2024.12.02
“There will be earth-shattering events—the heavens themselves will seem to be shaken with signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars. And across the earth the outsider nations will feel powerless and terrified in the face of a roaring flood of fear and foreboding, crashing like tidal waves upon them. “What’s happening to the world?” people will wonder. The cosmic order will be destabilized. And then, at that point, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and blazing glory. So when the troubles begin, don’t be afraid. Look up—raise your head high because the truth is that your liberation is fast approaching.” Luke 21:25-28 The VOICE Translation
Alister Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, 1951
Until I became a pastor and decided to stick with the lectionary for preaching to keep me from focusing on my favorite parts of the Bible, I had a hard time understanding the essence of Advent. Up to that time, I thought of Advent as a preview of Christmas, four weeks of opening acts before the big act on Christmas Eve. Texts like the one above from Luke 21, a full 20 chapters after the Christmas story, and one chapter away from the Last Supper (in Luke’s gospel) left me confused. Why interrupt the joyful story with anxiety, angst and apocalypse?
Older, and hopefully wiser, I get it now. Like Ebenezer Scrooge who saw his past, present, and future compressed into one bad night’s sleep, Advent does the same thing for us. Advent reminds us that Christ is past, present, and yet to come. He is the Christ of majesty, the one who will return to make all things right at the end of time. He is the Christ of history, the very incarnation of God into a human being. And Christ is the mystery, the very real presence of God in our lives and world right now.
Advent gives us the opportunity to pay attention to signs of the Jesus’ mysterious presence in our world, especially in times like this. It can be difficult to feel joy in the midst of wars, seismic geo-political changes, and grief. Luke reminds me, reminds us that, “when the troubles begin, don’t be afraid. Look up — raise your head high, because the truth is that your liberation is fast approaching.”
Advent gives us the opportunity for hope in the midst of doubt; peace in the midst of conflict; joy in the midst of grief; and love – which never ends, in the midst of apathy and hate. Ebenezer’s fate isn’t predetermined. He gets to decide if he will choose to live with apathy and hatred or live with love, compassion and peace. The same is true for us. May we choose love. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 