ADVENT 1B 2008

(First Sunday using the Revised Common Lectionary)

The last few days have been beautiful in this part of the world. On Thanksgiving we drove north to Yuba city and I was again reminded that part of me is a valley boy. As we drove through the flooded rice fields and the orchards I was flooded with memories as well as a sense of thanksgiving for being allowed to live in Northern California. Like you we gathered with family and friends over these last few days and it all felt very good.

And now, this Sunday, we begin another four Sunday celebration of Advent before the feast of the Incarnation of our Lord. Of course we know that all of the world around us is already celebrating Christmas in many ways, but the church holds on to this season because it is so very important. Advent teaches us that the Christian life is really more an Advent life than it is a Christmas life.

Advent reminds us both of what could be and what our life condition really is. It is a time of expectation and hope in the midst of life’s day to day reality. It is a time of waiting for the promise. It is a time of reminding ourselves of just what God’s promises really are. It is a time of expecting, waiting and looking for the entrance of God into the normal course of our lives, with all its joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams, boredom and excitement.

The pattern for Advent is seen in the history of the people of Israel. For hundreds and hundreds of years they waited and hoped for the coming of one they called the Messiah. Through times of great suffering as well as prosperity, they still waited and waited. If we take the Old Testament seriously at all we will have to face the truth that one of the central truths of the spiritual life is that it exists more of waiting and hoping and longing than it does in fulfillment and celebration.

Advent teaches us that we live in the midst of a world that is both beautiful and evil, full of the works of darkness, as well as those of love and light. It teaches us that we human beings are both wonderful and cruel, giving and selfish. We can create beautiful music and literature and art but also kill and rape and steal. We can love and then be incredibly selfish. Advent teaches us to face the truth about ourselves and then calls us to turn to God for help and hope.

I don’t know about you, but in the last few months I have experienced feelings of great despair and frustration over our nations economic crisis. We all wonder, what in the work is going on? Does any Gov. leader or leading capitalist know what they are doing?

But also in the midst of it all, I have been forced to struggle with what it is that I am really putting my trust in? It has been good for me. Is my trust really in God, or in the things of this world? What is it that I really long for and hope for?

Over the next few weeks there will be lots of energy spent to celebrate the good and the beautiful in life. This is what is good about this season. But there will also be a whole of lot of loneliness and emptiness. Some of you will feel the fun and the joy and the wonder of this season. Some of you will experience a sense of emptiness and loneliness. But wherever we are in our spiritual journey, this season calls us to go deeper. It challenges all of us to find our hope and our joy in God and the promises of God.

Jesus tells us over and over again to be alert, to watch, to be ready. In essence he is telling us to be intentional about our spiritual lives. Pay attention to your soul. Do some self evaluation. Ask the hard questions. Face the hard issues of life. Go deeper.

I pray that you would have a blessed Advent. Don’t just go directly to Christmas. If you can do a little watching and waiting, it will make your Christmas richer and deeper. AMEN!