Second Sunday in Advent - 2019


Today, the reading was from Matthew, the story of John the Baptist. He was not a popular dude, as he probably smelled and looked quite shocking. Living in the desert and living on locusts and wild honey can do that to a person. Yet, it was him that was given the task of calling for people to repent, the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. People came to him, and he seemed to be of interest to the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, as he had quite the choice words for them!

I wonder what John would say to us in the Church today? Would he be welcomed? Would they let him preach at the pulpit? Would he see how we are preparing for Christ's coming? Or maybe people would shun him, and he would point to us and call us a brood of vipers? I wonder what he'd say to those who think they know all the answers. 

I wrote on my FB page today: I heard something about this time - it is about God coming towards us, always moving towards us, and never does God turn God's back on us. During this time, it is our task to move toward God.  Advent is about the reflection on that - on what is blocking us from doing that, what is my resistance? what is my stubbornness? my close-mindedness? my ego? my arrogance? my pain? my confusion? what is holding me back from welcoming the Eternal Christ? Perhaps, even consider what IS my faith around all of this? and how do I respond to that? how do I act this out to people that are in my life, both near and far? to people who are a part of my life for years and for the people who pass by for an instant? to people I agree with and to those I disagree with? how do I respond to Truth?

And, I think John's call brings this to our conscious thought ... Somewhere I heard a chat on complacency, on how we can get very comfortable, and even a bit arrogant or disingenuous, when we go through the motions. But, this is not how we are to be; this is not how a follower of Christ is to live. And Advent reminds us of that. Not only reminds us, but also provides the space, the Sacred Space to do some soul-searching and internal house-cleaning in preparation for the Coming - of Christ into history, of Christ into our world, of Christ born anew in me. The Greek word for this is metanoia, change one's way of life from penitence, a spiritual conversion.

May we all pause a moment or two, to do our own housecleaning, to prepare a place for Christ to come, and may we all, each in our own way, experience our own metanoia, challenging ourselves and getting off the symbolic coattails we can be found riding on throughout the year. May we open our arms wide and enter into a dynamic, vibrant real relationship with the Christ King. 

Amen. 

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