Are you shouldering some difficulties these days that get you questioning some things? Is hope a little hard to hold on to? Does Jesus’ work in the world and in our lives seems way too ordinary, a bit underwhelming and perhaps even disappointing? In this season of Advent Mike Boucher encourages us to be more patient with people and less patient with the systems that harm people and the planet.
Homily Transcript
I was at a party recently where I got to
catch up with a friend named Sue and she was talking about Advent in their
household. She said that their family
recently lost baby Jesus from the manger.
She went on to say, “Well, we lost the real one a long time ago, but we
were using one of those Guatemalan worry dolls instead. Somehow the worry doll is now missing and so my
son put a post-it note with a drawn picture of Jesus in the manger”. She said that ‘this feels like a metaphor for
our faith life these days…”
A lot of us can probably relate. Our lives may feel like Jesus got lost
somewhere along the way and we can’t quite find him. Now our faith life is a post-it note with
scribbles.
If this feels familiar, then I am here to tell you
that you are in the right place and in the right church season! Advent celebrates those who feel lost,
confused, searching and in need of some good news.
I have been really aware lately how much people are going
through these days – and especially at this time of year. Even people who may not look like they’re
going through things are going through things.
Whether it’s our own health, caring for a loved one, worrying about
children, facing loneliness or loss, strained relationships, financial worries,
unemployment…the list goes on.
Doesn’t mean good things aren’t happening, but I have found a
lot of heaviness out there.
I saw a meme posted by friend that said, “I hate it when
people ask me, “Are you ready for Christmas?
No, Susan, I’m not even ready for today…”
I was at a gathering of some colleagues the other day and we
went around the table and just said one word to the question, “How are
you?” Tired, overwhelmed, depleted, overworked,
tired, I don’t even know….
Not sure what category you’re in these days, and it’s
perfectly fine if you’re doing great.
But I know that a lot of people are not.
And this may get us wondering some things about God. It may negatively impact our
perspective. It might discourage us.
Pain and suffering do that.
They get us doubting and second guessing. Have you ever had insomnia? Or worries that kept you up? Or physical pain that lasted through the
night? These things mess with our minds.
I’m guessing John the Baptist in today’s gospel can relate.
John, who is known for his confidence
and his fire and passion is in a very different position today. John has been in prison. It is likely that life has beaten him down a
bit and put some doubts in his head.
Somehow John had been staying
up-to-date on Jesus’ comings and goings and was probably encouraged by what he
heard. But as far as we know, John was a
revolutionary and likely expected that God’s coming would mean big changes in
society.
But the big changes hadn’t come. Just Jesus healing a limited number of fringe
people. So John sends messengers to ask
Jesus if he’s the one, because these initial reports – while encouraging –
surely couldn’t be the whole thing, right? The revolution was around the
corner, isn’t it?
One of my favorite theologians and preachers, Barbara
Brown Taylor, says we don’t know for sure what was going through his head,
but it is likely he was expecting more from his cousin. And Jesus probably knew this because at the
end of what he tells John’s disciples he says “blessed is the one who has taken
no offense in me.” Which, slightly translated,
means “blessed is the one who can handle their di
