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

On this Fourth Sunday in Advent, the Epistle from Philippians 4:4-7 has a lighter tone. It exhorts us to rejoice, and it reminds us that "the Lord is at hand." Despite the serious human condition and its sinfulness, there is a true reason for joy and hope. Our joy and hope come from the peace that God offers through Jesus Christ.

The Gospel from St. John 1:19-28, like the one for last Sunday, is another Advent reference to the message of John the Baptist. When asked 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 points to the One coming after him, the One who is much greater. 

John the Baptist reminds us that the way for the Messiah or Christ must be prepared. Because the One who is to come is so great and so holy, we must take His coming into our lives very seriously. Our preparations for Him should be greater than our preparations for any ordinary human guest.

Preparation is necessary, especially in spiritual matters. Thus, a genuine appreciation of Christmas requires thoughtful reflection. A religious Christmas does not happen by accident. Spiritual preparation is usually needed for a meaningful celebration of Christ's birth. We need to reflect and pray about the redemption He brings. And we should also remember that Christ continues to come to us. He comes to us each day and each week in Word and in Sacrament. He offers us His grace, mercy, and peace.

Saint John the Baptist- 24 June- Luke 1:57-80

 The Nativity or Birth of St. John the Baptist is observed on June 24 June, six months before Christmas Eve. The Gospel from St. Luke 1 is about the birth and naming of John. It contains his father Zacharias' hymn, the Benedictus.  The significance of today's Gospel is nicely summarized in Cranmer's 1549 collect:

Almighty God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance; Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Advent IV- John 1:19-28

On the Fourth Sunday in Advent, the Gospel from St. John 1:19-28 is another reference to the preparatory message of John the Baptist. When the Jerusalem authorities send representatives to ask who he is, John refuses the usual titles. He only acknowledges 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. He is the reason for John's work of preparation, and He will bring the redemption that John's ministry only anticipates.

As Christians, we believe that the One whose way John prepared is Jesus, and we seek to prepare His way in our lives this week.  As Advent draws to a close, many people are busy with a variety of preparations for the Christmas holiday. Unfortunately, people often lose sight of the spiritual preparations needed to celebrate Christ's Nativity. Most of us need to pay more attention to prayer, to meditation on Scripture, and to renewed efforts to prepare room for Christ in our hearts and in our lives. As we get ready to celebrate Christ's first coming in humility, let us not get too distracted. Let us remember that Jesus Christ keeps coming to us. He calls us to repent of our sins and accept His grace, mercy, and peace. Without Him, all our celebrations are empty. With Him in our lives, there is true joy in simple things!

Pre-Lent: Septuagesima- Matthew 20

Contemporary Anglicans follow two or three different calendars in the weeks leading up to Lent. Some recent calendars have a longer Epiphany Season ending on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday with Transfiguration Sunday. Traditional Books of Common Prayer preserve the long-standing custom of a pre-Lenten season. 

From the sixth century until the 1960s, calendars in the Western Church called the third Sunday before Lent "Septuagesima," the Latin for "seventy." The traditional names for this Sunday and the following two seem to be based on a rough approximation of the number of days before Easter. Septuagesima is actually 63 days before Easter, Sexagesima (Latin "sixty") is 56 days before Easter, and Quinquagesima (Latin "fifty") is 49 days before Easter.

Whatever the origin of this practice, Pre-Lent might be called called "semi-penitential." These Sundays are not quite like Lent, but traditionally they have used somber-colored vestments and have omitted certain joyful praises such as the GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. In such ways, worshippers are reminded of a shift in emphasis, of a transition from the glorious celebrations of Christmas and Epiphany to serious reflections during Lent. In other words, this mini-season can help prepare for more serious devotional practices during Lent.

