fAmy Martinell, Sioux Falls, SD

Warm-up Questions

In the gospel text, Jesus invites two future disciples to come and spend the day with him. What is the best invitation you have received to spend time with someone? Who was it? What did you do? What made that invitation special?

Come and See

During the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, collapsed on the field after making a tackle. Medical personnel quickly rushed on field to administer CPR. Both Hamlin’s teammates and opponents were visibly upset as they looked on: some with tears in their eyes, others kneeling to pray. 

The NFL postponed the game and later that night the Buffalo Bills released this statement, “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. Medical personnel restored his heartbeat on the field, and transferred him to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

I write this article the day after the football game and Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition. While Hamlin collapsing during the game was extremely hard to watch, it has been wonderful to see the outpouring of support for him and his family. Fans of both the Bengals and the Bills gathered outside the hospital to light candles and offer prayers. A gofundme page Hamlin started in 2020 to provide Christmas gifts for kids in need has received over four million dollars in donations, and players across the NFL have tweeted out support and prayers for Hamlin. Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman may have put it best, “The game is not important. Damar Hamlin’s life is important. Please be ok. Please.”

Damar Hamlin did not need a reminder about what was important in life.  His family, his teammates, and serving others are top priorities for him. I was hesitant to share this story because I do not know how the story of Hamlin’s injury will turn out.  Yet, after learning more about him, I felt his story deserves to be shared and discussed. 

Hamlin started his charity in 2020, before he was an NFL player. As a college student, he strove to provide presents for those children most impacted by the pandemic and has continued this work. Hamlin has been a supportive teammate and strives to enjoy every minute of the incredible experience of playing in the NFL. Hamlin has shared that he is very close to his family and his life revolves around them. He attended college in his hometown of Pittsburgh and picked the college in part so that he could stay close to his family and be a role model for his younger brother.

Discussion Questions

• Have you witnessed something scary or traumatic like Hamlin’s collapse? How did you react? Who offered you support during that time?
• In past interviews, Hamlin shared that his parents were his role models, and he strives to be a role model for his little brother. Who are the role models in your life? Who do you strive to be a role model for?
• What are ways you have seen your family, friends, or community come together to support someone in their time of need?

Second Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 49:1-7

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-42

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year A at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our gospel reading we have Jesus’ first conversation in the book of John. As we read it, it can seem disjointed. After Jesus’ baptism, John sees Jesus and announces to his disciples, “Look, the lamb of God.” The men wonder about this proclamation, so they follow Jesus. Jesus notices them and asks, “What do you want?” The disciples answer in a strange way. They ask, “Rabbi, where are you staying?”

The disciples are not just curious about where Jesus is living or sleeping. They want to know who he is and how he is living. They call him “Rabbi” because they want to learn from Jesus.  Jesus answers them, “Come, and you will see.” Come and see is an invitation Jesus offers to many throughout the book of John. Again, this is not an invitation to come and see the place Jesus is staying. It is an invitation to come and be with Jesus. To come and learn from Jesus. To come and do life with Jesus. An invitation to come and see how your life may be different with Jesus at the center of it.

Jesus gives us this invitation also. He invites us to come and see how our lives may be different with him at the center. When we do life with Jesus he invites us into God’s ministry for the world—caring for the creation, our neighbors, and ourselves. This is the call Jesus gives: Walk with me and care for the world. Hamlin’s accident reminds us to focus on what is most important. Amid busy lives, we are reminded to focus on Jesus.

Discussion Questions

• Share about a time when you saw Jesus at work in the world. What was happening? How did it feel to witness or be part of God’s ministry?
• Talk with your group’s members about the many different things that compete for their attention (school, friends, family, activities, work, etc.) How do they balance those priorities? How do they keep God as their center?
• Who might you invite to “come and see” by inviting them to worship or youth group? How can your group share Jesus’ love with others?

Activity Suggestions

• Look through local gofundme pages for a cause your group may want to support or create your own gofundme page to help address a need in your community.
• Play the game found here to discuss balancing priorities and keeping God at the center: https://juniorhighministry.org/youth-group-game-on-priorities/

Closing Prayer

Dear Jesus, you invite us to come and see. Guide us to come to you in every moment of our lives. Open our eyes that we might see all the ways you are at work in our world. Center us, so that we can keep you at our center. Amen.

John Wertz, Blacksburg, VA

Warm-up Question

When someone is baptized, the pastor uses the individual’s full name. Share your full name and a story about how your name was chosen or what your name means.

