Advent I/St. Andrew the Apostle- Matthew 21

This Sunday, November 30, is both the Feast of St. Andrew and the First Sunday in Advent. Andrew first brought his brother Simon Peter to see Jesus, and they began to follow Him together. Advent I begins a new church year and the season of preparation for Christmas. Since the fourth century, Advent, a word derived from the Latin word "coming," has been a time to emphasize the theme of Christ's coming into the world.

At first glance, the Gospel selection from Matthew 21:1-13, a Palm Sunday reading, may seem strange. Yet, when read at this time of the church year, the account is primarily a reminder of the varied ways that Jesus Christ comes into human lives. Christ, the Messianic King, came into the world long ago. He keeps coming to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in Word, Sacrament, and prayer, and Christ will come again to conclude earthly history on the last day. 

As Matthew 21 shows, Jesus comes humbly and peaceably as our rightful ruler who does not have to prove Himself. Yet, even when He comes in this simple and peaceful way, He automatically brings rebuke and judgment upon human corruption. Such human corruption perverted the purposes of the Jerusalem Temple and still corrupts the Church in this world. So, as our Lord purified the Temple, so also He must purify His Church repeatedly. Both the institution and individual Christians need to be cleansed and renewed. As we begin our Advent preparations for the great Christmas festival, let us also examine our souls. Only through spiritual self-examination, repentance, and renewal in faith can we truly develop an appreciation for the good news that Christ's coming brings.

The Feast of the Annunciation (transferred)- Luke 1

 The 25th of March fell during Holy Week this year, and traditional liturgical practice confines Holy Week to commemorating the Passion and Easter Week to celebrating the Resurrection. Thus, the feast of the Annunciation is transferred to Monday,  April 8. This is indicated on the list of precedence in the Book of Common Prayer and on other calendars

The observance of the Annunciation is based on the story of Gabriel's visit to the Virgin Mary in the Gospel from St. Luke 1:26 ff. On this day, we are reminded of the connection between the Incarnation of Christ and His Passion and Resurrection. The complete story of Jesus Christ has a unified redemptive purpose, and the collect for the day sums up this unity in a beautiful way. Commemorating Christ's first coming is also a reminder to us that we should always live in expectation and preparation for His second coming in glory.

Thursday before Easter, commonly called Maundy Thursday- I Corinthians 11

 The Thursday before Easter has several associations in the New Testament and has had other associations in church history. For most Christians, the central point is the institution of the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, or Eucharist. The Epistle from I Corinthians 11: 23-26 highlights the basic acts and meaning of this event. By sharing in this Holy Sacrament, we show forth the Lord's death till He comes again, and we share in His body and His blood given to save us. We commune with Christ and with fellow believers.

The 1928 Book of Common Prayer added a collect of the day based on phrases from Scripture and other parts of the Prayer Book:

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, did institute the Sacrament of his Body and Blood; Mercifully grant that we may thankfully receive the same in remembrance of him, who in these holy mysteries giveth us a pledge of life eternal; the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

This prayer is both a succinct reminder of the important nature of Holy Communion and a prayerful request that we may approach and receive the Sacrament with appropriate attitudes. This central act of Christian worship is more than a dead memory of a night long ago. It is a living participation in the Body and Blood of Christ (I Corinthians 10:16-17), and it is a foretaste of eternal life in His heavenly kingdom. We should be thoughtful and seek to appreciate the Sacrament with our best human understanding. Nevertheless, we should always be aware that these "holy mysteries" transcend particular human thoughts and theologies. Whatever our theories, it is the Lord Jesus who still comes to be with us and to offer us His grace. He does so in these mysteries that He established. He is the Savior who gave Himself for us long ago and who will come again in glory  Thanks be to God!

Advent IV- John 1:19-28; Philippians 4:4-5

The Fourth Sunday in Advent brings a heightened sense of anticipation as we enter the final week of preparations for the celebration of Christ's Birth. In Philippians 4:4-5, St. Paul exhorts believers to rejoice and live virtuous lives because "The Lord is at hand." Our Lord Jesus Christ is always near in several ways, but we have a special awareness of His coming when we celebrate His Incarnation.

The Gospel from John 1:19-28 focuses on John the Baptist's preparatory work for the Messiah or Christ. The prophet John in the wilderness is the forerunner who prepares the way by calling people to repentance, cleansing, and hope in the anticipated redeemer. Besides calling the people of first-century Palestine, John the Baptist still calls us to prepare for Christ to come anew into our lives.

In our time, people often seem to find it difficult to prepare for Christmas in a spiritual way. There are so many distractions from everyday life and from secular holiday madness. At times, even Advent devotions or plans for reading Scripture may become just another December task. However, we do need to pause. reflect, and be more open to Christ to come into our lives again and again. So whatever else we are doing, let us find some moments throughout the day to ask Jesus to have mercy and come among us!

