast, being on guard, being alert at all times and praying give us the capacity to act with a living hope in this world. 

Ironically, it is often those who face considerable sufferings who model for us the capacity to act with a living hope in this world. One such person is Bishop Desmond Tutu, who recently celebrated his 90^th birthday. Listen to his following words of wisdom.

We are His (God’s) children, created in His image, made for love and laughter, caring and sharing. I am filled with hope for the future. In spite of much to the contrary, the world is becoming a kinder, safer place. It is God’s world, and He is in charge. His gifts of goodness and kindness, reason and understanding, science and discovery are showered upon us. Revel in these gifts, enjoy them, share them, and this new millennium will become a highway of peace and prosperity for all.¹

Some people who, I think, are doing just that were interviewed on a CBC news program recently. They are engineering students at the University of Calgary. Wanting to live out their hope in this world to make their contribution to slow down climate change, they came up with a wonderful and creative plan. They realise that for many people electric vehicles are still too expensive, moreover they are difficult even to find for those who wish to purchase one. So these engineering students are presently in the process of converting a gasoline car into an electric car. They have removed the gas engine and installed an electric motor. There are other parts of the car that they also have to change in order for it to work. I’m sure they will succeed, and hope that they will inspire others to convert gas vehicles into electric ones too. 

You and I may not be engineers, or someone as famous and gifted as Bishop Tutu—however, I believe that in our small ways we can have a living hope in this world. How? Well, by carefully reading and studying the Bible and responding by even little acts of faith. Acts such as coming to church to worship and encouraging one another. Acts of phoning or visiting those who might be ill or lonely or shut in. Acts such as praying for one another, the larger church, and the world. Acts such as purchasing environmentally-friendly products and cutting down on wastes that pollute the land, water and air. Acts such as supporting the work of Canadian Lutheran World Relief—their various projects around the world do make a difference, and their project to help the BC residents devastated by the recent unprecedented flood. Acts such as supporting local charities and organisations, like, for example, the Women’s Shelter. These all may seem small, yet together, with more and more people acting with a living hope in these ways, we do make a difference, with the help of God and his grace working in and through us. For that, thanks be to God! 

1 Elizabeth Roberts & Elias Amidon, editors, Prayers for a Thousand Years: Blessings And Expressions Of Hope For The New Millennium (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999), p. 6.

Book Review: The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Author: Malcolm Gladwell

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, paperback, 301 pages, including Endnotes, Acknowledgments, and Index

Reviewed by Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

The Author

At the time this volume was published, Malcolm Gladwell had been a reporter for the Washington Post from 1987 to 1996, working first as a science writer and then as a New York City bureau chief. After 1996, he became a staff writer for The New Yorker. The Tipping Point was his first book, which became an international bestseller, along with other bestsellers, including David And Goliath. He was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. 

Contents

This volume contains an Introduction and the following chapters: One: The Three Rules of Epidemics; Two: The Law of the Few: Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen; Three: The Stickiness Factor: Sesame Street, Blues Clues, and the Educational Virus; Four: The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz and the Rise and Fall of New York City Crime; Five: The Power of Context (Part Two): The Magic Number One Hundred Fifty; Six: Case Study: Rumors, Sneakers, and the Power of Translation; Seven: Case Study: Suicide, Smoking, and the Search for the Unsticky Cigarette; Eight: Conclusion: Focus, Test, and Believe; Afterword: Tipping Point Lessons from the Real World. 

Brief Observations

The author makes the case for viewing ideas, products, messages, and behaviours with tipping points that spread like viruses. “All epidemics have Tipping Points.” (p. 12) Gladwell’s volume endeavours to answer the following two questions: “Why is it that some ideas or behaviours or products start epidemics and others don’t? And what can we do to deliberately start and control positive epidemics of our own?” (p. 14) In the sense that epidemics begin quite small, and multiply; so too, in David And Goliath, Gladwell makes the case with a similar motif for underdogs who are often underestimated, yet have the potential to grow into significant people, making impressive contributions.

A couple of interesting examples Gladwell provides are how Hush Puppies shoes became popular among young people and, as a “Connector,” Paul Revere’s famous historical ride with the word-of-mouth message that became epidemic. 

According to the author, there are three Tipping Point Rules that offer a way of making sense of epidemics. I’m not going to share them here, so hopefully readers of this review will read the book and find out. 

