Readings for 2nd Christmas/C:
Matthew 2
January 3, 2010
The Rev. Karen Faye Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
If you read the entire second chapter of the gospel of Matthew, you will notice that there is a lot going on: A shining star, Magi from the East, gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, a dream to avoid Herod, and finally another dream advising Joseph to take Jesus and his family out of Bethlehem. It is fortunate, that both the Magi and Joseph paid attention to these dreams. Their responses ended up saving the life of Jesus. God often speaks to us through our dreams. But sometimes, we either don’t recognize them or we have difficulty following through. Do you follow your dreams and if not, why?
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend time with the teens of this parish who were trying to “stump the rector” with various theological questions about angels, demons, and the lineage of Jesus. After I had adequately answered their questions, I turned to the subject of happiness. I encouraged the youth to follow their dreams. I told them if they really wanted to be happy then there were only a few things necessary: love and meaning. To be happy, human beings need to be loved and they also need to love others. This was the core message that Jesus witnessed through his words, actions, and spirit. Once we experience love and can actually love ourselves the way God loves us, then we are better able to discern the gifts that God has given us. And once we discern those special gifts (which each one of us has been given), we need to share those gifts generously with others to make this world a better place in which to live. Sharing one’s gifts is what gives meaning to life. Love and a meaningful life is what bring happiness. What I would like to talk about today is becoming the person that you were born to be. What I would like to talk about is following your dreams and sharing your God-given gifts.
Today is the 10th day of Christmas. The spirit of Christmas is often manifested in our society by the generosity and good-will that people have for each other. One of the ways we can show our affection for others is through the generous giving and gracious receiving of gifts. For some folks, giving and receiving gifts is their primary love language. I received some special gifts this year for Christmas. They included “Nets for Life,” a tuition scholarship for a poor girl in Africa dedicated in my name, a Moravian star, and a CD of Susan Boyle’s latest hits.
Susan Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on a reality TV program called “Britain’s got Talent.” She made her public debut by singing the song: I dreamed a dream. Born to immigrant parents from Ireland, she was the youngest of 11 children. She was deprived of oxygen during a difficult birth and was later diagnosed with learning difficulties. She was bullied as a child in school and nicknamed, Susie Simple. She left school with few qualifications and was employed as a trainer cook for six months. She then returned home to care for her aging mother until her mother died at the age of 91 years old.
Susan never married, was shy, and yet was gifted by God with a beautiful voice. She did share this gift of singing with the church choir and also sang in local karaoke pubs. But her life was limited and she rarely ventured out of her village. Ten years ago, she recorded a CD for a charity but only 1000 copies were pressed. When the opportunity came for her to go public, she resisted. She had her excuses of course. “I’m too old.” “I don’t have time.” “It’s a personality contest.” Yet Susan had a dream. Her dream was to seek a musical career and to be as successful as the singer, Elaine Page. Her mother encouraged her to follow this dream but the ups and downs in life got in her way.
It wasn’t until after her mother’s death that she was motivated to enter herself as a contestant on the British TV show. She wanted to pay tribute to her mother and to follow her dream, knowing that there was a chance that she could fail. On April 11, 2009, in front of 10 million viewers, people heard Susan Boyle sing, “I dreamed a dream”. Initially, the audience and judges were hostile to her because of her middle-age, dumpy appearance. But once she opened her mouth and shared the gift of singing that God had blessed her with, the audience went wild. Today millions of copies of her new album have been sold. Her life is forever changed. Her “idol”, Elaine Paige has even expressed an interest in singing a duet with her. From an obscure choir member in a Scottish village to a world-famous singer, Susan Boyle is a role model for everyone who has a dream.
There are many reasons not to follow one’s dreams but most of them come from a place of fear. For instance, there are self-esteem issues including rejection, fear of failure, or believing the hurtful words of others, like: “You will never amount to much.” I wonder if the bullying and being called “Simple Susie” was part Susan’s hesitation to go public.
There are also challenges in life, both financial and situational, that can hinder us from moving forward. I am sure Susan used the excuse of taking care of her mother for not acting sooner. But challenges in life are not show-stoppers. They are simply considerations that need to be worked out and overcome. The future is open. So don’t get discouraged. When challenged, seek God’s grace to help you become the person that you were born to be. Never forget the Christmas message: The Light has come into the world and from his fullness, we have received grace upon grace. [See John 1]
Sometimes, we do not follow our dreams because there are other goals and desires vying for our attention. That is why we need to prioritize in our lives rather than simply allow life to happen to us. Prayer and setting time aside to listen to God’s direction is imperative in becoming who you were born to be. “The time you spend in quiet prayer multiplies the value of all your other time. It puts things in perspective and helps you see the bigger picture of your life. You distinguish between the important and the merely urgent.” [ERD Lenten Meditations]
Sometimes we don’t even know what our gifts and dreams are because no one has ever taught us how to discern our gifts or to recognize a God-given dream. Many of us are so seduced by the values of our culture and Madison Avenue that we simply ignore the gifts we have been given in order to pursue a life of making money or the easy way out. If you do not follow your dreams, there will be a void in your life that can never be filled. This is the source of many people’s unhappiness.
One of the most interesting things about the Magi in today’s gospel is not that they got a sign from God, but that they actually did something about it. They did not simply admire or study the star but they followed it, even to the point of resisting the powers of this world which corrupt and destroy. Herod presented a challenge to reaching their goal. But this challenge did not stop or discourage them. They simply kept their eyes on the star, listened to their hearts, and responded to the dream. Now whether this biblical story in its current form is historically accurate, we will never know. But the crux of this gospel message is that God is active in the world, leading us toward grace and truth, creating new life and new possibilities.
I think I have spoken enough words so I am going to stop speaking now and play a song sung by Susan Boyle. I hope that the Holy Spirit will inspire you through its lyrics and music, encouraging you to become what you were born to be. The words are as follows:
Who I was Born to Be
“When I was a child, I could see the wind in the trees.
And I heard a song in the breeze. It was there singing out my name.
But I’m not a girl. I have known the taste of defeat.
And I’ve finally grown to believe it will all come around again.
And though I may not know the answers, I can finally say I’m free.
And if the questions led me here, then I am who I was born to be.
And so, here am I. Open arms and ready to stand.
I’ve got the world in my hands. And it feels like my turn to fly.
And though I may not know the answers, I can finally say I’m free.
And if the questions led me here, then I am who I was born to be.
When I was a child, there were flowers that bloomed in the night.
Unafraid to take in the light. Unashamed to have braved the dark.
And though I may not know the answers, I can finally say I’m free.
If the questions led me here, then I am who I was born to be, I am who I was born to be.”'
| Updated January 15, 2010 |
|