In looking over the BCP Epistle and Gospel for this day, one may be struck by a certain unexpected contrast. The Epistle from I Corinthians 9:24-27 stresses the need for self-discipline and moral effort; the Gospel from St. Matthew 20:1-16 stresses divine choice and free grace. There is a certain irony in these selections because many people associate themes of self-discipline and moral effort with the Synoptic Gospels while attributing the themes of divine choice and free grace to the epistles of St. Paul. Of course, in reality, the Scriptures as a whole teach both self-discipline and free grace.

In the Parable of the Workers from St. Matthew 20, our Lord warns us that the kingdom of heaven is not centered on our human efforts or accomplishments. All believers should acknowledge that Almighty God is sovereign, exalted above human understanding, free to do as He chooses, and gracious beyond measure. Any reward from Him is really a gift that is not earned, and He is free to bestow His gifts as He pleases. He does not owe us anything, not even an accounting of what He gives us or our fellow laborers.

As we enter into the season of Pre-Lent, we are called to be in spiritual training. We are asked to strive and work harder in divine service. Yet, even while we are expected to work, we must keep in mind that we remain dependent on grace. We must always be ready to accept with a thankful and humble attitude whatever God graciously offers us.

Easter Even or Holy Saturday- Matthew 27:57-66

This Saturday before Easter, called Easter Even in the Book of Common Prayer, has traditionally been a quiet day for Anglicans, a time of reflection and preparation. This fact is reflected in the Gospel for the day, Matthew 27:57-66. Jesus has been buried and descended to the dead. The disciples mourn. Wicked human beings are still plotting to contain the crucified Christ in the tomb by sending armed guards to watch. In the meantime, God is preparing to bring about an amazing victory over sin and death!

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 III- Matthew 11:2-15

The Gospel for the Third Sunday in Advent is from Matthew 11:2-15 (by the way, this year, the three-year lectionary has the same selection as the traditional lectionary). This passage shows John the Baptist in prison   He sends two of his followers to Jesus, and they ask if Jesus is the expected Messiah. We are not told why John asks. Perhaps he needs personal reassurance, and he probably also wants his disciples to encounter Jesus. 

In any case, Jesus replies with a two-fold proclamation. First, He points to the redemptive acts taking place in His own ministry, works that fulfill the Messianic prophecies. Secondly, He points to the purpose and value of the prophetic work of John the Baptist as the forerunner. Then, our Lord concludes with an exhortation to His hearers. Those who have ears should hear;  that is, they should be sensitive and perceptive about events. They should realize what God is doing in the ministry of John the Baptist and in the mystery of Jesus the Christ. May we also be sensitive and perceptive regarding God's redemptive work!

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 IV- John 1: 19-28

The Gospel from St. John 1:19-28 is a second Advent passage about John the Baptist. When questioned about his role, John only claims to be "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:3). He is one who makes the way ready for the Lord. 

This Gospel reminds us that the way for the Messiah or Christ must be prepared. Many people put great effort into the mundane preparation of the season, but they neglect the religious preparations. If we really wish to appreciate the meaning of Christmas, we should spend some special time on spirituality in the next week. We need to read Holy Scripture and pray. We also should meditate about our need for a Savior and the ways that He keeps coming to us. Such serious preparations can help us find true joy in the good news of the Incarnation.

Advent III- The Messenger- Matthew 11: 2-10

In traditional Books of Common Prayer, the Gospels for both the Third and Fourth Sundays in Advent deal with John the Baptist. For this Sunday, the emphasis is upon John as the messenger of the Lord (Matthew 11:2-10). In a sense, John the Baptist was the last of the Hebrew prophets, but he was also more than an average prophet. He was a special messenger sent to be the forerunner of the Messiah. He prepared the way by proclaiming a message of repentance, forgiveness and renewal.

Of course, John the Baptist was a unique figure in the history of salvation, but he was also an example for us. Although Jesus the Christ has come and accomplished His redemptive work, that work has to be applied to human lives again and again. As Christians, we are to continue being messengers of repentance, forgiveness and renewal. Advent is a season to remind us to continue John's preparatory work. In ways appropriate to our circumstances, each of us is called to apply the ancient message to our lives and to the lives of those around us. 

