“Are we there YET?” “Soon. We’ll be there very soon?”
“ARE WE THERE YET?” “Be patient just a little longer.”
We joke about this image of a child sitting in the backseat asking a parent again and again, “Are we there yet?” How often does the parent become exasperated? We see the eye rolls and the grimace when the small voice behind the headrest pipes up with that all too common refrain.
This Sunday we celebrate the fourth, and final, Sunday of the Advent season. The last purple candle in the outer ring of the wreath is lit. We call this candle Peace. The angel came to Mary to announce the Messiah who would bring Peace. Peace between God and the Cosmos.
Yet, look around. Where is Peace? Troubled minds and spirits roam the earth in search of it. Nations tremble in fear waiting to see it.
This candle with its flickering, fragile flame reminds us that we have not yet arrived. There are still a few miles to travel before we reach the destination.
“Are we there yet?” “No, not yet. But, soon. Very soon.”
Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice.
Joy reigns during the modern Christmas season. And, it seems as though this season gets longer and longer with each passing year. Christmas decorations seem to sprout from thin air in stores the day after Halloween!
Traditionally, though, the Christmas season begins at Christmas and is celebrated until the day of Epiphany. Prior to Christmas, as I’ve written before, is the season of Advent. This is a time of waiting, expecting, anticipating, and preparing for the arrival of the Messiah. It is traditional a solemn time of reflection and penitence. That is why liturgical churches use violet for vestments and coverings. Violet is a color of repentance.
The early Church, however, recognized that one of the defining characteristics of our life after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ is Joy. The verse at the beginning of this post is from Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi. He reminded the young church to stand firm in the faith, to work together in their struggle in the Gospel, and to Rejoice at all times.
The Church, therefore, chose to remember this during the season of Advent. In the midst of solemn preparation to receive the King of kings among them, as they sought to cleanse their hearts and make a place for the Blessed Child, they added a time for rejoicing.
The third Sunday in Advent is named Gaudete Sunday. (pron. Gow-deh-tay). The word is taken from the first word of the Latin mass for this Sunday. It is translated “Rejoice!”
So, on this Sunday instead of the violet of penitence, we celebrate by lighting a Rose colored candle.
Let our joy be made full as we join with the entire Communion of Saints to prepare ourselves to celebrate the Coming Messiah!
I didn’t intend that these Advent musings would become a multi-part project. But, you know what they say about best laid plans. In the first part I looked at the expectations of ancient Israel. They looked forward to the arrival of a Warrior King molded after King David. He would deliver Israel from her enemies and reign over the Earth with righteousness and justice.
Yesterday we saw who really arrived. Not a Warrior King. But, a Servant King. In Jesus, God completely disarmed the powers of that day by subverting the very idea of violence with embodied Love.
Ok. So what?
What does the Advent of Jesus 2,000 years ago have to do with celebrating Advent today?
The Church has believed since its beginning that Jesus would return one day. As Jesus stood on a hill with his disciples he gave them some final instructions. Then, the writer of the book of Act recorded,
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
The early believers thought that Jesus would return soon. That He would descend from the clouds and God’s reign would be realized on earth as it is in heaven.
The anticipated return of Jesus is what we celebrate now at Advent. And, we wait expectantly for His arrival.
But, what do we expect to see?
There are many who look to the Bible and see the same descriptions of Messiah that the ancient Israelites saw. They recognize that the first Advent of Jesus did not look anything like the Warrior King of Scripture. So, that must mean that at the second Advent Jesus will come as the Warrior King and subdue all of His enemies. He will then establish a New Earth and a New Heaven in which He reigns with an iron scepter.
The Bible is chock full of such imagery. The Revelation of St. John describes this kind of Return of the King. Tolkien has nothing on John!
These same people believe that when Jesus returns everyone who has not chosen to follow Jesus will be gathered together and cast into an everlasting lake of fire where they will be eternally tormented and punished for their unbelief.
Is this really what we should expect?
I’m not so sure.
