Sensing—knowing—believing—you can choose your own adventure here– that the divine is not away from us, not on some far-off horizon, but in the very perimeter of our own body’s warmth and breath, comforts and disturbs.
Whatever their social or emotional or partisan track, I recognize these postcards from the edge of a new political season will not be entirely untrue. Yet, I also know those posts will not tell the whole story…
Sharing in the eternity of the Eucharistic table, we stand and kneel with all those who have done the same before us and alongside us – we ‘actualize’ the past in a way that opens new possibilities in our present.
At the turn of the calendar year, we start a new church season, too. How will you make the journey into 2025? What will you remember and where will you find hope? Seeking the star, the magi remind us that all are invited to follow the star in faith and the journey will change each of us.
From the one who was before time and will be beyond time, God is present here, now, in this room and outside in the traffic, and waiting for the bus, because that is the God who authors our Great Story—the one tale our hearts long to hear as many times as we can stand, schmaltz aside—the story that love, indeed, is everywhere, because God, indeed, is now part of this strange human existence.
We can still claim our share in her resilience – a defiant optimism, a hope like steel – when she sings from her throne: ‘Well, something’s lost, but something’s gained, in living every day’
The mystery of Christ among us—Emmanuel with us—Jesus born here and now—is only real if we believe that the incarnation—the fleshiness of God—is real and found in every unexpected place.
By confronting the darkness, we are set free from the delusion that we humans can extricate ourselves from the sin that enslaves us. Indeed, a clear-eyed look into the darkness reveals this undeniable truth: our world stands in need of judgement. But my beloved, the good news of Advent is that God does not leave us mired in our sin. Our deliverance is at hand! God’s rescue operation is underway! The Just and Righteous Judge has come and will come again to set things right.
When we make straight Christ’s paths, we set ourselves on the high road of mercy, peace, and love – and we call all people to the same, to join us there.
Jesus is speaking not to scare the disciples into believing but to remind them that even in the darkest of times, God is there.
