Mirror of Joy

 

 

As a little girl I looked forward to Advent – although not much of a singer – I was drawn to the hymns of Advent. In fact quite a few are on my all time favourite hymn list. In the newest hymn book some have moved from the Advent section to section labelled ‘End Time.’ 

In the hymns, what resonated with me was the tone; I could feel– a hopeful sadness, a peace in chaos, a breathe of liberation in captivity.

 

It seems odd to talk about the season of Advent when it is yet 3 weeks away – however, once upon the time Advent was longer, beginning in mid-November, and marked as a time of fasting and abstinence – a time to prepare oneself for the coming of the Lord, as in not Christmas but rather the Second Coming.  Our scripture texts coincide with the practice – for the next few weeks we read sections of the Bible that talk about the end times. A vast array of images are thrown at us to contemplate: living the reign of God and bringing it to earth, Jesus’ return, the gathering of saints, judgment, life after, our own mortality and virtue. Spin-offs of any one of these contemplations can keep me awake night after night.

 

I was not sure what I would preach today until I noted the hymn of the day chosen by Tim -Wake, Awake for Night is Flying – I was immediately drawn to memories of my younger years, in my home church, drawn into the hopeful sadness, a peace in chaos, a breathe of liberation in captivity. What is more needed as we look out into this world facing those things that have been described as the announcement of the  ‘end of time’:  reverberating waves post US election, pandemic at the door, catastrophic natural disasters the world over?  It is time to sit and bask – soak in – the hopeful sadness.

 

Wake, awake, for night if flying, the watchmen on the heights are crying; awake, Jerusalem, at last. Midnight hears the welcome voices, and at the thrilling cry rejoices; “Come forth, you maidens! Night is past.  The bridegroom comes! Awake; your lamps with gladness take!” Alleluia! Rise and prepare the feast to share; go, meet the bridegroom, who draws near.

 

These words were written by Philip Nicolai – a Lutheran pastor- who grew up in a time of religious war in Europe. Several times during his ministry he had to flee and go into hiding -the church met secretly in homes under his leadership.   One of his pastorates was in Unna, Germany. In 1597-8 the words of the hymn just mentioned were the gospel preached via song, sung from his heart to his people.  In that year, Pastor Philip witnessed 1300 parishioners die of the plague; 1300.  It is said that while comforting the sick and the grieving, he did as many as 30 funerals a day- all winter long.

In his spare time – or better put, one of his ways of coping and articulating what he was feeling –was through writing two pieces of music: Wake, Awake and O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright! These hymns are extremely important in the history of music. Dubbed ‘the King and Queen of chorales’, both the words and the music were written by Philip.

In Bibliographic Sketches of Memorable Christians of the Past, James Kiefer states, “If pure quality, without   respect to quantity, were our criterion, Nicolai would be ranked as history’s greatest choral-writer, and one of the greatest hymn-writers.”

... because of these two hymns.

The quality is rich because the art came from a place where there are few words, where the Spirit groans and sighs on our behalf. The hymn came from a pastor’s heart who was articulating the gospel, speaking to the hopes and fears of the people with whom he lived and served. For his community of faith – and for many more in the century following, to today- he captured the contemplation of the ‘end times.’ The Word – along a simple string of notes – is an expression of encouragement through a statement of faith; Christ overcame death and the cross, and so too allows us to overcome death and the grave.

 

Zion hears the watchmen singing, and all her heart with joy is springing.  She wakes, she rises from her gloom.  Her dear friend comes down, all glorious, the strong in grace, in truth victorious: her star is ris’n;  her light is come.  Now come, O Blessed One, Lord Jesus, God’s own Son. Sing hosanna! Oh, hear the call! Come one, come all, and follow to the banquet hall.

 

This hymn celebrates the coming of Christ. It focuses on the heavenly hosts, singing; and joy!  To his faith community Philip expounded on the JOY of the Second Coming – not judgement. This is the beauty!

Perhaps to modern ears it is uber – beyond how we might describe heaven, with gates and gold, exuberant singing – the uberness is to correct -to balance out the messages being received from the world.  

In a few minutes when you hear the hymn sung, note that there are no words or images of judgment. Nicolai is not pounding people on the head reminding them to repent, to set their hearts right, or to do good works of any sort to save their soul. The hymn is so very Lutheran in theology – in the very middle of the hymn are the words “strong in grace.”  Everything hinges off this phrase.

Because of God’s love for the world...

Because of God’s continued commitment to the Covenant...

Because of God’s willingness to become incarnate...

Because God chose to die -not for need of sacrifice to assuage God- but to show the very depths of love to which God will go for each of us... so that we might in a small way grasp this Love – this pure gift of Grace- and once experiencing this Love be so overwhelmed with JOY -our whole lives are changed. That is: our attitudes, the way we live, how we birth God’s reign, how we focus on grace -not scaring people into believing because they are afraid of judgement – but sharing a JOY that comes from the Creator of life itself.

Where it becomes words of love and mercy that turn peoples hearts to God.

Philip Nicolai’s  two hymns were attached to a booklet of Mediations. I just love this - called – Freudenspiegel, translated, Mirror of Joy.

Even after the past few months, I can’t imagine being a pastor in the time of Philip – in the midst of religious war and pandemic – grieving 1300 parishioners; 30 funerals a day, every day. 

Philip gives us an interesting perspective and a way to proceed in troubling times.

Freudenspiegel – Mirror of Joy. 

 

One item I like to have in my yard and love to find in other gardens are mirrors. The mirrors have an interesting way of reflecting light through foliage, creating mysterious wrinkles, making an area look bigger, a window to another dimension, providing a never ending backdrop.  I think this might be the image Philip is talking about. Christians living grace in the world is like being the holder of a mirror.

The mirror is a window – a portal- illuminating flickers of hope, sparks of love, particles of possibility, a glance outside of the present to relationship far bigger than ourselves, an opening to the mysterious, an expanse where grace can seep into a world that otherwise -without the mirror- would continue to wallow in chaos, despair, judgement, purgatory, guilt, sin, evil, death.

 

At our baptisms we were commissioned to let our lights shine, to share God’s redeeming love with all the world.  We have our lamps lit, but unlike the bridesmaids in the parable, we need not hoard the oil. We can accentuate the light – reflect the light, spread love farther.  Hold a mirror  and practice capturing hope, peace, and liberation and redirecting it back into the eyes and hearts of people passing by. Be a reflection of JOY.   Be ready, be watching, be awake, to mirror -Hope in sadness, peace in chaos, liberation in captivity- and thus blanket the world with joy.

Mirrors work that way.  I have been on camping trips were a mirror was used to redirect sunlight, the reflection of the sunlight lit our little pile of wood shavings with a spark; in time and with a little care we had a whole blazing fire.  It was glorious.

 

Gloria! Let heav’n adore you! Let saints and angels sing before you, with harp and cymbal’s clearest tone. Gates of pearl, twelve portals gleaming, lead us to bliss beyond all dreaming, with angel choirs around your throne. No eye has caught the light, no ear the thund’ring might of such glory.  There we will go: what joy we’ll know! There sweet delight will ever flow.