Throughout the Bible God is revealed as Just and Righteous, to be sure. God is also the friend of the humble, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. God is patient and gentle. The image of a mother hen protecting her young is given to describe God.
Jesus came, not as a warrior to seek vengeance on God’s enemies and win vindication for Israel. No. He came as a servant to deliver the Cosmos from the sting of Death. He came to give life abundantly to The. Whole. Cosmos.
Do we really think that at Jesus’ second Advent his character will have changed?
No. I don’t think so.
I think that the expectations of those waiting for a Warrior King will be as far off as they were at Jesus’ first Advent. I think that if Love reigned as the Kingdom of God approached then. If Love has reigned ever since Jesus disappeared into the clouds all of those years ago. Then, Love will continue to reign when Jesus returns.
Let’s put aside any image of God that does not welcome sinner and saint together in the Great Loving Heart of God.
Yesterday I shared a little about what people at the time of Jesus’ birth expected from Messiah. This person was supposed to show up and lead the people of Israel just as the warrior king David had a millennia earlier. Messiah would defeat Israel’s enemies and ultimately set up an Empire. This Messiah King, according to the Scriptures, would reign in righteousness, justice, and power. The entire world would come to Jerusalem to worship the Messiah and to receive justice from him.
But, what actually happened?
Well, Jesus showed up. Born among family and animals and placed in a feeding trough. Escaped as a refugee to Egypt when the existing empire got wind of His existence. Returned to Israel and grew up in a small backwater town. Worked with his hands and learned how to deal with people.
Not the kind of king that was really expected. In fact, as Jesus began to share what he believed was the truth about God and God’s reign, all of those folks who expected a Warrior Messiah turned on him. Why? Because he didn’t live up to their expectations.
If Jesus was truly the Messiah, then what exactly did that mean? If He was not here to defeat Israel’s enemies and set up a Messianic Empire, then what did he actually do?
In the beginning….
At the very beginning of the Bible there is the story about how God made the heavens and the earth. All things were created and the Cosmos set in motion. After a while, the humans there decided to think for themselves and deviate from the path that God had set before them. They hid from God. Then, the story tells us that in the cool of the afternoon, God came walking through the garden. God called out to the people, “Where are you?” This is told in such a way that we are supposed to think that this was something the God did regularly. God walked through the garden with a desire to spend time with them. This theme of God coming to people with a desire to spend time with them is found throughout the Bible.
That idea found its completion in the person: Jesus.
The writers of the Gospels tell us about Jesus who came and pitched His tent among us. They write about the Jesus who hangs out at weddings and really likes good wine. Jesus shows up at parties and hangs out with lepers and cripples and women. He held little children on his lap and told his grown disciples that God’s reign was going to be filled with people just like those children. Not warriors. Not politicians. Certainly not Emperors.
It seems that the expectations that Israel had were off just a tad. Instead of a Warrior King, they got a Servant King.
That Servant King desires to reign over a kingdom filled with people who are like those children that He held. Childlike faith. Childlike wonder. Childlike…you fill in the blank.
I look around us today and see people who still think that a Warrior King is God’s plan. They believe that Empire can save them.
But, is that what God has shown us? No. God desires to walk with us in the cool of the afternoon. God’s reign is built on Love and Relationships. Not power and Empire.
Advent is that time before Christmas that the Church set aside in order to Prepare for the Arrival of Messiah. In history, that Messiah is recognized as Jesus of Nazareth. In our time we prepare for the return of Messiah Jesus in Glory.
The people of ancient Israel had their own expectations about the Messiah. Their prophets told stories about the coming King of Israel. The Psalmists sang about how God would restore the fortunes of Israel through a King like David. David, a mighty warrior and leader who fought to deliver God’s people from the perils of their enemies. The “Idea” of Messiah grew into mythic proportions by the time that Jesus was born. Messiah would be a great military leader who would rally Israel against her tormentors and enemies from Rome. This would establish Israel as the leading military power in the known world. The Messiah would judge Israel in all righteousness and justice. The poor would be cared for and succor given to the widow and orphan. Foreigners would flock to Jerusalem to hear the Word of God and receive justice.
