Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Advent begins, a period of making room for the Presence of God in our lives. There is a stillness, a joyful anticipation about this liturgical season. In the Christian tradition, Advent has been likened to a journey, a trip to Bethlehem, as if we were wise men and, having had some star, some illumination that convinced us that something stupendous has happened on this earth, we set out to follow that light wherever it leads.
No wonder Psalm 122, one of the “ascent psalms,” speaks about the joy of going up to Jerusalem along with all the tribes of the Lord, and hearing proclaimed from that holy city the word “Shalom”—“Peace be within you!” Isaiah (2:1-5) and Micah (4:1-3) proclaim the same thing: the wonderful invitation to climb the Lord’s mountain to get instruction in God’s ways. And what do they hear? --That there will be an end to war and amid all the violence of clashing armies and rival kings, the one God will stand secure, bring peace, and be worthy of our praise.
At this time of year, our Islamic brethren have just made the haaj to Mecca. More than two million people, dressed simply, obliterating external signs of wealth or class, are fulfilling one of Islam’s pillars, the visit to this holy place, a purifying journey, a chance to commune with God.
Advent also begins the frantic rush toward Christmas. Instead of a peaceful pilgrimage to the holy places, many of us in this country fight each other for merchandise at Black Friday prices. People get trampled; violence erupts; politeness is discarded; incivility reigns. For those in-store guards watching for theft on monitors, it must be a terrible scene that unfolds before them and a sorry commentary on what we humans can become. And the saddest part is that our economy needs to be fed with a huge amount of purchasing each year, and so merchants try to extend black Friday backwards from the day after Thanksgiving, even trying to rename that traditional day of giving thanks, ‘gray Thursday.’
Can you imagine Paul of Tarsus standing at the doors of a mall or a Wal-Mart saying, as he does in Romans 13:13-14: “Let us live honorably…not in quarreling and jealousy…make no provision for the desires of the flesh!” --Certainly ignored; probably trampled.
So what’s the point? Is it wrong to want to give gifts, to seek bargains, to make Christmas lists? I don’t know. We are caught up in a culture and an economic system that says: of course not. We are caught up in a crowd heading in one direction and are pushed along whether we dig in our heels or not. Maybe the best we can do is to heed Jesus’ words that we don’t know when God will come, will try to reach us, will take us to Himself. “Stay awake, therefore! You cannot know the day your Lord is coming” (Mt. 24:42). The experience of His Presence is the most precious gift we will ever receive.
Maybe in the midst of the frenetic activity before Christmas, we can carve out a little bit of time each day to read Psalm 122 and hear its message of peace. Shalom!
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