First Sunday of Advent
Reading — Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
We begin again. Today is the First Sunday of Advent. Today is the first Sunday of our New Year.
In a conversation recorded by St. Matthew, Jesus took the disciples back to the time of Noah and the Ark. He encouraged them to be awake, to be ready for the challenges to come.
We are in challenging times, are we not? How are we making ready? How are we preparing?
As for ancient Noah, he built an ark. God said to Noah —
Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and
cover it inside and out with pitch…you shall come into the ark, you,
your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you…And of every
living thing of all flesh, you shall bring with you…And of every living
thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep
them alive with you; they shall be male and female…
Since “the earth is filled with violence”, the flood would cleanse it.
There are some who think it is time for people of faith to build arks so that when the violence explodes, they will be safe from harm until better times arrive. I have seen church buildings shaped like arks, and I have heard of congregations that do all they can to withdraw from the current world. Children are not enrolled in public schools. They form separate clubs, and gather as much as possible with like-minded people. Ark people – their mission is to separate and to survive.
Yet, look at our building here at All Saints. We are assembled as in a galley ship where all face in the same direction, as if to row together, facing East, facing the rising sun, facing the resurrected Son. We are to row, we are to work together, to move this vessel, this boat, forward. Even in rough times, in rough waters, we are to move forward in mission.
Our mission is to serve.
To love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength,
and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Our mission is to serve our God and serve our neighbors with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We row together. Our mission is to serve.
One additional thought as we enter this New Year. St. Paul in his letter to the congregation in Rome wrote —
…put on the armor of light…put on the Lord Jesus Christ…
As we pursue our mission of service, we indeed do need to put on “the armor of light” as Jesus put on “the armor of light” on his last evening with his disciples. St. John described it in this way —
Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour
had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his
own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. And during
supper…[he] rose… laid aside his garments, and girded himself with
a towel. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the
disciples’ feet with the towel with which he was girded… [Jesus said]
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet…I have given
you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
Our armor is a towel around the waist and a basin of water.
Our means is rowing together, each one doing her part.
Our mission is loving service.
We are not invited to huddle together in order to survive in tempestuous times.
We are invited to huddle together for a moment, and then to launch forward, rowing together into the wild waves on the mission of loving service, partners with the one who wrapped a towel around his waist, the one who lovingly served.
Amen
