Sunday
13th December
The Holy One is among you. The Lord is near. These words echo in each
passage for today. In them, there is the fulfillment of many promises, promises
going back to Abraham, and even to Adam, who walked in the garden in the cool
of the evening with God. And now again, God is coming near, God is abiding with
His people. This is the promise of Advent; this is miracle of Christmas: God
came near and was among us. How should we react? How should we respond to the
nearing presence of God?
Our readings suggest a few responses, each appropriate in the right
context and for the right reasons: (1) we rejoice, that is, we praise God for
His faithfulness, for the redemption the coming of God brings; (2) we
acknowledge and abide in the peace of God that comes with the presence of God;
and (3) we must change our ways to align with the character of God, who loves
mercy and upholds justice.
As we think about our context, our situation in Brussels today, how are
we being called to respond? How are you personally called to respond to the
coming near of God, to the Lord being at hand? Is it rejoicing in the fact that
the liberating love of God has set us free from sin and death? Is it abiding in
the knowledge of peace and so being freed from anxiety and from fear that seems
to plague modern society? Or you do also need to change some of attitudes and
actions -- knowing that God is coming near, why do we participate in systems of
greed and exploitation? How can we change?
May each of us this Advent know the coming near of God, the Holy One,
who is to be praised, whose peace is to be present, and who calls us to be more
like His Son, Christ Jesus. And may we respond with our whole selves: heart,
mind, soul and strength.
Jeremy Heuslein
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