Advent Devotions

Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Paul Sponheim.

The emphasis in this beautiful passage falls on the last verse, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (NRSV John 2:12)

Jesus has disciples who “believe in him.” When I was a teacher, I benefited greatly from the student TA program at Luther seminary. 

I did not ask my TAs to evaluate directly the work produced for my classes, but among many other roles, TAs helped me with my publications. I had just accepted the assignment to write two loci for the Christian Dogmatics when Jonathan Strandjord came out of Luther College with a major in classics. He could read the patristic sources in the original languages with no problem. (Does anyone still doubt there is a God in heaven?)

My most recent TA was Kirsten Ann Scribner Mebust and her help was particularly important in the preparation of manuscripts for publication. Kirsten was especially helpful with The Pulse of Creation, one of my dozen books that is still in print.  At times I would make a specific request. I remember asking Kirsten to do an analysis of the concept of time in the Shakespearean sonnets. 

I recall a procedure we used. I would give her perhaps five to ten pages as a weekly assignment and she was asked to draft the argument. She would return with perhaps three versions of the text; she would say, “You may be saying A, B, or C,” or she might come with a fourth version and say, “You may be intending to say this, but I simply do not know the point you are making.” Two hours later we had a new draft which made it into print. 

You may have wondered whether the TA program was creating a cordon of future faculty. Worse yet, are students being drafted as subordinates in faculty arguments? My experience is students are prepared to agree or disagree with the professor’s opinions. TAs like Ron Marshall and Steve Paulson did not make agreeable puppets.

I’m sure Jesus of Nazareth was on target when he would correct his disciples because they misunderstood him. Consider Matthew Chapter 25.40…”Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” 

I’ll be back on Friday to write about the glory of Jesus which was revealed in Cana of Galilee.