advent

Advent is one of my favorite times of year. I always enjoy the traditions we celebrate in church, relishing a time of anticipation and taking time to think about what expectant waiting really means.

Unfortunately, I have not yet found an evangelical church in Honduras that really embraces these traditions of advent that are so dear to me. I tried to explain it to my coworker and fellow church member and his eyes glazed over a little bit as I tried to explain an advent wreath. Oh well...at least I tried.

So this year and last I tried to make time in my own prayer life to focus on some advent reflections. My mom sent me a cool advent booklet of reflections by Henry Nouwen which I have been enjoying. I just wanted to share one passage in particular that really spoke to me.

 In the last days
   the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established
   as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
   and all nations will stream to it.
 Many peoples will come and say,
   “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
   to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
   so that we may walk in his paths.” Isaiah 2:2-3 

"As prayer leads us into the house of God and God's people, so action leads us back into the world to work there for reconciliation, unity and peace. Once we have come to know the truth we want to act truthfully and reveal to the world its true nature. All Christian action--whether it is visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or working for a more just and peaceful society--is a manifestation of the human solidarity revealed to us in the house of God.

It is not an anxious human effort to create a better world.
It is a confident expression of the truth that in Christ, death, evil, and destruction have been overcome.
It is not a fearful attempt to restore a broken order.
It is a joyful assertion that in Christ all order has already been restored.
It is not a nervous effort to bring divided people together,
but a celebration of an already established unity.

This action is not activism. An activist wants to heal, restore, redeem, and re-create, but those acting within the house of God point through their action to the healing, restoring, redeeming, and re-creating presence of God."

Good food for thought. May you be filled with a sense of joyful anticipation of the second coming of Jesus as we remember the first time the world witnessed Emmanuel in the flesh.

Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas :)