ADVENT CALLS

The ritual embraces an annual event. 'Prepare for His Coming' yet He has already Come. So what does that mean?
Why the ritualising this Coming which as the New Testament informs us is a total "Birth, Life, Story, Death, Resurrection and Ascension" event. The implication is that the Day of Resurrection is The Significant Day One for us and all humankind.

Two films on ABC TV tonight - 25th December raises personal and national questions to address. "Easy Virtue" based on a play by Noel Coward. The father who returned to the village after WW1 without the villagers who had signed up with him for the King's shilling but who had all died. He returned with a shattered view of the world. This was not the main plot but a stream of real experience which was not going to be addressed nor relieved ... except? The American woman's tragedy and the Love which dammed her even by her new husband brought these two people together.


Then the second film "Joyeux Noel" the western front in December 1914. Scottish, French and German soldiers. I have,
since learning of this story a number of years ago felt repulsed by the response to what happened at several points along the battle front that Christmas Eve. The response of the High Commands and the response of the Bishop.

There was a discussion on the way to our friends place for lunch on ABC Radio National about Handel's Messiah. More
appropriate for Easter, yet has become a common place for Christmas. This comes back to the earlier notion of what Advent might actually mean. Certainly Advent as presented shows an inordinate pre-occupation with Mary.

What have we done to this News of the One who has come ... yet we live as if ...... we have joined pagan notions of annual religious ceremonies which have a life of their own. We do not Live because of Christmas, we live because we have a Risen Saviour who is Messiah and Lord. Who now sits as the True Adam, The True Israel, the True New Man at the Right Hand of the Father.

FAITH and TRUST CHALLENGED

Do Not Worry

He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. LUKE 12:22 - 31

A wonderful passage and for me who wakes each morning with the knowledge that I will ! have three meals that day and more food in between. Yes, I can affirm these words. But suppose I was among the 75+ % of the world population without such an expectation? How would these words comfort me, rather would be an urgent test of faith. ... a desperate cry for this to happen.

Maybe like so much of the Gospel this is a word of judgement also. That even though there is sufficient food for all in the world, yes, even 6000000000 of us the great majority of the world goes hungry and remain permanently hungry.
Food is one matter of concern, money is another. When it is in short supply in a money economy like Australia how does one live by faith ... trusting in God and being satisfied, calm, free from fear.
What place depression in this Faith and Trust way of living? The perception of necessity must needs be reviewed as a matter of urgency. How shall we live in a world of false demands and necessity?

The General Confession of the Prayer Book notes ... and there is no health in us. This is an acknowledgment that as individuals and as community groups we have no answer to this wicked reality. And too often we have the temerity to blame the hungry for their predicament.
That statement by the Sudanese gentleman: I thank God, that my family is alive, that I have one meal a day and that my children can go to school ... is a rebuke as well as a powerful confession.

The Silversmiths of Ephesus and Christmas

The connection was made as Jocelyn and I reflect on a possible Christmas RE lesson at Brookfield for Primary 6 and 7.
Then into the equation came the story from UNICEF about the UK and the consumerist society. Following this was a comment
from Karen, our distinguished RE leader that Boxing day is the worst day in Australia for suicides.
How do folk claiming membership of the Kingdom of God and trustfully and obediently following Jesus the Messiah and true
King of All address this?
The story of the Silversmiths appears in Acts 19
23 About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, ‘Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.’
When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ The city was filled with the confusion; and people* rushed together to the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s travelling-companions. Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; even some officials of the province of Asia,* who were friendly to him, sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theatre. Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defence before the people. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ But when the town clerk had quietened the crowd, he said, ‘Citizens of Ephesus, who is there that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple-keeper of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven?* Since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. You have brought these men here who are neither temple-robbers nor blasphemers of our* goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one another. If there is anything further* you want to know, it must be settled in the regular assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.’ When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Then came the story from UNICEF
"Cycle of 'compulsive consumerism' leaves British family life in crisis, Unicef study finds British parents are trapping their children in a cycle of "compulsive consumerism" by showering them with toys and designer labels instead of spending quality time with them, a UN report has found."

Added to this is the financial commentary from retailers on the importance of Christmas for their balance sheets. There is a note of entrapment about this. Many people dependent for their livelihoods on this consumerist society but that was the confronting challenge for the Silversmiths of Ephesus.

Then follows a comment about Boxing Day suicides. We do not have to move to suicide before we note serious fault lines in society. The debt level significantly increased over this 'season'

What if? We followed the Kingdom story and Christians opted out of the consumerist society for the sake of this society and its children ?? Or should I write ... follow the Kingdom story rather than the consumerist society story which we ought to be doing anyway.

How then would we celebrate Christmas and how would we help those who are heading for suicidal conclusions to their lives?

What would Christmas celebration look like. ..The Promise is fulfilled … the Time is Now … The Messiah the Lord of All reigns and ….. actually there is little reference to the Birth of Jesus in the New Testament …. The main focus is on the Death .. Resurrection and Ascension of the Messiah.
Your Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven …. and so how should we live?