Grace and peace to you in the name of the one spoken of and shown to be the Son of God, Jesus the Christ
This year 2025 has been a good Lutheran time of both…and. It has both flown by and been here forever. It has given me time to ponder and treasure as Mary has with the words given to her by the shepherds and the angels. I have seen people from a wide swatch of lifestyles come together to say goodbye in one specific space in one holy time. The miracle of flight has brought family together from near and far to be witnesses to what we have heard, felt, and seen. In all those situations, Jesus has been revealed.
Jesus is revealed not simply in a Pollyanna way that ignores or dumbs down pain, loss or grief. He is shown in regular life situations, at a worksite, at a gathering of family/friends, at a teaching moment, in all aspects of life. What I have always found interesting about encountering Jesus, it is that people can experience the same event, however, the impact of that event is so vastly different. One person remembers a word or phrase, one a feeling, one a presence, and so on. This is what I heard at my father’s memorial. Many people spoke and said different ways that my dad impacted their life. Stories that I was present for to know firsthand, stories that I heard about, stories that I wonder how “true” they really are were laughed and cried over. Jesus was revealed.
One thing that may surprise people is that my dad never expressed a sense of faith. Yes, he was baptized, raised, and confirmed in Trinity Lutheran Church Wanamingo, MN. He knew all the hymns and had a wonderful baritone voice; in my early years he sang in a choir that performed Handel’s Messiah during many Decembers. He never stated if his time spent serving in the Navy during Vietnam changed his outlook on faith or if it came at another part of life. What many shared at the service about Dad was his faith and that it helped to ground him in who he was/is. Jesus was revealed.
I was surprised when I told my parents in 2002 that I was going to go to seminary in Columbus, OH. I thought I was going to need to convince my dad much more than my mom. It was the complete opposite. He didn’t ask a whole lot of questions or seemed to be shocked (not nearly as shocked as my mom was) about what I was planning. That was one moment of many I had with my dad. One moment that still speaks to me in how Jesus is revealed in unexpected ways. Ways that can be pondered and treasured that may never be truly figured out, but in all things, Jesus is revealed.
May you experience Jesus, Son of God in faith and in life,
Pastor Chris