The most unlikely son of a farmer chosen to be king. A man born blind healed by spit and mud.
The texts for the fourth Sunday in Advent draw our attention to the elevation of the ordinary to the sacred. The shepherd boy David chosen by the prophet Samuel to become king of Israel in 1 Samuel 16:1-13. Jesus healing a blind man at the pool of Siloam in John 9:1-41.
These passages also reveal the conflict inherent when people considered to be unworthy are suddenly revealed to be extraordinary through an encounter with the Divine. Those who benefit from power and inequality are greatly disturbed when their systems and structures are laid bare by the Divine gaze and found to be lacking in humanity and humility.
So what does it mean to be anointed? And what do these stories teach us about the struggle for justice and liberation?
What if every human being is anointed, Messiahed, Christ? What if the most fundamental aspect of our identity is that we are each anointed and appointed by The Holy One, by Spirit—to preach good news to the poor, liberty to the captive, and sight to the blind? What if we take seriously being the Body of the Christ—that we are the hands, feet, and heartbeat of the Living God? What if we are Word made flesh, Love made flesh, Light made flesh?
Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Center for Action and Contemplation
This week at New Wineskins, we continue our Lenten collaboration with Justice & Jubilee with a conversation about anointing as a sacred means of grace that reveals the sacredness that is already present everywhere, and how exposing that sacredness empowers us to rise up against the systems and structures that only hold power through the oppression. of others.
Join us this Sunday, March 19, in the New Wineskins Virtual Theology Pub powered by Zoom as we unpack the biblical concept anointing as a metaphor for the revelation of the Cosmic Christ in all that is. Our discussion video from The Work of the People invites us to find the sacredness that exists everywhere…even within our own pain.
📺 Click here to watch this week’s video
For the full experience of our collaboration, see the schedule below…you’re welcome to participate in any or all of the following:
5:30pm ET: Justice & Jubilee Message & Music (YouTube livestream)
6:00pm ET: New Wineskins Happy Half-Hour (informal meet & greet time…see link below)
6:30pm ET: New Wineskins Presentation & conversation begin (see link below)
Join us for Lent with Justice & Jubilee!
Every week during Lent, Justice and Jubilee will host their regular YouTube live premier at 5:30pm (Eastern Time) and invite participants to join us in our New Wineskins Virtual Theology Pub powered by Zoom for Happy Half-Hour from 6:00-6:30pmET for a time of conversation and community.
We’ll then hold our regular 6:30pmET discussion focused on how we might look at the J&J topic through the lens of deconstruction, seeking to find deeper, perhaps unexpected meanings that inform our collective justice & liberation work.
Feb. 26: Tempted (Matthew 4:1-11)Mar. 5: Called (Gen 12:1-4a & John 3:1-17)Mar. 12: Quenched (Exodus 17:1-7 & John 4:5-42)- Mar. 19: Anointed (1 Samuel 16:1-13 & John 9:1-41)
- Mar. 26: Raised (Ezekiel 37:1-14 & John 11:1-45)
- Apr. 2: Palm Sunday (Details TBA)
- Apr. 7: Good Friday (Details TBA)
- Apr. 9: Easter Sunday (Details TBA)
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