Hear the words of the Collect for the Second Sunday before Advent:

          “Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen”

          “Be alert”, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ tells us in this morning’s gospel lesson. Good advice, as there are now only 16 shopping days until Christmas. Being alert will give us the edge to make this the best Christmas ever. Being alert will allow us to hunt out and sneak into the only vacant parking space in the entire parking lot. Being alert will keep us from missing that last minute sale at Target and help us grab the last “Barbieland Pink Passport Doll” off the shelf before other frantic shoppers even realize that it’s still there.

          Yes, be alert…be alert, so that we won’t be caught off guard in the busyness and distraction of the holiday season. Be alert, so we can get all our shopping done, with time left to catch our breath before Christmas Day.

          But wait…into our shopping interrupts the Word of the Lord: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear…And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27) This definitely doesn’t sound like a “midnight madness special.”

          As we begin a new church year, we hear the promises of Our Lord’s coming. The expectation that we feel in these days before Christmas shouldn’t be caused because we’re excited that Santa Claus is coming, but because, rather, our Saviour is coming. In the midst of uncertain events going on in the heavens and on the earth, we hear the promise that the Son of Man is on His way.

          He calls to us from the future and assures us, “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” (Luke 21:29-31) We can have hope in these uncertain times, because they are signs that cause us to hope, not to despair.

          Christ tells us that we can have hope in the midst of difficult times. The signs seem to be all around us: wars, uncertain financial times, and natural disasters; people distraught by the events that are happening around them. With all this going on, people often feel that they have no control in their lives, no way to steer their ship out of the rocky shoal and into the safety of the harbor. Our Lord tells us that we can stand firm and hold up our heads.

          Yes, there are signs around us, but they don’t need to make us fearful, as they might make other people fearful. The signs lead, not to the end, but to the beginning. The signs lead, not to destruction, but to wholeness. Almighty God’s salvation is at hand…we must stand firm in the Lord.

          It’s like going into surgery. It’s difficult to prepare for, difficult for the body to go through, and can be difficult to recover from. Certainly not a pleasant thing, not something that you’d choose to do just for fun, or because you’ve got an extra wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket. The goal of surgery is not to make a person feel worse, but to make them feel better…to fix what’s wrong.

          The signs that are happening around us are not supposed to make us lose heart, but to be strengthened in our walk of faith. In the midst of the heavens and earth being shaken, we can rejoice in the Lord.

          We endure these times, as unpleasant and downright atrocious as they may be, because we have a Father who will see us through. God the Father will not abandon us in the midst of the roaring of the sea but, as Scripture states, will be “coming with power and great glory.”

          We can endure these times, because we don’t endure them alone. We can stand firm in the midst of the signs, because our salvation is at hand. Jesus Christ encourages us to be alert…He tells us “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)

          “Be alert” is more than just looking out for last minute sales, more than just grabbing that last Barbieland Passport Doll off the shelf, more than getting that coveted parking space.

          “Be alert” means looking…looking for Almighty God’s peace in the quiet moments of a frantically busy holiday season, looking for His love in the eyes of a stranger, looking for opportunities to show others that all is not lost in this sorry world.

          Advent is a time of celebration; a time of anticipation. We await our Lord’s coming with the excitement of a child on Christmas Eve night. But the joy that we experience, the anticipation that we feel, comes not just from the time spent with our family or the opening of our presents. It doesn’t even come from the glow of the candles as we sing “Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright…”

          The joy of Advent comes, not just in the birth of a baby, but in that baby’s return. The coming of the babe of Bethlehem, for all its miraculous grace, is but a hint, a suggestion of the Second Advent when this same Jesus Christ, now risen from the tomb, will return to claim the world that is His.

          In this season, we look forward to the end of time, when He will come again; when we’ll spend eternity with Him. The joy of Christmas morning can’t begin to compare to the joy of an eternity with our Lord and Savior.

          Advent is a chance for us to look forward, to see the world not for what it is, but for what it can be. Advent is a call for us to see the “signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars…the distress among nations,” and, instead of being afraid, to stand up and raise our heads. We, as the people of God, can see Him at work in unlikely places, because our redemption is drawing near.

          As the people of God, we look forward through worship. Our liturgy is filled with images that speak of the promises foreshadowed in Scripture:  “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord most High.”

“O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, Grant us Thy peace.”

“…that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of the Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom.”

          In the words and actions of our worship, we proclaim that Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death reigns in our lives. The challenges and obstacles that threaten to upset, to wreck our lives have no power over us.

          As we gather around the Lord’s table this morning for Holy Communion, we are looking forward. As we consume the bread and wine, we proclaim a day when we will eat at the feast of victory with Christ Himself. We receive the strength of Our Lord, and we are assured that He is guiding us through all our days, walking with us through the good times and supporting us in the difficult times.

          We come together here to receive the body and blood of Christ our Lord, and we are sent out, we are tasked to bring His words of redemption to the world. As we go forth in service, we are looking forward. When we serve those in need, we can see Christ in others.

          We look forward when we seek to do good for others in this holiday season, not simply finishing our Christmas shopping lists. We look forward when we expand the generosity of the holiday season.

          So much of the joy we feel in this season comes from giving: sharing presents with family and friends. When we expand the giving, we look forward into God’s future. Does our Christmas shopping list include the church, or those less fortunate, or those left alone in life, or a worthwhile charity? If so, then good…then we’re looking forward and witnessing to God’s future.

          When we give of ourselves so that other people may know the joys of Christmas, we are looking forward, offering others a glimpse of Almighty God’s glorious salvation. Christ promises that, in the midst of uncertain times, we can stand confident in His promises…the promises of  our Lord and Savior…promises which declare that Almighty God’s salvation is truly at hand and is truly ours.

Amen,

The Rev. Deacon Timothy Fleming