Readers will also find interesting the term “Maven,” which comes from the Yiddish, meaning “one who accumulates knowledge.” (p. 60) 

People regarded by Gladwell as “Salesmen” have the ability to persuade others who are highly sceptical. Read the book and discover which anchorperson was the most convincing: Peter Jennings at ABC, Tom Brokaw at NBC, or Dan Rather at CBS. 

The author includes a discussion on genetics and environment, and has this to say about what he refers to as “the Power of Context”: “The essence of the Power of Context is that in ways that we don’t necessarily appreciate, our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances.” (p. 152)

In his emphasis on the significance of the number 150, Gladwell cites the example of a Hutterite named Bill Gross, who said it is best to keep the number of people in a colony under 150: “If you get too large, you don’t have enough work in common. You don’t have enough things in common, and then you start to become strangers and that close-knit fellowship starts to get lost.” (p. 181)

For Gladwell: “In the end, Tipping Points are a reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action.” (p. 159)

Those interested in social, psychological, religious, political and economic change will likely appreciate this volume, as will experts in communication. 

Read the Bible in a Year continued: The Prophets

I realize that it has been some time since I wrote a blog post on my journey of reading the Bible in one year. In my last blog post of March 1, 2021, I had completed the Torah, which, if you haven’t read it, you can do so here.

Now I have completed reading the Hebrew Bible/Older Testament. As I reflect on my commitment to this project, which I continue to find challenging some days, regarding the time factor, my thoughts turn to the prophets and the prophetic books. The following are a few brief reflections on them.

The difficult ministries of the Prophets

God called most of the prophets into difficult ministries, which meant that they did not win any popularity contests! God’s people often failed to listen to their messages, rejecting them personally and their messages, ridiculed them, persecuted them, arrested them, and, as in the case of Jeremiah, even threatened to kill them. The lives of God’s prophets were not easy, often lonely, and extremely challenging physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. 

Symbolic Prophetic actions

The prophets, so they believed, were called by God to do some rather weird, and difficult symbolic prophetic actions. For example, in the case of Isaiah (see chapter 20) God called him to go naked and barefoot for three years. Jeremiah was told by God to wear a yoke (chapter 27:2), and the prophet Hananiah took it from Jeremiah and broke it as a sign that the oppressive yoke of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar would be removed from all nations within two years (chapter 28:10-11), and Jeremiah’s oracle regarding an iron yoke, in opposition to Hananiah’s words and action (chapter 28:12ff). God told Ezekiel to lie on his left side for 390 days symbolizing the number of years of Israel’s punishment; and then Ezekiel was to lie on his right side 40 days symbolizing the number of years of Judah’s punishment. Hosea was instructed by God to marry a prostitute symbolizing the unfaithfulness of God’s people. He was also instructed to name a daughter Lo-ruhamah, meaning Not pitied, and a son Lo-ammi, meaning Not my people. Jonah was called by God—fleeing, resisting, kicking and screaming all the way!—to go to the capital city of the enemy, Nineveh, which had inflicted so much suffering on God’s people to preach to them.

Preaching difficult messages

Speaking of preaching, many of the prophets were given God’s messages that God’s people did not want to hear, let alone obey. God called on the prophets to preach messages of repentance, judgement and punishment for violating God’s ways, condemnation of idolatry (a constant sin in the Hebrew Bible), confrontation of unethical merchants with their false weights and measures cheating the poor, criticism of self-indulgent priests and political leaders who thought God would be pleased with their worship, even though they neglected to care for widows, orphans and resident aliens. The prophets were strong advocates of justice, which is linked to keeping God’s covenant and commandments. Violation of the covenant and commandments proved disastrous as the prophets warned—e.g., the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, destruction of the Jerusalem temple, and famines in the land.

The Day of the LORD

The prophets proclaim a day of the LORD. It is a day of darkness and to be dreaded. It refers to disastrous cataclysmic events, God’s enemies will be punished; see Joel 2:1-2; Amos 5:18-20; and Zechariah 1:14-15. However, there are also more hopeful, and blessed references that to the day of the LORD; see Isaiah 4:2-6; 25:6-10; 30:26; Hosea 2:18-23; Joel 2:28-32; Amos 9:11-15; Zechariah 14:6-11.

