FRANKINCENSE

“FRANKENSTEIN!”  Melchior couldn’t stand it anymore, “THAT ISN’T FRANKINCENSE, CASPAR, that is FRANKENSTEIN!”  Caspar kept insisting that he was going to be giving the Christ child frankincense when they arrived, and Melchior had tried to “cover a multitude of sins” with love, but he couldn’t stand it anymore and had to correct him.  “What’s the difference?” said Caspar.  “Frankincense is a resin you burn and make a pleasant aroma that rises like prayers from the altar,” said Melchior, “Frankenstein is about a monster that an arrogant man creates by bringing a dead man back to life with his knowledge, and science, and by trying to play God!”  “Quite right,” said Caspar, “I will be offering myself to the Christ child and what am I but a monster that I have created by my own attempts to bring myself, dead in sins, back to life by playing God myself and trying on my own efforts to do what only the Christ child can do.  So, quite right, I will be giving him Frankincense.”  

WESLEY’S QUESTION:  Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard?  If so, what am I doing about it?

SCRIPTURE:   Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.   Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.  Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.  Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. (Romans 12:9-21, The Message)

FOOLISH WISDOM: “Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” (Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet)

MUSIC SELECTION:

Masters in This Hall arr. James Biery

© 2013 Birnamwood Publications

Laura Hesse, organ

The music is presented with permission under One License X-732009.