The First Sunday of Advent

Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” — Luke 21:25–26

For those who have been around the Church or are at all familiar with the scriptures will recognize language such as that found in the quote above. This is our text for this coming Sunday—the first Sunday of Advent. We recognize this language as apocalyptic… and it is placed here in the lectionary for the first Sunday of the Christian year as a gesture for all of us to consider the meaning and significance of those words we say each and and ever week in the Creed—he will come again to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

A consideration of the End at the beginning? How strange? Or is it? Why do we do this year in and year out? And in light of this “End”, what are we exhorted to do? The answer may be more simple than you think. It doesn’t require underground bunkers, the stockpiling of weapons and food, the purchasing of silver or gold, or anything of that sort! Rather, Jesus exhorts his followers to do something that they were probably already predisposed to do… to be alert in order to pray. Whether in the garden of Gethsemane or in light of the coming End, Jesus seems to have counseled prayer. This Sunday, I hope to suggest why that may be so. See you then! Peace.