I Wonder as I Wander

Been there! Done that! This year I decided not to waste any mental or emotional energy railing against the commercialism of Christmas. I'm so proud of myself; even walked through Sam's Club just before Halloween and barely flinched at row after row of blinking Santa’s and chirping, robotic carolers.

I don't care what Newt Gingrich said, you do remember Newt don't you? Our American culture stopped adhering to the principles of the Gospel long ago. And it wasn't some anonymous "they" who did it to us. We allowed ourselves to be co-opted. Long before the time of William Penn, who claimed that Philadelphia would be the promised "city on the hill," faith language had been misappropriated. We have to ask ourselves, not have we been misled, but have we been misleading?

We Christians claim to live our lives inside a very particular story. Part of the way we keep faith with that story, we say, is by living inside of an alternative calendar. Since that story is to become, in some sense, our own biography, the way we move about our days and the things we do along the way ought to at least appear to be counter-cultural. We say, that makes us different AND makes a difference. Really?

Liturgical time, the seasons of the church year, can serve as memory guides - not nostalgic musings, but time-pieces and road maps. Liturgical seasons can only work to: prick our memories; shape our attitudes; stir our emotions; influence our behaviors; and, touch our souls if we ask the right questions. So Advent is a time to ask ourselves two questions: What time is it, and Where are we?

The Gospel readings we'll hear at worship this Advent come from Luke. This evangelist's sense of time and place is keen. We'd do well to listen hard. The clear and simple fact is we already know everything we need to know.

What time is it? The time for God's coming is now. Hence the name Emmanuel - God is with us. What difference does that make? Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am. Whatever you do to the least of these, that you do unto me. I am with you always, unto the end of time. Really? No wonder Americans dream of white Christmases, roast chestnuts and shout Bah Humbug!

Where are we? We're awake. We're getting ready. We're expecting. We're taking the ax to the root of things to ensure good fruit. What difference does that make? We're the enterprise that helps the blind to see, the lame to walk, the lepers to be clean, the deaf to hear. We bring good news to the poor. AND, we're not afraid! Really? No wonder Americans can be convinced by the culture's preachers to drink poisoned Kool-Aid, or suit up for a ride on a space ship trailing a comet's wake.

Their time-pieces and road maps are all out of sync. How will they ever know? Who'll help them to wonder as they wander? Our keeping Advent can help to reset their time-pieces and reorient their maps.

When we invite people to come home to themselves in our presence, because our love and regard helps to bring out the best in them, we incarnate Emmanuel.

When people dislike our absence because they find promise in our nearness, we incarnate Emmanuel.

When our biography declares no greater love than the laying down of our lives, we incarnate Emmanuel.

As Jesus borns anew this year, let us proclaim and share what we remember and experience, '"Been there! Done that!"