Advent I- Romans 13: 8-14

 Many people know that the word Advent is derived from a Latin root that means "to come." The collect and readings for the First Sunday in Advent share the Advent theme of the coming kingdom. Each selection develops this theme in a slightly different way.

In the Epistle from Romans 13:8-14, the Apostle Paul speaks of the law of love, and he relates loving behavior among believers to the approaching day of the Lord when Christ shall judge all people. Since time marches on toward the end of personal earthly life and the end of human history, believers should be ready always. We should live our lives pursuing all that is spiritually and morally good. And Advent is a special time to emphasize our preparations to meet Christ, in our present life, at the time of death, and at the end of history.

Advent I- Romans 13: 8-14

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Advent season, a time for reflection upon the theme of Christ coming into the world- past, present and future. Advent is also a time of spiritual and moral preparation. Believers are called to renew their commitment to live in ways that embody their faith. Such a renewal of commitment is stressed by St. Paul in the Epistle from Romans 13:8-14. 

After reviewing the general moral law, the Apostle makes two points in practical spirituality. 1) "...now it is high time to awake out of sleep" (Rom. 13:11). Christians must avoid the natural human tendency to sink into spiritual torpor. We must wake up and remain vigilant.  2) "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light" (Rom. 13:12). Knowing that earthly history is moving toward the culmination of divine plans, Christians must constantly cast off sinful tendencies and put on the good qualities that God the Father gives us through Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. We must seek light and life through Christ in each day given to us. If we apply these principles of spirituality, Advent can be a valuable time for Christian growth, not just a time of waiting for a holiday.

Advent IV- Philippians 4: 4-7; John 1: 19-28

The Fourth Sunday in Advent continues the theme of Christ's coming. The Collect asks the Lord to "come among us." It keeps up the penitential emphasis of the season by praying that He overcome our sins, and that He help and deliver us by His grace and mercy.

The Epistle from Philippians 4:4-7 has a somewhat lighter tone because of the exhortation to rejoice, but still reminds us that "the Lord is at hand." When we think of the coming of Christ, we must first recall our need to repent. The human condition is serious, but we do have a true reason to rejoice. Despite our sinfulness, we have hope because of the peace that God brings through Christ.

The Gospel from St. John 1:19-28 is another Advent reference to the message of John the Baptist. When the Jerusalem authorities send representatives to ask who he is, John refuses the usual titles. He will only admit to being "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (John 1:23 ; Isaiah 40:3). He makes the way ready for the Lord; he baptizes with water to represent repentance and cleansing from sin. But the One coming after John is much greater. 

This Gospel puts a brake on our rush to celebration. John the Baptist reminds us that the way for the Christ must be prepared. The One who is to come is greater than even the greatest human prophet. So let us use the last days of Advent for spiritual preparations. Let us focus on prayer, meditation on Scripture and renewed efforts to run the race set before us. As we get ready to celebrate Christ's first coming in humility, let us also remember that He keeps coming to us. Because He is holy, He naturally brings judgment upon our sin, but even more importantly, He offers us grace, mercy and peace.

Advent 2018

Lately, I have been preoccupied with family and other matters and have not been posting. I have still been reading, praying the office, participating in different capacities at the Eucharist, and teaching a weekly Bible study. In some ways, such reduced activities have increased the meaning of Advent as a season of waiting and preparation for the various ways Christ has come, keeps coming and will come again.

In this context, the BCP Advent seasonal collect (Advent I) seems more appropriate than ever:

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen. 

First Sunday in Advent

The theme of this First Sunday in Advent is based upon the Latin word adventus, "coming, arrival, approach." The collect, epistle and gospel selection all reflect this theme in different ways, and throughout this season of spiritual preparation for Christmas, we focus on the various ways Christ comes to us. We think of the prophets who prepared the Hebrew people for His first coming. We also look to His second and final coming to complete earthly history and render judgment. And we think of His various comings into our lives.

Today's Epistle from Romans 13 ties together some of this ways that Christ comes to us. In Romans 13:11-12, the Apostle Paul writes, "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."

Earthly history and human life move on. So the time of salvation for the faithful keeps drawing closer. Anticipation of Christ's final coming means that we must wake up in a spiritual sense. We must cast off our old fallen dark ways and put on the gracious goodness already offered by Christ, the armor of light. Or as Romans 13:14 says, "...put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ...."

Putting on Christ is another way of speaking of allowing Christ to come in, permeate and cover our moral and spiritual lives. The only way for us to prepare for Christ's final coming is to have Him already have come into our hearts, minds and souls many times to transform us into His likeness. Advent is a time on the church calendar when we try to be more aware of our need to have Christ come into our lives in a more profound manner, a time to rouse ourselves from spiritual lethargy and allow Christ to clothe us with His presence in new and deeper ways.