Friends, I am writing this as we prepare as a community for several important events. Many are spending time with friends and family, enjoying a satisfying meal, and giving thanks for the many blessings of this life.
Beginning on Saturday, we will start the process of saying good-bye to three members of this parish who have enriched and enlivened our community in different ways. There are not enough words to say thank you to all of you who have stepped up to help with the preparation of these liturgies, the care of the families involved, and the offerings of food, labor, and time given. It is a remarkable testimony of the strength of this community to see people coming together and offering their support to the families at such a sad time.
In the midst of all this, the season of Advent begins on December 1, and so I would ask you to stop and take some time to reflect upon your expectation of Advent this year.
Let us not rush on in to the joy of Christmas. These past few weeks have reminded me that first we must walk through our grief, our anger, our sadness at the way the world is, in order to feel hope and expectant joy for the kingdom that we hope is to come.
In other words, this Advent, take some time to ask yourself: what matters most to you right now, and does your life reflect that?
It is estimated that an adult makes an average of 35,000 somewhat conscious decisions a day. That is a lot of choices. That is a whole lot of energy. Choices can be liberating, or choices can be overwhelming.
Being a disciple of Jesus means you have the choice to live your life asking what matters most, and making choices so your life reflects the hope and promise of the love of God. What matters most is the life we have been given, the new life that is promised to us through resurrection, and the relationships and community we cultivate to share Jesus’ love with others.
Advent allows us to experience the gap between the world as it is, and the promise of the new life of God’s kingdom to come. It is a promise of a world with no more pain, no more sorrows, where swords are beaten into ploughs, and the world is at peace.
What matters most?