Category: Reflections

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
         
Greetings, Beloved!
The Lord is with you.
Do not be afraid; God is delighted with you.

The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Holy One will overshadow you.
You will conceive in your soul:
a new life will spring forth within you,
which is holy, for it is from God.

Your life will not be wholly your own now.
You will be moved—compelled, sometimes—
by the Holy One within you.
You will feel it stretch and kick.
You will feel it grow,
and you will have aches and pains because of it.

Nourish it. Care for yourself,
for what is alive in you is holy.
You are not unique in this:
your sisters and brothers are also great with God,
those who were said to be barren.

In the fulness of time,
bring your holy gift forth into the world.
Do not be afraid; it will be great,
and its light will shine forever
in the sky of God.

         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
         “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,
         for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
                  —Matthew 1.20

Today I helped distribute gift bags to all the inmates at the state prison. Nine of us greeted them, and gave them the packages, and we all shook their hands. All 1380 of them. To greet 1380 people, to encounter such a wave of humanity, eye to eye, hand to hand, hit me deeply. They were in all states of age, race, health, stature and personality. Some were meek, some imposing; some fit and some in shambles, some appreciative and some aloof. But they are all neglected, condemned, and treated as less than human. One guy said, “This is the only touch of normalcy all year.” It took us a couple of hours, but for each of them it lasted less than twenty seconds.

As they filed by one by one and I greeted them and shook their hands I wished I could pack so much more blessing and hope and dignity and the promise that God is with them than was possible in one quick, “God bless you.” (How powerful a single moment can be!) I prayed that somehow they might even unconsciously behold some grace, experience some love. It was like serving communion: one after another of God’s beloved people coming by, each with their own story, needs, wounds, sins and gifts, each getting a little symbolic gift in a brief holy moment, a gift of pure love no matter their past. You hope they get it.

Joseph was asked to trust that Mary’s child was of God. We too are asked to trust that God is present and at work in everyone we meet. I know a few of these guys have done terrible things. But God is still in them. They still have something holy going on in them. Everyone has a “holy child” inside. Everyone. Some of us are pretty rough mangers. But the child is holy. Few know it. But all are longing to know. Every holy child is longing to be loved.

Advent is a time to practice loving every little bit that we can, trusting the holy that we can’t yet see, loving the holy child in each beautiful, dear, precious, screwed-up person, every one a beloved child of God, so far from home.

Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
         “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”
                  —Matthew 1.20

Joseph
in the dumb background,
saint of the detour,
of the unknown road,
no belief or wisdom is asked of you,
only your willingness.

Much is taken;
that divine thief in the darkness
has stripped you of your desire,
your hand upon the tool,
your way,
the plan in your head
with which you needed no other plan.

Now you are asked
to become a tool without knowledge,
faithful partner to a mystery.

Marry this world you can’t yet know,
bearing grace you can’t imagine.
The blindfold is of God.
Say yes to the mystery
beyond your hand, beyond your mind.
Your willingness in this darkness
is the womb of the holy.

Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
         “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
         and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
         which means, “God is with us.”
                  —Matthew 1.23

Forget all the fancy theories of salvation,
how this birth will be the latchkey
to our otherwise impossible forgiveness.
No, it is much more simple.

God wants to be with us.
That’s all.
Messed up as we are,
the Beloved likes to be close.

God desires to be with you,
delights to be with you.
Our Heavenly Lover delights
to be with all humanity,
because that’s what love is like.

All the stars in the darkness,
all the aching hearts,
the strangers who,
after all, are lovely,
all of this marvel
is just the divine plea
for friends.

How simple it is
to give God
immense pleasure!

        
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
         Restore us, O God; let your face shine,
                  that we may be saved.
         You have fed us with the bread of tears,
                  and given us tears to drink in full measure.
                           —Psalm 80.3, 5

The Gentle One does not cause us pain,
yet all tears come from God.
The joy of Christmas
is the presence of Christ
in the dark night of our hurt.

Let your sorrows
be a manger for the Christ child,
a lowly resting place for the Beloved,
who transforms it
into a heavenly throne.

