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Advent 1 — Hope

The Good News Written

Jeremiah 33.14-16 (The Inclusive Bible, Priests for Equality)

“The days are surely coming, says [the Eternal], when I will bestow on Israel and Judah all the blessings I promised them. In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous branch from the line of David, who will bring justice and integrity to the land. In those days Judah will be safe and Jerusalem will be secure. They will call the land, ‘[The Great I AM] is our Justice.’”

Jan Richardson

“The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before. It is not possible to keep it from coming, because it will. That’s just how Advent works.”

Luke 21.25-28 (The Inclusive Bible, Priests for Equality)

“Signs will appear in the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish, distraught at the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the earth. The powers in the heavens will be shaken. After that, people will see the Chosen One coming on a cloud with great power and glory. When these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your ransom is near at hand.”

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, November 29, 2009.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, which is the first Season of the Christian Year. Advent means “coming” and is the liturgical preparation for the story of the coming of Jesus, which we will celebrate at Christmas. But Advent is more than remembering, it’s also an expression of hope for what still can be. We continue to wait and to work for the coming of the Christ Consciousness to be fully expressed through each of us so that we can have a world where no one is untouchable, no one is unlovable, and no one left in the margins. We await not only the coming of a little baby in story and in ritual, but also for the coming of the kin-dom of God where all that the baby represents will finally be made fully manifest in our world.

We’ve been waiting a long time. Jeremiah was waiting. Jeremiah was waiting for the day when everyone would know that God is, among other things, the desire for justice, equality, and opportunity for all people. Jeremiah longed for a day when everyone would say, “The Great I AM is our Justice.” The I AM in each of us still hopes for and calls us to work for justice and equality.

And Luke’s community, likewise, is waiting. Continue reading »