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Watching, Waiting, Missing

AdventWord – Watch

Advent brings us a whispered call to vigilance and watchfulness. We anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus, but too often allow ourselves to be distracted from the subtle way God is moving in our world.

It was no different when Jesus was born. Judea was waiting for a messiah with all the fervor of a kindergarten class waiting for Christmas this month. Oppressive Roman rule was everywhere, yet the Jewish people clung to the prophecy that a Messiah would come, restore Israel, and deliver peace to them; meanwhile the Jewish people were splintering into cliques. 

The people waited and watched and prayed for the prophecy’s fulfillment, but the real Messiah was coming in another way–via his pregnant teenage mother who had to travel to Bethlehem. The Messiah was not a hero arriving to sweep the Romans out of the land, but a humble baby who would grow to be a young man espousing non-violence.

Many people were informed about Jesus early on. An angel appeared to the shepherds near Bethlehem and announced His birth. The Magi scholars came from the east with their gifts. Anna recognized him as the redemption of Jerusalem at the Temple, and Simeon who had been promised that he would not die before seeing the Messiah, gave us his touching Song–the satisfied blissful prayer, ready for death now that he has seen Jesus, whom he calls “a light to enlighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

These people all discerned the presence of Jesus. The shepherds, itinerant farm hands, were among the first to know and remind us that it is often those living on our society’s margins who are most attuned to watching for God. Meanwhile the Magi, unswayed by local issues, also were receptive to watching.

And Simeon and Anna, both spiritual watchers dedicated to seeing God’s presence, immediately knew that the infant Jesus was the Messiah.

During the end of his ministry, when Jesus knew that the authorities were planning to execute him, He asked Peter, John, and James  to keep watch with him, but they slept instead. Later, after His resurrection, he found them hiding in the upper room, uncertain and scared about the future.

His arrival was desperately anticipated, but those watching didn’t recognize him.

His death was feared, but his closest followers couldn’t see how he had already empowered them.

So what about us? How do we watch for Jesus in our lives? How do we examine our surroundings to find God working, and do we cower in our equivalent of upper room when we see what we’ve been seeking?

It’s a scary world for so many people. It almost always is. But we can learn from Simeon and Anna and Mary. We can stay spiritually awake, constantly seeking God. The more we watch for God, the more we will find him.

Remember the admonition from Hebrews:  “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” As usual our real instructions from God are often quite clear. It’s our muddling around trying to apply them in legalistic ways that often confuse matters.

Heavenly Father, who gave us the wherewithal to watch for You and the free will to choose how to do so, bless us this Advent season as the world commemorates the birth of Jesus. Help us be mindful of Your presence so that we may love you with all our hearts, and help us to be watchful for our neighbors sake so that we may love them as we love ourselves, as our Lord Jesus has taught us.

Amen.

Image: ChatGPT 4 prompted by George Bounacos
#adventword #forwardmovement #stannesreston #watch
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During this Advent Season, I am participating in the Advent Word ministry by sharing an image, writing, or other creative expression around a different word each day. I hope that you’ll also join this effort to create a global Advent calendar on some or all of the days.  Learn more about it here:  https://adventword.org/

AdventWord – “Grace”

In an Education for Ministry class years ago, a story was shared that deeply resonated with me. It was about a man nearing the end of his life due to illness and sad about his inability to leave his children a substantial inheritance.

The mentor guiding our class told us that he comforted the man by sharing how he was showing his children how to face certain death with grace.

Advent, often associated with Mary’s journey towards the birth of Jesus, also invites reflection on grace in the context of life’s end. I have been privileged to know individuals in their final days who exhibited an extraordinary depth of peace and clarity.

This profound acceptance, a serene embrace of life’s final transition, is grace in its purest form.

Such assurance mirrors the transformative grace experienced by Paul on the road to Damascus and by Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose faith remained unshaken even as he faced a brutal death.

We don’t stone people to death in modern times, but the example of grace at life’s end is a universal theme, witnessed daily in homes and hospitals worldwide. Recognizing and honoring this grace helps us process our grief and loss.”

