Advent I - With Eyes Wide Open

Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.  Luke 21

At least where I live, in downstate New York, the signs that summer has long past are everywhere.  The trees which were once a lush green put on their festive fall look for a relatively brief period before Sandy ripped leaves, stem and all, from thousands of branches (and thousands of branches from tree trunks).

It would be difficult - in these secular times - to gauge the seasons by the merchandise being sold in every store, online or through TV cable shopping channels.  Plastic Santa light-up figures began appearing at local mega stores along with school supplies way back in late August.

We can step away and look more closely for the signs and signatures of Advent.  Granted, these changes are more subtle.  Reading passages of the season on a daily basis - for only 15 minutes - can plant the seed of expectancy, of possibility, of hope.  We can tidy our surroundings, letting go of "things" we no longer need or use.  I find this exercise a form of shedding my old skin and starting again on a journey, not burdened by 'old stuff'.  After all, even at the end of times (or one's own earthly time), people move on to a new life, not their riding mowers or their 3 food processors or the 3 cars in the driveway.

Listening to music or watching a Christ-themed program on the TV can help train the mind to the bigger picture.  Something important is coming - whether our own end and new beginning or the end of a tired year and the preparation of our hearts for the arrival of our Lord, Brother and Saviour.

Keep your eyes open ... watch for the subtle but discernible changes that the long awaited, long expected, longed for redeemer is coming!

Friday Focus: Getting Out Alive

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly,  like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21: 25-36

When I catch myself dithering over a decision, I'm reminded of the old adage: If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. This Sunday we start down the road of another Church year. And rather than wandering off in all directions, we are given very stark notice of exactly where the road leads.

Before us lies the Nativity, the miracles and parables, the Sermon on the Mount, the Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. But before any of that, we are given this preview of the end-game. If the theme feels familiar, it is Luke's version of much the same apocalyptic ground we covered recently in Mark's gospel. The message is clearly important enough for the Church to place these scriptural signposts at the start and finish of the liturgical year. Life and death for you and me and everyone who ever was and ever will be is surely worth this second look.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who lived constantly under the threat of martyrdom, offers us this perspective: "It may be that the day of judgment will dawn tomorrow; in that case, we shall gladly stop working for a better future. But not before." And so, in the class room, in the pulpit and finally from a prison cell, he built God's kingdom; until his work was interrupted by the hangman, eleven days before his prison was liberated. From his writings we have the portrait of a man who loved this life, cherished his family, and had so much more to give. And yet he put it all on the line and walked right back into harm's way... because it was the right way. When he speaks of life and death and judgment, those are not academic musings. The author of The Cost of Discipleship knew intimately the price of facing up to evil. He did not run gladly to martyrdom. But he did not run from it.

In the final days of World War II, his fellow inmates were all fiercely obsessed with survival, with getting out alive. Bonhoeffer knew that come what may, he was getting out alive. He lived in Christ. And his executioners could never take that life away from him. And so it goes with all who have died to sin and live in Christ. We don't go skipping blithely to earthly mortality. But we know our Redeemer lives. He has conquered death and guarantees eternal life to those who love and serve the Lord. When our time here is interrupted, whether in a raging apocalypse, or in the quiet of a hospital room, by living in the love of Christ, we too will know with certainty that we're getting out alive.

Getting Out Alive

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly,  like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."   Luke 21: 25-36

 

When I catch myself dithering over a decision, I’m reminded of the old adage: If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. This Sunday we start down the road of another Church year. And rather than wandering off in all directions, we are given very stark notice of exactly where the road leads.

Before us lies the Nativity, the miracles and parables, the Sermon on the Mount, the Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. But before any of that, we are given this preview of the end-game. If the theme feels familiar, it is Luke’s version of much the same apocalyptic ground we covered recently in Mark’s gospel. The message is clearly important enough for the Church to place these scriptural signposts at the start and finish of the liturgical year. Life and death for you and me and everyone who ever was and ever will be is surely worth this second look.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who lived constantly under the threat of martyrdom, offers us this perspective: “It may be that the day of judgment will dawn tomorrow; in that case, we shall gladly stop working for a better future. But not before.” And so, in the class room, in the pulpit and finally from a prison cell, he built God’s kingdom; until his work was interrupted by the hangman, eleven days before his prison was liberated. From his writings we have the portrait of a man who loved this life, cherished his family, and had so much more to give. And yet he put it all on the line and walked right back into harm’s way… because it was the right way. When he speaks of life and death and judgment, those are not academic musings. The author of The Cost of Discipleship knew intimately the price of facing up to evil. He did not run gladly to martyrdom. But he did not run from it.

