December 18th, 2023
Scripture
“So when you see the desolating sacrilege, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17 the one on the housetop must not go down to take things from the house; 18 the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’[a] or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs[b] and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.
--Matthew 24:15-31
fear… or Love
The Church Season of Advent is a time of preparation. We prepare our hearts and minds for the Coming, both of the Christ Child, and of Christ again, in power and great glory. The “Christ Child” part we understand fairly well, but that part about Christ coming again in power and great glory has always been difficult for followers of Jesus. It is often accompanied in our scriptures by frightening imagery and militaristic metaphors.
It is very human for us to resort to these images and metaphors. Our experience in this world leads many to believe that might makes right and the only way to overcome evil is by the same method evil uses. The message of fear is a powerful tool and is always tempting to use. Similarly, amassing great support to “fight for right” brings a headiness we associate with power and glory.
The lyrics from “Poor Jerusalem” in Jesus Christ Superstar give us instructive pause. Jesus has just completed his ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem, and Simon Peter is extolling the huge crowd of perhaps fifty thousand all singing and shouting Hosannas to Jesus, implying they’re ready to take their place by Jesus’ side in the overthrow of Rome. Peter sings over and over “yours is the power and the glory, for ever and ever and ever.” Jesus responds with these words:
Neither you Simon, nor the fifty thousand, nor the Romans, nor the Jews, nor Judas, nor the twelve, nor the Priests, nor the scribes, nor doomed Jerusalem itself understand what power is, understand what glory is, understand at all…understand at all.
Suppose, for our Advent consideration, we set aside this human obsession with the threatening fearful God. Suppose we spend Advent, the Season of Coming, immersing ourselves in the consistent message of Jesus, found in his teaching and action in this world, about the One whom Jesus refers to as Father. Perhaps we would recall stories like the ones we call “The Prodigal Son” and “The Good Samaritan”. Maybe we would recall the person caught in the act of adultery, the feeding of the five thousand, or the healing of the centurion’s servant and the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter. We would definitely want to reread Jesus’ teaching of the greatest commandment about loving God and loving your neighbor. These teachings of Jesus show that our true relationship to God, and to everyone, is rooted in Love, not fear.
Then, of course, there is the most powerful image we have of God’s true nature. When faced with the horrific treatment of Jesus leading to his death by crucifixion, God did not respond with the world’s understanding of power and glory. The eternal response of God was Resurrection — which brought forgiveness, restoration, and joy. Why would we ever consider that the coming again of Christ in power and great glory would be anything else?
This Advent, you are invited to prepare your heart and mind for the Coming of Christ in the Power and Glory of Love. You see, whether Christ comes as a child or comes again at the end of time, Christ always comes in Love. May this season of Coming continue to bless you with God’s eternal Love.
The Rev. William D. Holly
Interim Priest, Saint Dunstan’s, Tulsa