Malcolm Clemens Young reflects on Christian waiting as both a spiritual practice and a lived experience. Through the story of his lifelong friend Nick Haan—an adventurer, humanitarian, and creator of the global IPC famine-measurement system—Young illustrates how longing, loss, hope, and purpose shape our journey toward God. He weaves theology, personal narrative, and cultural observation to show that purification by love is central to life in this sacred "in-between" time. Ultimately, this Advent sermon invites listeners to recognize what holds them back from living fully as God's beloved children and to enter Advent with open hands, deep longing, and renewed expectation for the One who is coming.

The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA

Isaiah 11:1-10

Psalm 72:1-7,18-19

Romans 15:4-13

Matthew 3:1-12