Dear Friends,

Our readings this week are full of lovely imagery. They speak of "preparing the way" of "comfort" for God's people and of "speaking tenderly" ~ new beginnings... the beginning of the gospel, of John the Baptist's ministry, and in the 2nd reading "a new heaven and a new earth. In my 'pondering' however, it is in the Psalm that I find the words that most touch my spirit this week: "Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss."

What awesome imagery. Written lo' those many years ago, and still the yearning of human spirit. Imagine the world we would live in if truly 'kindness and truth' met and 'justice and peace' kissed! I think that kindness is a very good place to begin. I had a bizarre experience this past week driving through the center of Quincy. I am not at all familiar with that area, and was therefore a bit hesitant and cautious as I navigated the numerous twists and turns and places where a decision needed to be made. Traffic was heavy so this was no time for indecision, but even as I pushed myself to 'go with the flow' I was astounded by the number of people who honked and swerved in and around and almost through me in a very brief span of time. I do a lot of city driving, and yet was struck by the sense of fierceness I encountered in this brief strip of territory. The experience led me to reflect on the times when I'm in too much of a hurry to be "kind"... when impatience and my need to be somewhere trumps my capacity for sensitivity to imagine the needs of others.

In a way, this city scene is completely unrelated to "preparing the way", but on the other hand, it could be viewed as a 21st century experience of 'wilderness'... a wilderness inhabited by individuals in splendid isolation each doing their own thing. Rather than the wide span of desert, our wilderness is often an inner emptiness in the midst of crowded streets, shopping aisles, or cyberspace. What can we do to "prepare the way" for our God's coming anew in our everyday wilderness experience? What can we do to facilitate the meeting of kindness and truth and the kiss of justice and peace. It's easy today to be overwhelmed with an awareness of the lack of kindness and the myriad of ways in which justice and peace are eons beyond kissing distance. But, I am convinced if we each do our own little bit, tame our own bit of wilderness, extend kindness in small and simple ways, and practice justice in our everyday life, we will see "new beginnings" and bringing about "a new heaven and a new earth."

If you are looking for a "spiritual home" to support as you "Prepare the Way" this Advent, we invite you to join us at the Spirit of Life. As a community, we try wholeheartedly to "be Christ" to one another, to tend to the needs of one another and to those in need in our world. Together, we celebrate our belief that we are being transformed by God's grace as we gather together in prayer. We warmly invite you to come and gather with us at our Table and join in our experience of the 'kin-dom' of God. We are an inclusive, open, affirming and interactive community, deeply committed to being a people of 'justice and joy'.

Loving blessings to you in this time of Advent waiting,

Find more about past weekly reflections and podcasts in our ARCHIVE PAGE.