The real “reason for the season”
is not Jesus all by himself,
but the presence of the Beloved
embedded in the world’s suffering,
transforming it
into a place of holy encounter.

Go to the rough manger,
and behold the tender child.

         
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         The blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
         the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
         and the poor have good news brought to them.
                           —Matthew 11.5

         Strengthen the weak hands,
                  and make firm the feeble knees.
         Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
                  “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.
         The Holy One is coming in triumph,
                  with unassailable justice.
                           —Isaiah 35.3-4

Isaiah promises a world in which “sorrow and sighing will flee away.” For those who know grief or despair, who suffer oppression or abuse, who face injustice or violence— dare they hope for such a day? And if they do, what could give them that hope?

Maybe it will be you. You be the one. God has sent you, a messenger, to prepare a way. Every choice you make, ask yourself, does this give hope to the poor or make life better for the powerless? Live your life in such a way that each moment is an act of encouragement for the poor and outcast, for those who wait. In all that you do, be a light in their darkness. God’s grace is in you to do this.

         
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
          Go and tell John what you hear and see:
         the blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
         the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
         and the poor have good news brought to them.
                  —Matthew 11.4-5

Healing works its grace within you, unseen.
Justice unfolds in this world, unknown.
Whatever happens, so does healing.
The Beloved is continually mending, mending.

Trust this mystery.
Hear and see with this confidence.

With this mind
you will know
the drawing near
of the Tender One.

         
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

My soul magnifies you, O Lord…          
         Your praise is already alive deep within me.

and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior…
         My heart reaches out to you, who reach out to me.

for you have looked with favor on the lowliness of your servant.
         You see not my status but my belovedness.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
         It is not arrogant but faithful to receive your blessing.

O Mighty One, you have done great things for me.
         May I always be attentive to your grace.

Holy is your name.
         May I keep you always at the center of my life.

From generation to generation you have shown mercy
to those who are in awe of you.
         I hold in my heart the loving things you have done for us.

You have shown strength with your arm.
         You have already disarmed the powers.

You have scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
         I am no better than a thief, no less than a saint.

You have brought down the powerful from their thrones.
         The powers of this world are an illusion.

You have lifted up the lowly…
         Those who appear lowly are full of your power and glory.
         
You have filled the hungry with good things…
         You bless those whose blessings are unseen.

You have sent the rich away empty.   
         I am prepared to lose as well as to gain for your sake.     

You have helped your servant Israel, in remembrance of your mercy…
         Beloved, your grace changes everything.

according to the promise you made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and Sarah and their descendants forever.
          I will be a part of your new Creation, this world of justice and mercy.

         
         

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.

         “Go and tell John what you hear and see:
         the blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
         the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
         and the poor have good news brought to them.”
                  —Matthew 11.4-5

Jesus, you healed the blind.
You opened the eyes of those who could not see
the miracles of God’s grace all around them.
Remove the scales that cover my eyes,
the cataracts of fear that keep me from seeing
God’s presence so near.
Teach me to see in the dark,
to trust what I can’t yet see,
to hear the promise,
to sense the movement of God,
to know God’s new day dawning over me.
Help me to see justice and mercy where it emerges,
to see glory in the ordinary,
and hope in the gloom.
Help me to see with the eyes of faith.

         
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to me at unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
         The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
                  and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
         therefore the child to be born will be holy.
                           —Luke 1.35

         Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
                  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
         for God has looked on me with favor in my lowliness.
                           —Luke 1.46, 48

God does not see human illusions of status,
or measure success, righteousness or worthiness.
God sees you as a soul, perfect and beloved.
God sees you from the inside out.

God regards you with favor.
Not judgment, not disappointment.
God has no desire to evaluate you,
but only to dwell in you
and perfect you in love.

Ponder this; dwell on it a while
Enter into this mystery.
Give it time and silence to grow in you.
Like an unborn child in its mother,
God is in you, wholly present,
without desire to be elsewhere,
you and God sources of infinite joy
for each other.

         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to unfoldinglight8(at)hotmail.com