In the final days of World War II, his fellow inmates were all fiercely obsessed with survival, with getting out alive. Bonhoeffer knew that come what may, he was getting out alive. He lived in Christ. And his executioners could never take that life away from him. And so it goes with all who have died to sin and live in Christ. We don’t go skipping blithely to earthly mortality. But we know our Redeemer lives. He has conquered death and guarantees eternal life to those who love and serve the Lord. When our time here is interrupted, whether in a raging apocalypse, or in the quiet of a hospital room, by living in the love of Christ, we too will know with certainty that we’re getting out alive. 

Advent Preparation and Prayers

In keeping with my longstanding tradition, here is a listing of resources to enrich your prayer life during advent and into Christmastide.  All of these are free and online:

From Creighton University, a Roman Catholic offering: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/index.html;

 From Two Hearts Network, Inc. (RC) - Advent, Advent Wreath and even Christmas tree prayers:
http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/advent.htm;

From ChurchYear.net (both RC and Anglican):
http://www.churchyear.net/adventprayers.html

Huffington Post listing of nine ONLINE Advent Calendars:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/30/online-advent-calendars_n_789288.html;

Liverpool (UK) Museums Advent Calendar: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/online/advent/#;

From Caritas Australia:  http://www.caritas.org.au/advent;

From Christmas Magazine:  http://www.christmasmagazine.com/en/mc/calendar.asp;

From the Institute for Christian Formation:  http://www.instituteforchristianformation.org/AdventCalendarYOG2013/2013Calendar.html;

From Thomas Mousin of Massachusetts: http://thomasmousin.wordpress.com/advent-calendar-2010/;

From the Society of St. John the Evangelist on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/iamepiscopalian/advent-calendar/;

From the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance: http://pinterest.com/iamepiscopalian/advent-calendar/;

From James Cooper: http://www.whychristmas.com/adventcalendar/.

If you have other suggestions, feel free to contact me at: deaconj@geraniumfarm.org or add your suggestion as a comment to this post.

Another Year ... and Christ is Still King

The last few years have, for many, driven home the notion that most things change.  Youth fades, maturity comes on.  Jobs go ... and come ... and go.  Home sweet home may have been destroyed and our new living quarters have definitely been downsized.  Income from the work-a-day world is halved by retirement and our medical expenses increase (and if consumer goods seemed expensive before, they are downright luxuries now).

Seasonal weather started, more or less, by a certain date. In this zone the first snow could be in late November or most certainly in December. Each Christmas it snowed (or there was already some snow on the ground). Heat waves were begrudgingly expected in late July and August ... but NEVER in May.

Presidents, dictators, regimes ... many have seemed impervious to change but, as time has shown, that belief is an illusion.  Wars rarely lasted more than five years.  Things change.

Today marks the end of Pentecost and the end of the Church year.  Every Church year ends with a celebration known as Christ the King Sunday.  Christ - the King that will not be toppled, the Ruler whose being is Love itself.

Other forces may dictate our limitations in this earthly life.  Christ the King, sovereign of our souls, has destroyed our conventional limitations in life here and beyond.  Through the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been gifted with the thirst for truth, compassion, love, vulnerability, community, wisdom.

Who do we look to for help and strength?  Who do we use as our ultimate role model?  Whose values do we strive to make our own?  None other than Jesus Christ, King of Heaven, Earth and Creation.

Give us the courage to strive to be your children, your brothers and sisters, your consecrated people in this world!

We manner in which Christ the King rules is described in Hymn 488 of the Hymnal:

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart! all else be nought to me, save that thou art -- thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord; thou my great Father thine own may I be; thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.

High King of heaven, when victory is won, may I reach heaven's joys, bright heaven's Sun!  Heart of my heart, what ever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.