No Filter Needed

There is no doubt that digital platforms allow individuals with similar interests to find one another, help family and friends to share memories and stories, and connect individuals who might otherwise be isolated   Yet, society is still discovering how to create digital spaces which foster healthy and authentic interactions. In many cases, life in the digital world is viewed through a filter which either crafts a perfect online image—free from conflict, sadness, or imperfection— or automatically “perfects” the appearance of the individuals or places in the picture.  

In September 2021, a group called ParentsTogether surveyed 200 young people ages 13-21 on their use of beauty filters on social media.  The results paint a troubling picture of how filters alter the way that young people see themselves. 

Here are a few of the findings:

• “61% of teens say using beauty filters makes them feel worse about how they look in real life.” (pg. 2)
• “Teens who spend the most time online (18+ hours per week) are nearly twice as likely to dislike their appearance as teens who spend the least time on social media per week (less than 8 hours per week).” (pg. 2)
• “72% of teens think their friends use beauty filters most of the time.” (pg. 1)

One individual in the survey reported, “There’s no feeling worse than when I open my camera to take a picture, and the skin smoothing feature is pre-enabled, and I think I look great, only to notice that a filter is on, remove the filter and suddenly feel that by contrast I am absolutely hideous.” (p. 3)

Digital spaces are certainly not the sole cause of distorted self-image and poor mental health, but as this survey makes clear, the way individuals both present themselves and feel pressured to present themselves in digital spaces can have a negative impact on one’s self-image and mental health.

Given the reality that it is nearly impossible to exist in the world today without a digital presence, it is important for all of us to be aware of the filters we are using as we present ourselves to the world and to recognize the filters we encounter. While “filter awareness”won’t eliminate the impacts of filters, it can open the door to meaningful conversations and encourage more authentic interactions in the digital space. 

Discussion Questions

1. What digital spaces do you find the most engaging and why?
2. How does the survey on filters match with your life experiences?

Isaiah 42:1-9

Acts 10:34-43

Matthew 3:13-17

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year A at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

As Jesus comes up out of the water following his baptism by John, the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven affirms God’s relationship with Jesus with one carefully worded sentence:  “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased”(Matt 3:17). 

Imagine how different this story would be if the voice had said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, and I love you dearly, but I really think you need to change some things about yourself.” Had the voice from heaven said those words, we might think God’s expressions of love are merely a mechanism to express criticism.

 Imagine how different this story would be if the voice had said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am often pleased because he can do some really excellent things.” Had the voice from heaven said those words, we might think that God’s love is limited to certain occasions or only connected to positive accomplishments.

Imagine how different this story would be if the voice had said, “This is my Son, the beloved, and once he signs this agreement to obey me unto death, then I will love him forever.” Had the voice from heaven said those words, we might think that God’s love is a part of a conditional agreement, to be given out only once certain requirements have been met.

Thankfully, the voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased”(Matt 3:17), reminding us that in the waters of baptism, God’s love is freely given with no strings attached.

In a world filled with conditions, strings, and filters; where we may hear, “I love you, but…” and  not nearly enough people hear someone affirm them for who they are, God speaks good news at Jesus’ baptism. God blesses Jesus, and through Jesus, looks at each of us and says, “I love you! I see you! With you I am well pleased!”

Discussion Questions

• Share a story you have been told about your baptism or a story you remember from a baptism.
• In the first part of the sentence, the voice from heaven says, “This is my son, the Beloved.” What does “being beloved” look like to you?
• In the second part of the sentence, the voice from heaven says, “with whom I am well pleased.” How would you show someone that you were ‘well pleased’ with them?

Activity Suggestions

Make a list of ways you could provide affirmation to someone else (i.e., handwritten notes, text, etc.). Pick one person in your congregation or in your life and use an approach from the list to share your affirmation with that person.

Closing Prayer

Loving God, in the waters of baptism you name us as your beloved children and shower us with your love. Help to know that no matter how we see ourselves, you see us fully and love us completely.  Am

There is no Faith Lens for January 1.   Instead, a collage of images, thoughts, and texts on which to reflect during the week after Christmas Day:

“Freedom isn’t free.” (Bumpersticker for a charity serving wounded veterans)

“At the end of last year [2021], more than 450 million children – or one in six – were living in a conflict zone, the highest number in 20 years. A record 36,5 million children were displaced from their homes as a result of conflict, violence and other crises.” (United Nations Report)

“When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’”
–(Appointed lesson for the Commemoration of  the Holy Innocents)–

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Brenda N. Henry, Carnegie, PA

Warm-up Questions

• Holidays are often seen as a time for merriment and happiness. However, not everyone is experiencing those feelings. What are some other emotions that you are/can experience during this Christmas season (i.e. frustration, sadness, loneliness)? 
• What are some resources that are available (in your school, in your church, in your community) to help with these feelings?

