Waiting In & For Joy
Dear Friends,
Tomorrow we begin our liturgical season of Advent, a time of waiting for the light of Christ to be born anew in our lives and our world. This time of hope is ushered in, however, with readings which may, at least on an initial glance, seem more threatening than promising. We begin with a reading from Isaiah which emphasizes God's anger and our sinfulness: "All of us have become unclean…We have all withered away like leaves." And, the Gospel from Mark warns us to "Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake!...Do not let the Owner come and find you asleep". On the surface, this could seem a determined effort to instill insomnia rather than hope in believers.
The 1st reading, however, ends with the image of God as Potter and we as clay and the "work of God's hand." A lovely image in this time of waiting! Our days are full of waiting: we wait at the toll booth, we wait in traffic; we wait in line at the grocery store or bank, we wait for our internet connection to engage. In my hospice ministry, I bear witness to the waiting of patients and their loved ones for the moment of death, and Ron witnesses daily the waiting of patients at the hospital for results of tests or surgical procedures…which may bear a word of hope or the peril of bad news. For me, imagining myself as in the hands of The Potter who is fashioning something of value... a treasure beyond my imagining, gives me hope and a sense of grounding that keeps my desires and my needs in balance. It helps me to hold hope in my heart. In the waiting, we are being shaped... shaped for a future we can barely begin to imagine.
And while we are waiting... alert and with our eyes open... as the Gospel urges, I'd like to suggest that rather than waiting for the boom to lower as the "owner of the house approaches", let us image this time of waiting as a time of joy! Be alert not to miss a moment! Be aware of every moment lest you miss one of the treasures or tremendous gifts of life and love that are already present in your life... and imagine as you wait what more joy our God, The Potter, has in store for you!
If you are looking for a "spiritual home" to support as you "wait" 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,
NOVEMBER 30TH, 2008 — FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Dear Friends,
Tomorrow we begin our liturgical season of Advent, a time of waiting for the light of Christ to be born anew in our lives and our world. This time of hope is ushered in, however, with readings which may, at least on an initial glance, seem more threatening than promising. We begin with a reading from Isaiah which emphasizes God's anger and our sinfulness: "All of us have become unclean…We have all withered away like leaves." And, the Gospel from Mark warns us to "Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake!...Do not let the Owner come and find you asleep". On the surface, this could seem a determined effort to instill insomnia rather than hope in believers.
The 1st reading, however, ends with the image of God as Potter and we as clay and the "work of God's hand." A lovely image in this time of waiting! Our days are full of waiting: we wait at the toll booth, we wait in traffic; we wait in line at the grocery store or bank, we wait for our internet connection to engage. In my hospice ministry, I bear witness to the waiting of patients and their loved ones for the moment of death, and Ron witnesses daily the waiting of patients at the hospital for results of tests or surgical procedures…which may bear a word of hope or the peril of bad news. For me, imagining myself as in the hands of The Potter who is fashioning something of value... a treasure beyond my imagining, gives me hope and a sense of grounding that keeps my desires and my needs in balance. It helps me to hold hope in my heart. In the waiting, we are being shaped... shaped for a future we can barely begin to imagine.
And while we are waiting... alert and with our eyes open... as the Gospel urges, I'd like to suggest that rather than waiting for the boom to lower as the "owner of the house approaches", let us image this time of waiting as a time of joy! Be alert not to miss a moment! Be aware of every moment lest you miss one of the treasures or tremendous gifts of life and love that are already present in your life... and imagine as you wait what more joy our God, The Potter, has in store for you!
If you are looking for a "spiritual home" to support as you "wait" 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,
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