This Messiah would be, in fact, a King of Kings.
This concept of a Messiah King was ingrained in the cultural fabric of the people of Israel. Jesus’ own disciples held tightly to the hope of a military and political Messiah. Throughout the time that Jesus walked with them they questioned Jesus about such things as, “Who’s the greatest among us?” or, “Who will get to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus when he sits on his throne?” or again, “Shall we now call down fire on these unrepentant Samaritans?” They asked Jesus when his reign as Messiah King would begin. They queried Jesus about times and events that, to their minds, would easily be recognized as the beginning of Jesus’ reign of power on earth. I can just imagine the hope that arose in them as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday. “Yes!” I can hear James and John saying. “It’s happening!!! Finally, the King has returned!”
Expectations of empire. Expectations of earthly power. Expectations of God vindicating God’s self on all those “Others” out there who stand against Israel.
You know, it doesn’t seem as though expectations have changed all that much in 2,000 years.
This Sunday is the Second in Advent. Last week I shared a bit about this season here.
In that post I explained that the term Advent comes from that Latin, Adventus, which means “arrival” or “coming.”
And, that’s exactly what we celebrate at this time of year. It is a season of preparation, waiting, and anticipation for the “arrival” of the Messiah.
But, the Advent of Jesus 2,000 years ago isn’t the only way that the Church has understood this season.
The word Adventus is the Latin translation of a Greek word used in the New Testament. That word in Parousia. Parousia is translated in English using a few different terms. It is sometimes translated “Presence.” The Apostle Paul wrote about the times when he was “Present” with the Church at Corinth. So, it was not necessarily a religious word. It was a term that common, everyday folks would use and understand.
Another way to translate Parousia is, as mentioned above, the word “Arrival.” Again, it can be used to talk about someone’s “arrival” at a destination. Common word for common folks.
This time of year, though, provides us with the opportunity to understand the idea of “arrival” a little differently.
The Apostle James wrote, “
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (Jas. 5:7-8).
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s Parousia… Because the Lord’s Parousia is near…”
The Apostle was writing about the expected return of Jesus. According to the writer of the book of Acts, Jesus was taken up into the clouds at His ascension. In the same way, Jesus would return, (Acts 1:11).
Jesus will return, the New Testament writers agree. When? No one knows except the Father who is in Heaven.
“You better hustle your bustle, Missy!” he said to the young girl. Her small hand holding firm to his as her short legs churned to keep up. “We don’t want to be late, now. Do we?” Looking up she saw the broad smile across her Dad’s face. Eyes glittering, she smiled back and shook her head.
They walked past store windows with bright displays of Christmas trees and gifts. Trains chugga-chugged around the bottom of the trees. Real smoke huffing and puffing from the locomotives. Characters dressed up in caps and scarfs, heads moving back and forth as carols rang out, stood next to stacks of wrapped boxes.
The man and his daughter walked through a great, revolving door into a huge store. People rushing about with bags and packages in their arms. Others milling about counters sniffing various fragrances. Other children standing next to those people looking bored.
To the escalator the two hurried. Second floor: Housewares Hurry around to the next set of moving stairs. Third floor: Bedding and Curtains. One more time around the block! Fourth floor… Christmas Town!
The young girl looked around, her eyes wide with amazement. There were trees decorated with all different colors of lights and ornaments. White puffs that looked like snow covered the floors next to the aisles. Row after row of toys and elves stood all around them.
At the end of one aisle there was a tall red and white poll standing. Beneath it there was a team of reindeer pawing the ground and bobbing their heads. A great, red sleigh sat behind them.
“Hurry, Daddy!” the girl cried. “There’s already a line!” “You run and get in line,” he said releasing her hand. As she queued up, she looked back at him. Her eyes aglow, a great smile that seemed to light up her face. Soon, she would see, well, you know…
May your hopes and dreams and the anticipation of good things bring you joy as you walk through this most wonderful time of the year.