When Christmas Feels Blue

On Tuesday, December 13^th, 2022, Stephen “tWitch” Boss – a dancer, musician, and DJ – died at the age of 40, from a self-inflected gunshot wound – suicide. 

The consistent theme in the news reports and social media posts is shock. tWitch seemed to have everything going right for him. He had a good career. He was married with three children. He and his wife had just celebrated their ninth anniversary three days before. The reports all described him as happy, full of light, a generous and caring person. So why did he take his life? His family and friends said he was his usual self in the days leading up to his death. The only indication that perhaps something was amiss came from his wife on the day he died.  She contacted the police with concerns that tWitch was missing and his most recent behavior was unusual. He was later found dead in a hotel room. 

This story caught me off guard. It is hard enough to process news reports of senseless shootings in schools, grocery stores, and nightclubs. Learning that someone was experiencing so much pain that death seemed to be the only answer is heartbreaking. 

Though the news is filled with speculation, we will never know the true reason why Stephen took his life. Stephen’s suicide is certainly a reminder that not everyone who looks well is doing well. Even in this seasons of Advent and Christmas, there are those whose loneliness, grief, depression, and vulnerability lead them to thoughts of suicide. Unfortunately, some people are successful. We do not learn until too late the extent of their pain.

Discussion Questions

• Do you know of someone who died because of suicide? How did you learn? What kind of help did you get to deal with this loss?
• Are there others whom you are missing this Christmas? What are some of the ways that you can remember how important they are to you?
• Do you have a safe person(s) to share your feelings with? 

Nativity of Our Lord

Isaiah 62:6-12

Titus 3:4-7

Luke 2:1-20

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

The birth of the baby Jesus is good news. It is a proclamation of  “great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” At least these are the words we find in the gospel of Luke. The angel informs the shepherds that the promised Messiah, the long-awaited Savior, is here. And in keeping with this good news, there is singing and praising by the multitude of the heavenly host.  Another translation:  a heavenly choir starts singing. 

It is no wonder that many interpret Christmas as a time for merriment and cheers. All around me the stores are filled with glitter, bright garlands, and red bows. And of course, Christmas lights adorn houses, buildings, and streets. The “more the merrier” seems to be the emphasis. However, not all experience this merriment. The story of tWitch is a sobering reminder. 

Our scripture passage also points to more than merriment. The first part of the angel’s proclamation begins with “Do not be afraid.” These words come before the proclamation of great joy. Why is that? Luke tells us that upon seeing the angel, the shepherds are terrified. So before the shepherds can receive the good news message, the angel first attends to the shepherds’ feelings.

Sometimes our feelings are not readily noticeable. When Mary first encounters the angel Luke tells us she was perplexed. (Luke 1:29) Matthew’s account suggests that Joseph kept his thoughts to himself about her pregnancy to protect her. (Matthew 1:19) Again, the angel attends to their feelings. “Do not be afraid” the angel tells Mary when she learns she is to be the mother of Jesus. (Luke 1:30) “Do not be afraid” are the angel’s words to Joseph when he learns she is pregnant and it is not his child. (Matthew 1:20)  “Do not be afraid” are words of assurance that all will be well. God speaks this hope-filled message to us as we wait expectantly. It does not dismiss difficulty; it offers a way to move through the fear. Together. 

The birth of Jesus takes unlikely people and brings them together. At the birth of Jesus, two groups of people meet each other and share in a life-changing moment – belonging and togetherness. They are not expected to respond in the same way. The shepherds came to verify the truth of the angel’s message. Mary would both treasure and ponder what she heard. And yet, they experience this moment together.

We too are invited to remember the hope-filled message of Jesus’s birth. Christmas is a reminder of the togetherness Jesus offers us. Wherever we are, whatever our situation, however we are feeling–we are not alone. With that, we return to the angel’s proclamation of “good news and great joy for all people: to you [individually and collectively] is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” We are never alone!

Discussion Questions

• Do you sometimes feel alone, as if no one understands or gets you? What have you done or can you do to remind you that you are not alone?
• How can you help someone not feel alone this Christmas?
• How might the Christmas story in Luke bring hope to those who are feeling blue during this holiday season?

