Advent Book Club
Part 3: Emmanuel: Recognising God’s Coming ( Christ Comes)
Day 19: The Suffering Christ
Another challenging chapter and one again where some of Underhill’s writing felt a little dated. The idea of giving out without being refreshed, being empty but still giving, sounds like a recipe for burn out. Ask any teacher or social worker near the end of a long term, or an NHS worker, retail worker or courier during the past year or any number of vocational volunteers or staff who give out without getting a proper break, eventually it catches up with you and your body or your patience gives in . Perhaps Underhill would say that that is what we are called to, to give to the point of utter exhaustion? That my reaction is one of someone who is too comfortable?
bel hooks who died this week, wrote, “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.”
― bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions
I find bel’s thoughts here helpful when pondering this chapter. Thinking about the shift in power in the Cross narrative. How Christ laid down his power — even when tempted at the end by the taunts of his fellow crucified. That is sacrifice — to lay aside power, to be seen as weak, to not defend oneself but be willing to empathise and bear the pain and suffering of a situation. For some, a few, that might mean ultimate surrender but for most of us I suggest tentatively that it’s about laying aside our power in order to risk practicing love.
Day 18: The Servant Christ
I struggled a bit with this chapter. Not with the foot washing narrative — this I have always felt drawn to as one of the most important moments in the Gospels. Rather I am struggling with ‘saviour complex’ and knowing when to step back rather than step in. When as a privileged ( white, middle class, educated) woman should I create space for others to serve? I’m speaking here of the sort of service that often goes on in communities , like churches or schools or community groups — the sort of organised service rather than spiritual prompted service. If I am taking up space in such places is it denying someone else of an opportunity?
On the flip side it can also be uncomfortable, as a privileged woman, to be on the receiving end of humble service by marginalised kinsfolk. Yet in this narrative we see Jesus teaching his disciples to serve and to receive. I wonder then if to lose oneself in service means to let go of the ego — to humbly serve when prompted but also to receive service from others.
Day 16 : The Transfigured Christ
Question — Is the Transfiguration an important part of the Gospel story for you, and if so, why?
Answer- Important is not the word I would choose. Puzzling perhaps, or Mysterious definitely. I am reminded of C.S. Lewis’s description of Aslan in The Silver Chair — ‘Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly. I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearance. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.’
Christ’s divinity revealed before the violence and chaos of Crucifixion, before the denials of Peter, before the doubt of the male disciples when women spoke of resurrection. I wonder whether there were women who witnessed the transfiguration ? And if not why? Was it because they sensed the divine somehow in their daily lives and did not need to see it? That the routine of their lives gave them capacity to see with the eyes of eternity, to see the signs?
Day 15: The Rescuing Christ
Struggled quite a lot with this chapter, reading it after the devastating tornadoes in US, the drowning of migrants in the channel and hearing of so many people struggling with illness, hunger, addiction, discrimination. It raised many questions in me, especially the line on p89 — ‘We’re too narrow and stupid to conceive the energy of the Unmeasurable Holy, entering our world , changing and modifying circumstances.’
At one time I didn’t particularly have a problem with the idea that God can intervene, can take direct miraculous action in a situation, but now I find it difficult to understand why a compassionate God would choose to directly intervene in some situations and not others. And why would the creator overturn laws of nature that s/he established? Also that notion that we are ‘ safe as Christians’ makes me uneasy p88. Perhaps ‘ safe’ in a spiritual realm but physically safe? I’m not sure it is loving or compassionate for me to expect to be safer than my non- christian neighbours and yet paradoxically I still ask for God’s protection, take comfort in the psalms that speak of God being a strong hold, a shield, intercede for those I know.
Perhaps then it is silent, wordless prayer that creates that space for the Unmeasurable Holy to step in. Or at other times the quick fired arrow prayer ‘God help us’ , ‘God be with us.’ is enough. The disciples in the boat found Christ’s presence there brought peace. That I can understand and accept — that in any situation the Shalom of God can change and modify the circumstance.
Day 13: The Incarnate Christ
I loved the line from today’s version of John 1, ‘ The word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.’ And this neighbourhood that Underhill describes is one of animals and plants as much as one of humankind, life in all it’s fullness.
It’s also a chapter about perspective, taking time to grow , to mature, to wait until it’s right to go into action. This reminded me of a bible study in the Red Tent at Greenbelt a couple of summer’s ago where we looked at the role of Mary in prompting Jesus’s ministry. How it was Mary who encouraged him at the wedding to do something when his response was , it’s not time yet. I wonder how old he was then? I wonder what prompted Mary to nudge him? Did she perceive a need greater than that of their friends or relatives being saved from embarrassment? Did the symbolism of turning the water in those purification jars to wine, displayed in secret to servants not religious leaders, foreshadow his ministry ahead ?
And if Christ came to the neighbourhood of creation then how are we to respond to the urgent cries of that world today? Surely we can not wait before acting? Yesterday I wrote about the Silver Birch and how watching her was prayerful. Help me Creator God take my gazing on the natural world, into prayer and into action.
