1st Sunday of Advent 29th November 2020
Mark 13: 24–37
‘But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’
Reflection:
As we look at the world today, it is surprising to know that the world for Mark’s audience was truly a mess, and there are certainly elements of similar messiness and despair in our own time. We don’t have to look far to see them. Leaving Covid aside for the minute, I have to wonder if the culprit of much of the unrest and dis-ease in our present day was/ is the tendency to seek out ideals and standards beyond what is easy to achieve. The ideal job. The ideal relationship. Ideal children and homes and holidays and more. I suspect this longing for ideals is rooted in the desire to improve, to be always prepared to see potential or a vision for how something could be better. This is instilled in our young people as they grow up… being on the best sports team, having the idyllic end of year high school celebration and so on. Television, media and internet especially all send messages- bigger is better. But this continual seeking more and better, seeking to find the ideal, undermines the reality with which we’ve been blessed. God has given us so much and yet we still strive for this illusive ‘ideal’.
Perhaps that’s one thing that Covid has done, Covid has certainly changed the world as we knew it. How we prioritise and value things in many ways has changed. In the mix of it all, the other differences that we now find ourselves facing, have in some ways been a positive for our society, families and communities. Instead of having to rush from one social engagement to another especially as Christmas approaches, life seems easier. I spoke with a lady only the other day who told me that she has so much more money now as she is not travelling, she is not having her ‘normal’ coffees and lunches with the ‘girls’. She has more time to garden and has planted vegies and herbs and is enjoying her own produce. I wonder if all the usual pre-Christmas plans and parties will be on hold or at least held to a lesser standard and size this year. Certainly, Christmas services in churches will be to a lesser scale as we work out not only what we can do but how we will accommodate people. I wonder if all the Christmas spending and need to buy, buy, buy will be reduced or if the stress on families already suffering financial pressures will be increased as parents try to compete with and match the gifts others are giving. I’m hoping that a lot of the things that were being done will be no longer seen as necessary or needed and that people will come back to simplicity and realistic ways to give and bless others.
as I prepared to write this sermon, these things came to mind as I read Mark’s “little apocalypse.” Because while often this passage is read and others like it as Jesus’ predictions of the end times and his return, I suggest that it can instead help us look at and understand the present with renewed energy to see the people and situations around us as gifts of God that we are called to love and care for.
Mark, isn’t pointing us to a future apocalypse but rather a present one, as Christ’s death and resurrection change absolutely everything. For once Jesus suffers all that the world and empire and death have to throw at him…and is raised to new life!…then nothing will ever be the same again. This message is for those in Mark’s time but also includes our present lives and situations. We would do well to remember that- nothing will ever be the same because of Jesus.
The church has been observing Advent since approx 480. When an order of monks were told to fast every day for the month of December, up until Christmas. Advent was a time of penitence and fasting.
It may for most Christians far more relaxed in our present day than when advent first began. Still the church has encouraged keeping Advent as a season of active and observant preparation for, rather than constant celebration of, Christmas.
Unfortunately for some too often the ‘keeping of Advent’ brings with it what some might consider pettiness such as arguments about whether or not to sing Christmas carols (with Covid restrictions, we may well not have that problem this year), but in some churches some people think we should have carols through our Advent preparation and others think no- we should not sing or have carols until Christmas day. Others in the church may have what they deem to be proper theological discussions about when to put a tree up in the sanctuary, or whether we should hear solemn sermons about remembering “the reason for the season.” Perhaps, however, we would do well in our preparing to be more concerned about trying to see where God is still entering into our lives in ways that are in line with God’s coming in the vulnerability of the manger and the cross. Jesus comes, that is, in a way that is accessible to us….very human… to meet us in our need and where we are. So the question: where God is still entering into our lives in ways that are in line with God’s coming in the vulnerability of the manger and the cross.
Last week we talked about when we care for and help others- we are caring for God himself. There is the promise that God regularly shows up in those places and persons we least expect God to be.
One of my favourite Theologians at the moment is David Lose- he says ‘recognize that God comes to us as we are. Not as the people we are trying to be or have promised to be or badly want to be, but he comes to us and meets us as we are. The families we are. The congregations we are. The communities we are. The nation and world that we are. Is there room for improvement in all these areas? Of course, but the best way to create energy to change is to offer the powerful word of blessing that who we are just now is, however imperfect, still beloved of God.’
In line with this, Mark’s Gospel offers an understanding of God’s commitment to enter into and redeem our lives and world. And in all of this Mark’s gospel may be guiding us towards being more aware and looking around at others with fresh eyes, new eyes. Eyes that see in the people around us – whether they be similar or different to us – eyes to see the gifts of God who, while as imperfect as we are, are nevertheless meant to be loved and treasured just as God loves and treasures them. You know there is so much we can learn. There is so much we can become more aware of and sensitive about in our words deeds and actions and how they affect and influence others. There is so much we can become aware of as to what is important in life and how we live- living as caring, compassionate people who are God’s love action. (Of cause, I appreciate that sometimes we are in difficult relationships within families or with problematic neighbours and no matter how hard we try we cannot change that.)
We are to be God’s love action.
We all will likely be tempted at times to take various idealised, perhaps unrealistic expectations of our family or church or even how Christmas celebrations will or should be as the standard by which to judge our actual families and congregations and Christmas liturgies. But these comparisons are often the root of much of the increased depression and disappointment associated with this time of year. So, remind each other that God loves us as we are, accepts us as we are, and redeems us as we are. Yes, we always have room for improvement. And yet at the exact same time we are enough – totally and completely enough – and deserve love and respect now, as do those around us.
Advent, means ‘Coming’. Jesus’ coming. And, we begin the church year by looking ahead to the promise of Jesus’ ‘second’ coming. Mark helps us to recognize that Jesus comes into our lives in many and varied ways – “about that day and hour no one knows” –Jesus comes in ways which correspond to the first coming in the helplessness of the manger and cross. Jesus comes, accepting, loving and refining. And so, may this advent be an advent that continues to reveal the lie of so many false ideals we’ve somehow been caught into and at the same time may we be encouraged to affirm and accept the people and communities we are, while we journey forward in faith to become the people God has called us to be.
This year let us have a ‘present-tense Advent,’ an Advent that directs our consideration to this very present moment, imperfect yet loved, flawed yet chosen. May we find this Advent to be the very time and moment in which God chooses to meet, love, and redeem us. Right Here and Right Now.
And therefore, what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” – Mark 13:37