Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.
(Rev. Henri J. M. Nouwen)
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
(Bob Dylan ©1964)
John the Baptist could have uttered those words - the times they are a-changin
Instead he tells everyone - Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
He calls everyone to repent.
"Repentance refers to far more than a simple being or saying one is sorry for past sins, far more than mere regret or remorse for such sins. It refers to a turning away from the past way of life and the inauguration of a new one, in this case, initialized by an act of baptism.” (Ben Witherington)
An inauguration of a new life - the times they are a-changin for all who received John’s baptism in the River Jordan. But it was more than that, the kingdom of God was coming and our lives needed to reflect that.
But John sees that some leaders of the people (Pharisees and Sadducees) are coming for his baptism but aren’t really interested in changing...
John is clear that one’s religious heritage will not save you. As the scholar Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. writes: “The Pharisees and Sadducees are warned not to imagine that the mere ritual of baptism will preserve them from God’s wrath. Rather they must do the good deeds that are appropriate to genuine repentance in view of the coming kingdom…Belonging to the children of Abraham will not protect those who refuse to repent and do good works...”
Today the Pharisees and Sadducees are us. John looks at us. His cry for repentance is to us.
Will we live into our baptism? – to see the changes God has wrought in our lives – to turn away from all that holds us from living that faithful life and to live into all such good works as God has prepared for us to walk in?
A chronically ill toddler could not always go along with her brother and sister on their various adventures. But at Christmas time, Mom and Dad assured her that she would get to meet Santa. For weeks the little girl spoke of nothing but her coming visit to Santa; Mom prayed for a Santa who would live up to her daughter’s expectations.
Finally, on one of the sick little girl’s better days, Mom decided to take the chance. In order to avoid lengthy lines, they arrived just as the mall was opening and Santa was settling into his big chair.
When the little girl saw him, she squealed, “Santa Claus!” and darted past the assistant elves toward Santa. The slightly startled Santa greeted her with a big smile and swept her into his ample lap. She snuggled in, stroked his beard and uttered in joyful awe, “Santa!” For several minutes, Santa and the little girl talked and laughed like two old friends, oblivious to the small crowd gathering to share in the magic of the moment.
The toddler’s mother stood nearby, her eyes filled with tears of joy. Just then, a man edged over to her and, to her surprise, she noticed that his eyes were as moist as hers. “Is that your little girl?” he asked quietly. The woman nodded. With a catch in his voice and quiet pride, the man said, “Santa is my son.” [Ruth Dalton, Catholic Digest.]
The coming of Christ invites all of us to become “Santa” or “St. Nick” to bring the joy and hope of this season into the lives of everyone. Taking on the role of gift giver is not confined to this season alone but to every season of every year. Playing Santa like the Santa in the story is much like our baptismal calling to becoming prophets of Christ like John the Baptist, bearing witness to God's presence in our own time and place, and changing our lives so that our lives match the good works that God call us to do in our lives.
Repent – says John, to which Bob Dylan would add…
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin’
And the first one now will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’ Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment