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“Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” ~~~ Mark 13:33 (NRSV)
Jesus repeatedly admonished his followers to remain alert, to stay vigilant, and to keep awake. But we don’t need to spend our lives looking up at the sky watching for Jesus to come back. That’s how the disciples stood after Jesus ascended to heaven, and the angels said to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” We don’t need to worry about when Jesus will come back. No amount of watchfulness will bring him back any quicker. What then is our watchfulness for?
Jesus repeatedly admonished his followers to remain alert, to stay vigilant, and to keep awake. But we don’t need to spend our lives looking up at the sky watching for Jesus to come back. That’s how the disciples stood after Jesus ascended to heaven, and the angels said to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” We don’t need to worry about when Jesus will come back. No amount of watchfulness will bring him back any quicker. What then is our watchfulness for?
Firstly we are to watch for opportunities to be a witness to the world around us. Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” And Colossians 4:5-6 states, “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.”
Secondly we are to watch for opportunities to meet the needs of others. Titus 3:1 reminds us to, “Be ready for every good work.” And Galatians 6:10 encourages us, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all.”
Our watchfulness is not to be passive, but active. We are to remain alert to how our witness appears to others. We are to stay vigilant to meet the needs of those around us. We are to keep awake to do God’s will until the return of our Lord.
Prayer for Advent Peace (based on Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): As I pray, I will let go of one fear or anxiety I have and place it in Emmanuel’s care. Amen.
Gabe H., Aptos United Methodist Church
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” ~~~ Isaiah 40:31
Hanging On To The Past
It is fun to reminisce about the past. We can fantasize about how things used to be (forgetting the problems) and wonder why things can’t be like that now.
This picture is a castle in Wales that belonged to one if my ancestors. It was destroyed after my ancestor killed the King (not a wise thing to do!).
I can think about what it would be like if we still owned a Welsh Castle. It’s located in a beautiful countryside and I can spend hours thinking about “what if…”. In reality those visions can interfere with the gifts of the present. God meets us in the now and invites us to live this day in God’s Presence.
The anticipation of Jesus’ birth reminds us to let go of the past, the joys and problems, and by the Grace of God grab hold of today and eagerly face the future that God is opening for us.
Prayer for Advent Peace (based on Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): In my praying this day, I will think about the Messengers of Light in my life and write a note of gratitude to one of them. Amen.
Clyde V., Boulder Creek United Methodist Church
“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” ~~~ Isaiah 41:13
The most difficult thing about this pandemic is having to stay away from the people I love the most. My grandmother is and continues to be a huge part of my life even though I have not physically seen her in the past six months. I miss her hugs and kisses so much. However, with her being in the vulnerable category I cannot put her health at risk. I am thankful to God that she is healthy and that I can call her up any time I want. Hearing her loving voice makes me happy and for that moment it’s as if I can feel her embrace me. I know it’s God’s way of saying “Do not fear; I will help you.” And indeed he has.
Please stay safe. Be thankful. And don’t forget to count your blessings!
Prayer for Advent Peace (based on Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): I pray that I will seek the consoling embrace of Christ in the difficult parts of my life. Amen.
Hilda A., Watsonville First United Methodist Church
“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ~~~ Luke 2:12
The message of the angels to the startled shepherds was simple enough…”you shall find a child…”
All the possibilities of our full humanity are in each newborn infant…”the hopes and fears of all our years.”
And once we have found that baby, we must never stray from protecting, loving, nurturing, following…wherever the love of that child that may lead.
Prayer for Advent Peace (Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): I pray that I will search my heart for peace, and dislodge the inner tyrants that reside in me, opening myself up fully to you, O God! Amen.
Darrell & Karen D. and all our children, United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the who was lying in the manger. ~~~ Luke 2:15-16, New International Version
When I was young, we lived in several parts of the country. Most holidays would be marked with a family gathering and shared meal. Whatever relatives were nearby and available were part of those events, and the role of host home was rotated among all.
But Christmas was different. Christmas morning was a time for my sister and I to be with our parents. We’d play Christmas carols on the record player, stay in our pajamas most of the morning, try out new toys, and enjoy the sparkly “icicles” and lights on the tree. Later, dinner would be a special meal prepared by both Mom and Dad. Regardless of where we were living at the time, the time together made it special.
As in the original Christmas story, when Mary and Joseph celebrated the birth of Jesus in their makeshift home, the specific location of the home was less important than being together.
Prayer for Advent Hope (Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): Help me to sit quietly in hope, and to close my eyes to create space to entrust myself to you, O God. Amen.
Wanda G., Morgan Hill United Methodist Church
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.” ~~~ Matthew 2:1-2
Have you driven through a long and dark tunnel? I do not like tunnels, because the darkness makes me scared. I often hold hands with others in the darkness. When I visited the Zion National Park, I needed to drive through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. There is no light in the tunnel, like the above photo. I could not take the photo very well. You might feel how scared I was via this unfocused photo. All I could rely on was holding my wife’s hands and the front car lights that my vehicle projected. It felt like more than a half hour to drive, but there was an end of the tunnel.
This reminds me of the journey of the wise men from the East. They moved at night, because they followed the star. To see the star well, ironically, they needed the darkness. We cannot see the stars during the day, as it is so bright. They might be afraid of the moving at night, or the journey of the foreign country. However, three wise men moved bravely together for this journey of uncertainty. They followed the star with a hope to see the child, even though they had a lot of unknowns. As we all know, at the end, the wise men celebrated the birth of Jesus.
We do not know exactly when this pandemic will end. However, for this journey of the unknown, we can be together bravely like the wise men. We can be together even more smartly via smart devices, unlike the wise men. They were wise, and we are smart as well as wise! Furthermore, we can still follow the star, the light of Christ, which gives us hope and love. At the end of this darkness, we will celebrate together with joy when we meet each other face-to-face!
Prayer for Advent Hope (Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): I will bring into my prayer and my heart, hope, for someone who is hurting right now. Amen.
Hwapyoung K., Gilroy United Methodist Church
“Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.” – Luke 2:8
GREAT EXPECTATIONS – ADVENT 2020
In 2020 it’s helpful for me to remember that all of us human beings have been living with our pandemic, COVID-19. For this I am truly grateful. It is a great leveling. In every land on this earth, the reality of our mortality has taken center stage. For me this has been a very humbling experience.
In March 2020 when it became clear to me that our viral reality wasn’t “going away” anytime soon, I decided to read one of the gigantic novels by Charles Dickens that have been languishing on my bookshelf: “Great Expectations.” Happily, I was completely unfamiliar with the story. Unhappily I wrestled for months with the trials and tribulations of “Pip” until at last I finished page 500 of the book and… the pandemic was still here. And so was I.
Turning my heart and mind toward Advent now is a great relief. We enjoy keeping watch over our little flock of two dogs (Lily is new to us, Benji is the “old guard”); as they keep watch over us. We await the coming of Christ the King with joyful anticipation. “Let every heart prepare Him room.”
Prayer for Advent Hope (Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): Gracious God, help us to look with the hopeful eyes of Christ on one person or situation that causes us distress. Amen.
Fr. Joseph J., TOCCUSA, UMC Santa Cruz, California