Sisters and Brothers,
As we enter the last calendar month of 2023 and at the same time, begin another liturgical year with God, we have good reason to look back and look forwards in our journey with God.
We have, every now and then, been called to reflect and to answer the question, “What is the state of the work of God?”. Of course, the question is really directed at our participation in the work of God. Have we been instruments working towards the reign of God in our lives, our homes, our congregations, our societies, and in God’s world? The actions that we have engaged in or refrained from doing, have these been guided by a willingness, a readiness to see righteousness, justice and peace have sway?
As we enter the season of Advent, and sing such affirmations as
“Kingdom of Christ for your coming we pray.
Hasten, O Father, the dawn of the day,
When this new song your creation shall sing,
Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King.” [VIP 56, 4th stanza]
are we truly focussed on giving glory to God through our support for and participation in those activities that help others to know God’s love in deeper ways? Advent is about presenting that hope we have in God- hope that pushes us to participate in bringing the good news of the gospel to others through word and action. This hope keeps us alive amid life-threatening situations. This hope reminds us that God has the last say. It is this hope that we express when we affirm that “Christ has died. Christ is risen., Christ will come again.” Yes, it says that the God who resurrected the Son from physical death, is still able to work wonders.
The Christian hope is that God, who came and conquered death in Jesus, holds the final victory towards which we move. In difficult times, in the most testing situations, we come to understand that God is all-sufficient for the trials we face. We can do this when we look back, because our remembering what God has done in times past is powerful. It makes us, like the hymnist, affirm:
“God’s love in times past forbids me to think
God will leave me at last, in trouble to sink,
When each Ebenezer I have in review
Confirms God’s good pleasure to help me right through.
[VIP 265, 3rd stanza]
So, as we look back and gain assurance, we can also look forward with confidence. The challenge to us is to also inspire confidence in the pain and conflict-ridden world around us. Yet this is precisely why the Son of God came into the human situation, to show who God is and what God can do.
It is Advent. Let s follow him into the light of God’s kingdom.
Yours in God’s service
Joan Delsol Meade