Consider Jacob, Isaac’s son. While still young and as his father was dying, Jacob, with his mother’s help, lied and stole his brother’s birthright, an act far removed from grace.

As he faced his own mortality years later and after reconciling with his brother Esau, Jacob’s actions showed a transformed person. His blessings to his sons were profound acts of grace, imparting wisdom and ensuring the continuity of the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob’s change highlights the potential for grace to emerge, even in lives marked by earlier failings.

Advent, a season of preparation and anticipation, offers us a space to contemplate this peaceful grace. It’s a time we can reflect on how grace can guide us through life’s transitions, from its beginning to its end.

As we journey through Advent, let us be open to the lessons of grace that life, in all its phases, has to offer.

Heavenly Father, Giver of Grace and Compassion,

As we await the birth of our Lord Jesus this Advent season, we are reminded of the journey from birth to life’s end, and the countless moments of grace that illuminate our path.

Lord, we remember those who face life’s end with courage and peace. Teach us to see in their acceptance a reflection of Your grace, a testament to the strength and serenity that comes from faith. Help us to learn from their example, to embrace each day with gratitude and to approach our own transitions with the same grace and dignity.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Hope and Redeemer, we pray.

Amen.

Image: ChatGPT 4 prompted by George Bounacos
#adventword #forwardmovement #stannesreston #grace

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During this Advent Season, I am participating in the Advent Word ministry by sharing an image, writing, or other creative expression around a different word each day. I hope that you’ll also join this effort to create a global Advent calendar on some or all of the days. Learn more about it here: https://adventword.org/

Advent Word – Peace

Pain and suffering, tragically familiar to many in the Middle East, are realities shared by people in conflict zones worldwide. From the streets of Gaza to the fields of Ukraine, from the mountains of Ethiopia to the cities of El Salvador, the horrors of war are broadcast in vivid detail, yet the global tide of violence persists despite the heart-wrenching images that fill our screens.

In this Advent season, as we contemplate ‘Peace,’ the stark contrast between our hopes and the world’s conflicts becomes painfully clear. The call for peace echoes against a backdrop of widespread strife. Peace seems more elusive than ever, with casualty reports and stories of violence and suffering – thousands in Gaza, over a hundred thousand in Ethiopia, and countless victims of sexual violence and torture across various conflict zones – constantly reminding us of the urgent need for healing and reconciliation.

There is a universal yearning for the safety and serenity that peace brings. This longing is echoed in the core teachings of the world’s major religions, all upholding the sanctity of human life. In Christianity, this is reflected in the Bible’s persistent themes of life’s sanctity, peace, and justice, calling us to uphold these values in a world rife with conflict.

In response to these escalating conflicts, the voices of faith leaders like Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, cut through the complexity with a message of stark clarity and urgency. He states: “The violence is horrific, and the geopolitics are complex, but my call to love is simple: Stop the killing. Stop all of it. Stop it today.”

Make no mistake: in the Christian tradition, peace transcends mere absence of violence. It embodies an active pursuit of justice, a steadfast commitment to reconciliation, and mirrors Christ’s teachings of love and forgiveness. Being peacemakers, as we are called to be, involves the challenging yet vital work of fostering reconciliation, justice, and equality. This work begins, crucially, with the cessation of violence, but does not end there.

My heart aches for all who grieve due to violence, recognizing that while halting future conflicts is crucial, it doesn’t undo past suffering. Yet, it’s a vital step toward a future free from such grief. In this spirit, Bishop Curry’s urgent call to cease all killing resonates deeply. 

As people of faith, we must champion the cause of peace, beginning with our prayers and actions, and a steadfast commitment to non-violence, even amidst daunting challenges. Let this Advent be more than a time of passive longing for peace; let it be an active pursuit to end violence, a commitment that transforms our hope for peace into tangible reality

Image: ChatGPT 4 prompted by George Bounacos
#adventword #forwardmovement #stannesreston #peace

During this Advent Season, I am participating in the Advent Word ministry by sharing an image, writing, or other creative expression around a different word each day. I hope that you’ll also join this effort to create a global Advent calendar on some or all of the days.  Learn more about it here:  https://adventword.org/