Good News

In addition to the prophets being messengers of “bad news,” they were also blessed by God with “good news.” For example, Isaiah speaks of the wonderful beautiful vision of perfect Shalom in chapters 2 and 11. Jeremiah purchased a plot of land as a sign of hope that God’s people would eventually return from exile to the promised land. Jeremiah also spoke of a new covenant in chapter 31, highlighting the importance of forgiveness. Isaiah 7:14 has been interpreted by Christians as a reference to the birth of Jesus the Messiah, as well as Micah 5:2. Isaiah 52-53 refer to the Suffering Servant, whom Christians interpret as Jesus. There are also references in the prophets to Jerusalem as the capital of the world, when all nations shall live in peace.

My latest book

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Memorial Sermon for Daniel Reid

Memorial Sermon for Daniel James Reid, based on Psalm 103:13-17 & Romans 8:31-39, by Pastor Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, at Skudesness Lutheran Church, two o’clock, August 4, 2021. 

Death comes to us all. As many of you know, there are different kinds of death. Some deaths are expected after a long life, or a long period of suffering caused by chronic illness. Such deaths are regarded by many people as a blessing. Other deaths are not expected and unpredictable, as well as unwanted. Daniel James Reid’s death was an accident; it was not expected or predicted; nor was it wanted. One day Daniel was very much alive. The next day he was no longer with you.

At first you may have been stunned; shock deadens the blow. Then the anesthesia of shock wears off and we begin to feel the awful hurt and heartache of bereavement. We would fall apart if it were not for the presence of those who care: mom, dad, children, sisters, brothers, other relatives, friends, neighbours and God. They come quickly to take us in their arms and breathe comfort in our ears. Remember too, that there are many people whom we do not even know—strangers--who read or hear of our bereavement and lift prayers to God in our behalf. 

The Bible, in Psalm 103, speaks about the shortness of human life. The psalmist compares our human life with grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom, then a strong scorching wind makes them wither and die. Most, if not all of you, I expect would say that Daniel’s life was way too short. Why did he have to fall off that roof? He was only in his 30s, too young to die. I cannot answer your question why. However, I can point you to our Bible passages that speak of a God who loves us all and is with us, even in death. 

As the psalmist assures us: Just as parents have compassion for their children, the LORD has compassion for all who worship him. The English word compassion is from the Latin words “com” meaning “with” or “together,” and “passio” or “pati” meaning “to suffer.” We are always within the reach and sight of God’s compassion. Even though we do wrong, mess up, make terrible mistakes, God our Parent still has compassion for us. Daniel’s parents had compassion for him, even when he did wrong and made mistakes; and Daniel had compassion for you Taylor, Jordyn and Jack. That compassion is a gift that God gives us. Because of that compassion, the sadness and suffering seem at times so great.

After the loss of Daniel perhaps you felt that everyone and everything was against you. Such feelings do come to us, since just as there are life-forces there are also anti-life forces at work in the world. However, listen again to these words of promise from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he writes: “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? The One who died for us, Jesus—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.”(The Message)

In other words, the answer to whoever or whatever is against you is that they shall not have the last word; they shall not win because God is on your side. God has the last word, and God will win in the end. Why? Because it is kind of like playing a game of ball or hockey. The team with the best players will win the game. You and I are on the winning team, since we have the very best player who ever lived, namely, Jesus. He has already won the game for each and every one of us by the life he lived; by his suffering, atoning death on the cross; and by his victory over death through his resurrection-life three days after he died. 

Paul goes on to say with great confidence: “Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us (or condemn us)? (Do you think anyone has the power to separate us/divorce us from Christ’s love?) There is no way!”(The Message) Just as your love for Daniel went with him when he travelled so far away from you; and just as Daniel’s love for you remained with you even though he was working on the other side of the world in Saudi Arabia; so Jesus’ love is always going to be in us, with us, and for us.

Paul is even more confident when he answers his questions about Jesus’ love, he tells us this: “Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.

We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.”(The Message) His loving embrace by suffering and dying on the cross and his victory over death by his resurrection from death is his unconditional gift to each one of us; that after we die, we too may share in a resurrection like his.

What wonderful GOOD NEWS this is for you and I! The BEST NEWS EVER! I happen to believe it. I hope and pray that you do too. It makes all the difference in the world to live and die trusting in and knowing that God’s steadfast love (God’s constant love, God’s reliable love) is from everlasting to everlasting. To be loved by our LORD and, in response, to love others, that is the ultimate meaning of life. May it be so for all of you! Amen! 

The Weekend in Black & White - July 16, 2021

 

                                                               Driedmeat Lake sunset

For The Weekend in Black & White