Deans' Note January 09, 2022
On Wednesday our nation remembered the one year anniversary of a very dark day in our democracy, the insurrection at the Capitol in Washington DC. Political rhetoric and mob incitement weren't the only things behind the uprising. A nefarious force mobilized and engaged people fueling their fears, selfishness and tribal instincts. Our worst selves were on display.
And yet, January 6 is also the Feast of the Epiphany and this Sunday we will celebrate that feast the church has always twinned with the Baptism of our Lord, because in both God sheds light in our darkness -- in the Epiphany, the world sees the light of hope in the face of Herod's cruel and fearful violence, and in Jesus' baptism, he brings light by showing up in the wilderness, where we would never expect God to show up. In this way we too have hope for our darkness. Despite the fallen world around us, despite uprisings of evil and injustice, a greater uprising is underway. Jesus lights up our true and better nature and challenges us to join him in living a different way.
God's best hope for humanity, for justice and righteousness is on the horizon and we as light filled people of God have the vocation of proclaiming it. We do this not by fighting injustice with violence -- verbal or otherwise, but in the steady acts of grace, love, resistance, patience and hope that never despairs.
This Sunday we gather to shine that light, to be renewed in that hope as God's people in the world. And while some of us still may wish to join us in person, we encourage you to join us digitally, because we hope all of us will be kept safe through these pandemic days.
