Third Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2020         (today’s lectionary)
Shine, Jesus Shine
I am the voice of one crying in the desert, “Make straight the path of the Lord!”
John’s piercing voice, sharpened by his continual fast, opens the way. Within him his purpose is certain, he follows the path of one who leads, but only then to follow.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me.
In Latin, Advent means “coming”. And Jesus comes. There is no telling the story often enough. John cries out that Jesus is coming, and Jesus comes.
As the earth brings forth its plants and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord God make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.
In the rhythms of music, in the rhythms of birth and death, and especially in the rhythms of spring and fall, of planting and harvest, we breathe in and out the joy of the whole earth. But our lack of appreciation brings grief to the earth, and its “groaning” as Paul calls it (Romans 8), darken its skies. When we poison the land instead of nurturing it, the earth weeps. Still, only just below the surface, the earth waitsh to brim with life again.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. He has filled the hungry with good things and rich he has sent away empty.
Will you punish my selfishness forever, Lord? And will you punish the selfishness of others? Oh God, let me see my sin, and give me strength to change. I am hungry. I am never satisfied when I fill up with those short, shallow foods of my own making. Let my morning moments of conviction and resolve extend to nine, and to noon, and to three, then into the evening and to the next day of the rest of my life. Give me perspective and patience. There is nothing new under the sun, and the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” puts those advertisements we hear to the lie. There is never any hurry.
Rejoice always and pray, without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances, and do not put out the Spirit’s fire. This is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
How can I pray without ceasing? The Russian pilgrim learned to say the Jesus Prayer. His mentor told him how.
Learn these words. “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Recite those words three thousand times and come back to see me tomorrow. And the pilgrim did. Now recite those words six thousand times and come back to see me tomorrow. And the pilgrim did. And by then the pilgrim noticed that when he napped, he awoke with the words in his mouth. And they became like his heartbeat, indistinguishable from himself. And his life was changed, and he traveled and told others of his joy.
In his book Prison to Praise, Merlin Carothers shares time after time when he learned to praise God even in the ugly frightening details of his life. My Aunt Mary ordered two cases of that book and gave them to every resident on the four floors of Friendship Manor in Lincoln when she moved in, introducing herself by encouraging them all to give thanks in all circumstances.
There is one coming, and he is already among you but you do not recognize him, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.Â
We sit before the creche, we stand before the Christmas tree, we hear the Vienna Boys Choir sing Silent Night. I want to rest but I also want to lace on my own sandals and leap for joy. I want to lead, but I also want to follow Jesus. There is one among you. There is one among you. There is one among you. Let Jesus shine.
(Isaiah 61, Luke 1, 1 Thessalonians 5, John 1)
#
