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The Cosmic Christ

Fr. Richard opens today with these words .... "The Second Coming of Chirst that history is waiting for is not the same as the baby Jesus or even the historical Jesus. The historical Jesus was one man, and Christ is not his last name. The Christ includes the whole sweep of creation and history joined with him __ and you too. We call this the Cosmic Christ. We ourselves are a member of the Body of Christ and the Cosmic Christ, even though we are not the historical Jesus. So we very rightly believe in "Jesus Christ," and both words are essential.

The celebration of Christmas is not a sentimental waiting for a baby to be born, but much more an asking for history to be born!"

During Advent I traditionally use language that suggests that I am trying to prepare for Jesus to come anew and again into my heart and my life. But in the past I always prepared in the ways that demonstrated my expectation that Jesus would arrive and I would have a place for him. Then he would fill me, heal me, bless me and hopefully call me to something new.

So while it was always a time of waiting ..... I was waiting somewhat passively. I would make room for the Jesus agenda by dropping out of commitments that no longer held meaning for me. Then we spent a number of years focusing on "simplifying" Christmas. For example we tried the all home-made gift route one year. There was nothing simple about that! Then there were years when our family adopted a homeless family realizing that we could do with less and they certainly needed more. It was a kind gesture but it wasn't life changing for our family and I suspect the same was true for our "adopted" family.

The idea that Jesus is coming anew and that if we properly prepare our hearts something magical will happen is all about something happening outside of us, outside of our daily lives and outside of the norm. I don't think that is how this really works. While there is something magical about a new birth, there is something mystical about the Incarnation of Christ. And I suspect that the disconnect between the magical and the mystical feeds the myths that surround the celebration of Christmas.

The Question: What perceptions of Jesus and Christ do you have that need to be changed?

Richard says, "The Christ we are asking for and waiting for includes your own full birth and the further birth of history and creation." I think I get that.

So the answer this year based on the perceptions of Jesus and Christ that I am trying to change sound something like this ......

• Come Christ Jesus .... not to show us what to do but to see what we are already doing in your name.

• Come Christ Jesus and visit the Micah Center and hear what we are teaching one another as we try to be more faithful. We welcome you into our conversations about the Church Emerging and non-dual thinking and non-violence.

• Come to our home and join us in our daily practice of stillness while we wait to be led to the next thing.

• Come to Cochran Chapel on the corner of Northwest Highway and Midway Road where we are in communion with our brothers and sisters from St. Paul's UMC every Sunday. And join us for worship. We are Anglo, Hispanic, Filipino, Black, old, young, rich, poor, secure, searching, gay, straight, liberal and conservative.

• Come to the church door any day of the week and stand with Sandra while she helps the poor who seek our help.

• Come on Thursday night to join in the Bible Study with the youth.

• Come Christ Jesus and join us when the teams gather to build a Habitat house or come this summer for Project Transformation when we get to read to the little ones and help them with their English.

Come Christ Jesus, Come! We are here.