Yesterday I ranted a bit about how desire for more ‘stuff’ seems to be the driving force behind the current news cycle as well as virtually all advertising across all media platforms. It is disheartening. We place such a premium on our comfort and status that we have lost sight of our obligations in human society. Yeah, I said Obligations.
That whole concept is foreign to our Western mind. I remember my Dad telling me one morning as we drove to work together that I needed to make sure and watch out for “Number ONE” because no one else will. Number ONE in that context was Self.
That one phrase is damning on different levels.
First, it raises ME to the pinnacle of of importance. “Look at me! I’m the most biggest, importantest Person EVER!” (Loud applause!!!) This, alone, creates a problem when Everyone considers themselves Number One. I mean, the last time I checked there could only be 1 Number One.
While that idea must lead to conflict, there is another part of what Dad said that may be even more damning.
I must look out for my own interests Because NO. ONE. ELSE. WILL.
Really?
Has our society really come to the point where we can count on no one to have our backs?
If you listen to the news and advertisers the answer must be a resounding YES! The whole world revolves around what I want and to hell with whatever you want. Did anyone see images of Black Friday shopping?
By definition, an idol is “an object or picture that is worshiped as god.”
In the case that my Dad made, then Number One is an idol. I am the focus of time, talent, attention, and adulation.
Then, of course, there’s the other idol that comes along with that. (I bet you didn’t no that we were polytheistic, did you?) That idol is a picture of a little, green guy named George. During the 1992 presidential campaign one of the candidates, in attempting to illuminate the most pressing issue on Everyone’s mind coined the phrase, “The Economy, Stupid”! For the last three decades our culture has taken that to heart and created a god of the economy. A god that needs to be fed with our lust and greed. This god has an insatiable appetite. This god destroys everything that tries to stand against it.
But, there is Another.
This Other is humble and meek. He considers the needs of others before His own. Make no mistake, He is also quite powerful. He can stand against the idols of Self and George.
During this Advent season, why don’t we stop and listen to that Other. Let the sound of our heart beating for someone other than Number One drown out the noise and clamor and the demands of those other false gods. For, false they are.
We humans do like things to be done in a neat and orderly fashion, don’t we? I mean, look at how we’ve developed mathematics and theoretical physics and our sock drawer. A place for everything; everything in its place. Our minds and bodies respond to order and rhythm. Contrary to some popular ideas, we don’t really like things that are linear. Yeah, we try to draw timelines and straight line graphs and such. But, we are far more comfortable with things that are cyclical. Seasons, for instance. Winter is followed by Spring. Summer joins in the cycle with Autumn grabbing on to Winter’s coat tail to begin the circle again. We talk about the Circle of Life, not the Straight Line of Life. Medical folks speak about Circadian rhythms that follow a cycle. They don’t move from point to point to point. Rather, they follow the circular motion of the Earth’s rotation.
Cycles and rhythms are good for us. They provide for good order and allow us to function with a degree of confidence that today will in many ways be much like what we experienced yesterday.
One such measure of cycles begins this Sunday for those of us who follow the traditions of the Christian Church.
A brand, spanking new liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent.
Advent is the season that prepares us for the birth of Jesus. The word derives from the Latin adventus. That word means “coming,” or “arrival.” So, the season of Advent is that time of the yearly cycle when we look forward to the arrival of Jesus the Messiah.
In recent times, though, Advent has become little more than that time of year when we rush around finishing the shopping. We dig through the attic or basement to pull out all of the decorations which need to be dusted off so they can be hung on trees, (or, reasonable facsimiles of trees), or placed on mantles and coffee tables. Don’t forget the holiday table ware and dish towels! All of the local radio stations pull out their Christmas collections of music. (How many times can a person really listen to “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” before going completely mad?)
What if we actually stopped for a second and considered the Season? Perhaps, we could feel the rhythm. Let the Spirit of the Season rap out a cadence that our heart could match and join with.
Rhythms are part of who we are as Living Beings.
Let this Sunday be the beginning of a new cycle of life in which we gaze expectantly toward the Arrival of God’s Messiah in our lives.