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 III- I Corinthians 4: 1-5; Matthew 11: 2-10

The Collect for the Third Sunday in Advent provides an interesting approach to the themes of the day and the season. It calls upon Christians to continue preparing the way of the Lord. As John did in his ministry at Christ's First Coming, we need to call others- and ourselves- to repent and to prepare hearts for Christ to come among us. Such preparation also looks ahead to Christ's Second Coming to judge the world. We continue to hope that through grace we will be an acceptable people, a people prepared anew each day for our Lord's holy presence.

The Epistle from I Corinthians 4:1-5 brings up the theme of Christian ministry. (This theme is especially appropriate because the Advent Ember Days occur this week.) All Christians are called to ministry or service for Christ, and all too often we forget this, at least in practical daily speech and behavior. Every person baptized has been set aside and transformed in the name of the Holy Trinity. This setting aside for service has a special application to the ordained ministry. The clergy are called to be "stewards of the mysteries of God." These mysteries emphasize the core of Christ's Gospel- from the Annunciation and Nativity to the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. And these mysteries become visible and immediate for us in the concrete sacred mysteries or sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist. So during this Advent, let us pray that all Christians, especially those ordained, may be constantly renewed by divine grace for God's service.

The Gospel from St. Matthew 11:2-10 considers the theme of Christ's Coming by referring to the ministry of John the Baptist. When the imprisoned John sends followers to clarify the mission of Jesus, our Lord responds by citing the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies (Isaiah 29:18, 35:5-6, 61:1). Our Lord also speaks of the work of John the Baptist as the Forerunner, the messenger who comes before the Lord to prepare His way (Malachi 3:1). Like John, may we prepare the way of the Lord, especially as Advent draws to a close.

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. 

Pre-Lent or the "Gesimas"

This year the Pre-Lenten season comes very quickly after Epiphany, and thus this mini-season really does fulfill its purpose of reminding us that Lent is approaching. This is the time to start thinking about our Lenten disciplines for this year. On what areas of our moral, devotional, and spiritual lives do we need to focus? What are some practical activities that can help us on our Christian journeys? How can we experience our faith more deeply?  How can we use the time between now and Holy Week to appreciate those days in a renewed way? Now is the time to begin contemplating such questions. Let us not wait till Ash Wednesday lest we give some automatic response based on previous years.

Advent

Over the years, I have written varied comments on Advent. There have been general posts on the background of the season and on particular days and scriptural passages. This time, I would like to focus on the general purpose of the season in Christian devotion.

Advent is above all a season of spiritual preparation as we contemplate the ways that Christ has come, keeps coming, and will finally come among His people. We should use Advent wisely to think about spiritual subjects such as sin, judgment, forgiveness, prophecies,  promises of redemption, and grace coming in the person of the Christ, the Anointed One of God.

As Christians, we need to be awake, watchful, and prayerful at all times. We should not allow moral failings, earthly worries, or spiritual lethargy to draw us away from spiritual readiness. Yet, given our fallen human nature, we do tend to become forgetful and lazy. So the Church has incorporated reminders in our worship. In general and personal confession, in corporate prayers, in sermons, in Holy Communion, and in private devotions, we are repeatedly called to wake up and persevere. And in two major seasons of the church year- Advent and Lent-, we have reminders to wake up, watch, and prepare for new encounters with God in Christ.

So Advent is intended to be a spiritual wake up call. It is not quite as somber as Lent, but neither is it a time for premature holiday celebration. As we meditate upon the Scriptures, we should not rush ahead to the Nativity stories. We should consider a variety of Old Testament passages about the fallen human condition and the need for redemption., about the longings and hopes of Israel, and about God's promises to save all penitent and faithful people. We should also consider the many passages in the New Testament which exhort us to be ready for Christ to come among us anew. During Advent as always, we are to await Him with vigilance and constant prayer. May we all think on such things in this season and be open to new manifestations of divine grace in our lives.