Out of the Messiness

Advent 4 – Matthew
Matthew 1.18-25

“Joseph, being unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.” (Mt 1.19)

Our Advent preparations may include spending lots of money on the most beautiful Christmas tree, spending long hours in the kitchen to make the perfect Christmas cookies, planning family outings that will delight everyone—laboring to create the ideal Christmas full of love, peace, joy and harmony. But this week’s gospel reminds us that in the real world, things are never perfect. And this is where God works miracles—right in the middle of our messy, confused and chaotic lives.

Bethlehem’s Christmases in the past few years have not been picture-perfect. While we eagerly anticipate sitting in our pews on Christmas Eve and singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie,” the people of Bethlehem stand in line for permits to visit their families; most of the permits will be denied. While we sing “Above thy deep and dreamless sleep,” Suleiman cannot sleep because he worries that he will not be able to pass through the checkpoint tomorrow morning to get to Jerusalem to guide the tour group he is scheduled to meet at 8:00 am. While we sing about the “silent stars” going by, the people of Bethlehem hear the droning of the bulldozers and the earth-movers, building even more of the 25-foot-high security wall that surrounds their town, cutting them off from their friends and families.

While we drive fifteen minutes to church, the Palestinian Christians who live in Ramallah or Jerusalem will spend hours driving on the back roads which they are allowed to use, or waiting at checkpoints, on their way to worship at the Church of the Nativity or the Christmas Lutheran Church, where they have gathered for centuries to observe Christ’s birth.

Out of the chaos and scandal of Jesus’ birth, God delivered a savior for the whole world. Out of the chaos and the scandal of Israel’s occupation, God still works redemption today.

On November 30, in Bethlehem, people gathered from all over the world to dedicate a new college, Dar al-Kalima. The school began admitting students in 2007 and they have graduated two classes of students already (see photo). Now they are moving into a new building which will enable them to admit more students, expand their programs from two-year degrees to four-year degrees and serve their students more effectively. It is the first Lutheran college in the Middle East. In the West Bank, where Israel grants few permits for students to study abroad, students are now able to train in the Arts, Multimedia, Communications, and Tourism Studies. Students learn documentary filmmaking, ceramics and glass, and contemporary fine arts.

With around 57% of the Palestinian population under the age of 19, the college is a sign of hope for the future of these people who feel imprisoned behind the wall and the barbed wire. The college is a sign of God’s intention to bring forth life out of death. The birth of the college is a sign of hope and new life, a sign of Emmanuel, “God with us.”

Read more about the college and see pictures. Learn how you can support this work.

[Good news note from last Friday's post: Ibrahim has been released by the court. The Wounded Crossing Borders members wrote letters and testified in court on behalf of the family -- to read his story see: http://apilgrimstales.blogspot.com/2010/10/each-of-us-has-part.html ].

God of new possibilities, you have shown us your grace, which brings life out of death, hope out of darkness. Quite our fears of chaos and give us courage to partner with others and share in your life-saving work. Amen.