Activity Suggestions

• What are some of the resources in your community to help care for others who may be alone or feel alone? Can you put together a list and share it with a friend?
• Remembering that not everyone who looks okay is okay, can you identify three (or more) people with whom you can share a kind word (i.e a card, text) that lets them know that they are not alone? How can you make this a part of your Christmas tradition?
• Some communities share in a tradition known as Blue Christmas or the Longest Night. If your community does not, research what it is and see how you may include it as part of your Christmas tradition. If your community does engage in this tradition, what is something new you can learn about this tradition. 

Closing Prayer 

Gracious loving God, the angel proclaims the birth of Jesus as good news for all people. No longer are we alone, for Jesus is with us. The choir of angels rejoice in this togetherness as they sing praises. The shepherds share this togetherness as they tell everyone what they learned. Grant us the grace to live this togetherness as we learn to listen to each other and share in our moments – be it sadness, confusion, hurt or joy. And may we hold onto God’s promise we are never alone. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Linnea Peterson, Minneapolis, MN

Warm-up Questions

• What does safety look like to you? Is your community safe? If so, whose actions contribute to your community being safe? If not, whose actions contribute to the lack of safety? 
• Do you think your community is safer for some people than for others? If so, who is more safe and who is less safe? If you think everyone is equally safe (or equally unsafe), what do you think has contributed to that uniform experience? 

With Honor and Gentleness

Discussion Questions

• Are there events, either in your personal life (such as bullying) or in our shared experience (such as news of school shootings), that have permanently changed your sense of safety in your everyday life? 
• What is a time when you have acted bravely? What is a time when you appreciated someone else’s brave action? 

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 7:10-16

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

When I read the Shakespeare play Much Ado about Nothing in college, my professor referenced this gospel text. In Much Ado about Nothing,  Claudio thinks the woman he is engaged to, Hero, is cheating on him. In reality, Hero is not cheating; the whole thing is an illusion set up by the villain. However, when Claudio gets to the altar on the wedding day, he accuses Hero of infidelity in front of everyone and refuses to listen to her protestations of innocence.

One of my male classmates defended Claudio’s behavior, saying it was just what any guy would do if he thought his fiancee was cheating on him. My professor replied that he thought there were other ways Claudio could have responded. “I know an even older story than this,” my professor said, “from another very patriarchal culture. The guy in this story didn’t just suspect that he was being cheated on—his fiancee was pregnant, and he knew the baby wasn’t his. But he didn’t accuse her of cheating on him in front of their whole community; the story says that, ‘unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, [he] planned to dismiss her quietly.’” 

In dealing with the early stages of Mary’s pregnancy Luke ‘s gospel focuses  on her visit to her relative Elizabeth.  That story offers us the incredible song of justice which she sings while she is there.  Mary’s courage and faithfulness inspire me.

But today I think it’s worth thinking about Joseph. Joseph had no idea what he was getting into when he became engaged to Mary.  When Mary wound up pregnant, the only rational assumption he could make was that she had slept with someone else. But rather than seeking revenge by exposing her to public disgrace, he planned to break off the engagement quietly to preserve her reputation as best he could, without actually marrying her. Marrying her probably seemed off the table, not only because she appeared to have slept with someone else, but also because she seemed to have broken his trust. And then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to say that Mary had not slept with someone else or broken his trust, and that marrying her was exactly what he should do.  Joseph obeyed the angel and married her. 

At every step in the process, Joseph behaved in a way that was gentle and honorable, not judgmental or vengeful.  God calls us also to act with honor and gentleness rather than in judgment and vengeance.

Discussion Questions

• Has someone ever appeared to have broken your trust? How have you responded? Have you let them tell you their side of the story?
• Do you think revenge is ever justified? Where is the line between justice and revenge? 
• Do you think there are judgments we are in fact called to make, rather than called to avoid? How do you know the difference?

Activity Suggestions

• In the story, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream. Share about unusual dreams that you’ve had. Alternatively, share about ways that you feel God’s guidance has come to you—in dreams; in advice from friends, family members, or strangers; in times of reflection; or some other way. 
• Brainstorm ways that you, either individually or as a group, can make your community safer and/or more welcoming. Commit to taking at least one action from your list in the next week. If time allows and the action is something you can start on now, get started!

Closing Prayer

Holy God, we ask forgiveness for times when we have been judgmental or vengeful, especially when our actions have affected the safety of others. We pray for a world where all are safe, and we ask for your fortification and guidance as we seek bravery to stand up for ourselves and others. Amen.