Christmas 1
Preaching
Hear My Voice
Preaching The Lectionary Psalms for Cycles A, B, C
Object:
(Occurs in all three cycles of the lectionary; see Christmas 1, Cycle B; Christmas 1, Cycle C; and Easter 5, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)
In his breathtaking "Hymn Of The Universe," Pierre Teilhard de Chardin uses the Roman Catholic mass as a metaphor for the majesty and the complexity of creation. As both priest and scientist, de Chardin was in a unique position to see the order and beauty of creation existing not only as a testament to God's creative power, but also as a response to that creative power. The stars and seas and plants and animals all follow their courses and play their roles. In doing so, they comprise a powerful hymn that celebrates God's amazing accomplishment.
The person who wrote Psalm 148 has employed a similar pattern. Beginning with the highest heavens and working his way down through creation, the psalm writer calls upon every living creature, every created thing, to praise God.
Unlike Teilhard, however, this hymn of praise and the cause for praise is not creation itself. Creation is called to worship. It is called to bear witness, not to itself, but to another creative act accomplished by God. The full range of the universe is called to sing a hymn to "a horn."
In the final stanza the psalmist writes, "He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him" (v. 14).
The "horn" refers to a ruler or a king. The immediate context for the psalmist was probably a newly installed king of Israel. But for us, the context takes on genuine universal significance. The "horn" that has been raised for us, the ruler whose life and work we celebrate, is none other than the King of all kings.
In other words, we are invited to give voice to a new hymn: not to the universe, but to God's universal act of redemption. The whole created order, while certainly in awe of the Creator's boundless power and might, has its attention drawn to another creative act. God has poured the fullness of divine power and love into a singular life. That life stands as the hope for all people, for creation itself.
So we voice a song of praise. We fill our sanctuary with our praises. We listen for praise shouted from the heavens. We expect the animals to respond. The sea life, the birds of the air -- all life is called to praise. Kings, rulers, presidents -- the powerful and the powerless alike -- are called to praise. The universe is brought together to make a choral offering to the one life that makes all other life possible and meaningful.
-- J. E.
In his breathtaking "Hymn Of The Universe," Pierre Teilhard de Chardin uses the Roman Catholic mass as a metaphor for the majesty and the complexity of creation. As both priest and scientist, de Chardin was in a unique position to see the order and beauty of creation existing not only as a testament to God's creative power, but also as a response to that creative power. The stars and seas and plants and animals all follow their courses and play their roles. In doing so, they comprise a powerful hymn that celebrates God's amazing accomplishment.
The person who wrote Psalm 148 has employed a similar pattern. Beginning with the highest heavens and working his way down through creation, the psalm writer calls upon every living creature, every created thing, to praise God.
Unlike Teilhard, however, this hymn of praise and the cause for praise is not creation itself. Creation is called to worship. It is called to bear witness, not to itself, but to another creative act accomplished by God. The full range of the universe is called to sing a hymn to "a horn."
In the final stanza the psalmist writes, "He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him" (v. 14).
The "horn" refers to a ruler or a king. The immediate context for the psalmist was probably a newly installed king of Israel. But for us, the context takes on genuine universal significance. The "horn" that has been raised for us, the ruler whose life and work we celebrate, is none other than the King of all kings.
In other words, we are invited to give voice to a new hymn: not to the universe, but to God's universal act of redemption. The whole created order, while certainly in awe of the Creator's boundless power and might, has its attention drawn to another creative act. God has poured the fullness of divine power and love into a singular life. That life stands as the hope for all people, for creation itself.
So we voice a song of praise. We fill our sanctuary with our praises. We listen for praise shouted from the heavens. We expect the animals to respond. The sea life, the birds of the air -- all life is called to praise. Kings, rulers, presidents -- the powerful and the powerless alike -- are called to praise. The universe is brought together to make a choral offering to the one life that makes all other life possible and meaningful.
-- J. E.
