The Dawn of Innocence

Monday, December 24, 2006

[NOTE: I'll be taking some time off beginning tomorrow. Next Morning Reflection will be December 31]

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Audio Podcasts of today's "Morning Reflection" and those from the past week are available from http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html (go to St. Paul's Home Page www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p 939)
Morning Prayer: Psalms 45, 46; Baruch* 4:36 - 5:9; Galatians 3:23 - 4:7; Matthew 1:18-25
*found in the Apocrypha
Evening Prayer: Psalm 89:1-29; Isaiah 59:15b-21; Philippians 2:5-11


"Look toward the east... and see the joy that is coming to you from God," cries Baruch. Not only does his invitation invite us to invoke the coming morning with all of its new possibility, but more than that, Baruch rejoices at the return of the lost children. "Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction... and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God." We will dress up, says the prophet, in royal garb. "Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting; for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven. For God will give you evermore the name, 'Righteous Peace, Godly Glory.'"

So many literary masterpieces have as their theme our common human experience of the loss of our innocence. Although there are a few remarkable people who seem to retain a natural and intuitive sense of connectedness to God, most of us feel like we have lost something along the way -- our innocence; a natural sense of freedom and spontaneity. Maybe that is why children are so attractive to us. We can see in them what we have lost. Next to children, we can feel somehow sullied, spoiled, compromised from the wondrous and bright possibilities we once embraced for ourselves.

Part of the Biblical Messianic hope is the return of innocence and hope. In a dream Joseph is told that the child in Mary's womb will be named "Jesus", the Greek word for Joshua, meaning "God saves / God helps." The angel states that "he will save his people from their sins." Forgiveness. A new lease on life. Renewed innocence. The sun comes up in the east and all is renewed.

God's gift is in some sense the return of childhood. We are renewed in innocence. We may put off the adult garment of our sorrow and affliction, the sense of separation that defines sin. We can play "dress up." God gives us royal "robes of righteousness" and a crown, "the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting." It is God's desire to be with us and to restore our dignity and innocence so we may be joyful. "For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him."

God invites us to see ourselves anew in Jesus. Joy comes like the sun rising from the east. It is the childlike joy of knowing that we belong and we are beloved. We can relax as God's children. We are like royalty, like dress-up kings and queens in the home of the ultimate Ruler. We don't have to do anything to live with royal confidence. We have royal inheritance. We always have been God's royal family; we have always been heirs of divine life.

The birth of the child reminds and effects the reconciliation. In the most modest of circumstances, childlike union with God happens. We are invited to see ourselves through that image. "Righteous Peace; Godly Glory."

Maybe we went away from our true heritage, walking off "led away by ...enemies," our own anxious undoing. But God brings our childlike inheritance back. We are "carried in glory, as on a royal throne."

The sun will come up again soon. I can see the first blue of dawn. "Arise...; look toward the east." A new day invites me to embrace my true identity. I am God's child; God's beloved. Time to dress up and play. Anything is possible.

Lowell
Lowell
______________________

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the "Morning Reflections" email list,
go to our Subscriptions page -- http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life:
We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully