Just a word...Second Sunday of Advent...December 10, 2023
Looking for some comfort? Who isn’t these days? What with the unending war in the Middle East, in Ukraine and elsewhere, the human toll of these conflicts, the devastating violence in our own country, the polarization in our nation and in our church, not to mention our personal disappointments and losses...who wouldn’t be seeking comfort? Who among us hasn’t felt like they were wandering or lost, unsettled or confused at some time in their lives? We are a people in great need of comfort.
Our readings today give us prophets who speak God’s words to people such as ourselves; Isaiah, to the Israelites returning home after their exile; the second reading, to an audience of probable second century believers who were growing anxious that the Lord’s second coming was delayed; and finally, John the Baptist, to his followers, preaching repentance and laying the foundation for Jesus’ ministry. These prophets deliver the age-old message that Someone is coming; they console us with the promise that God has always shown us the way out...of the wilderness, the desert, the land of exile.
Words of comfort, yes, prophets do speak of a desert blooming and of the glory of the Lord being revealed; they evoke images of being cared for by a shepherd, and of a new heaven and a new earth. But here’s the rub...these comforting visions do not come without cost. They require something on our part. Advent, and her prophets, use words such as change, repentance, preparation, asking us to look for the Lord, and telling us that our watching and waiting might require us to change our direction, or our presuppositions, to see more clearly where the Lord can be found.
Whether we are seeking to be led out of a personal crisis, or to find a more creative direction in our lives; if we are asking to be shown the way to more responsible choices, more authentic service, or a deeper understanding...whatever our situation, it seems that the price of being ultimately comforted is to be first uncomfortable. Examining our lives and what motivates us, reflecting on our choices, decisions and relationships can be difficult. Soul-searching is not an easy task. But the Good News brought to us by today’s readings is that by facing our sorrows and our frustrations, by coming to grips with our short-comings and our disappointments, we are actually preparing ourselves, making ourselves ready, to recognize the presence of the One who is coming, the One who will lead us into that blooming desert, where we will find comfort. Comfort, give comfort to your people, O God.