I am full of anticipation this
Sunday morning. Are you?
Specifically, I am eager with
anticipation to finish painting my house, so that I can get to the fun of
decorating for Christmas! Last Sunday,
as I watched all these beautiful and meaningful decorations go up in the
Sanctuary, I was daydreaming about my boxes in the closet and the waiting is
really an exercise in patience. Personally,
I have a soft spot in my heart for goofy Christmas artifacts – some of which
you’ll probably get to see this Christmas season. Whenever my mother tried to throw the weird
ones away, I grabbed them up. I can’t
wait to see how my hodgepodge collection of Christmas kitsch will fit in my new
home.
One particular piece I’m looking
forward to - Somewhere in my hodgepodge mix of boxes, I have 3 ancient electric
candles that seem quaint compared to all the shiny and colorful decorations I
have bought over the years.
As the homes in Hastings decorate
for Christmas, I suspect I’ll see some of these single candles in windows
around town. The candles have a special
historical meaning.
According
to the internets, placing a burning candle in one's window dates back
to colonial times. Candles represented friendship and were seen as a
sign of welcome to others. The
candle was sometimes placed in the window when a member of the family was away,
but could also be a sign of good news or a beacon to weary travelers. In
early America, homes were often miles apart. The sight of a candle
in a window from a distance was a sign of "welcome" to those
wishing to visit.
Many
different countries and cultures also claim this tradition of a lit candle in
the window - and in some places, it was a sign of resistance. For instance, in Ireland in the early 1600’s, during
the period of Catholic suppression by the English Protestants, no public church
was allowed for the Irish. Priests who had formerly performed Sunday and
holiday services hid in forest and fields surrounding villages, and they would
visit individual homes at night to say mass. During the holidays, people would
light candles in their windows and leave their doors unlocked in the hope that
a nearby priest would visit and say the holiday services in their home.
In this season of Advent we talk
about waiting for the arrival of God, a point of light in a dark world, and
this first Sunday our candle of hope reminds me of these candles in the
window. Advent
derives from the latin word, ‘Adventus’, which translates as coming or arriving. The advent candle was designed to give people
light if they didn’t know their way. A far off hope in the darkness.
Today’s scripture encourages us to
keep our candles lit! We are urged to
stay awake and be vigilant in watching for Jesus.
What does it mean for us to be
vigilant in following Jesus? Of those
who were left behind in scripture – a woman at the mill, a man in the field,
and people in the time of Noah eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage – none of these people were doing anything wrong. There is no judgment in the scripture except
to say that they were not watchful. They
were taking life for granted. They were
distracted by the ups and downs of life and had grown complacent in their
efforts to serve God.
We are often distracted by the ups
and downs of life, the requirements of work and activity, the fun of our
possessions. These things begin to take on primary importance. And, like the master of the house, we do our
best to avert the thief in the night.
Jesus was a sort of thief, though.
Like a thief, Jesus snuck into the
world in the form of a poor infant child.
He maneuvered his way through the ‘criminal underground’ – collecting
friends like prostitutes and tax collectors.
Proclaiming his message to peasants and exiles – the kind of people that
few ever noticed or listened to….until it was impossible not to hear them.
Like a thief, Jesus discovered the
valuables of the society - the hearts and minds of the people. His intention to demonstrate love, service
and healing regardless of society’s ideas of who was proper and deserving of
community acceptance created a new kinship that spanned across all social
divides. It created a new and different
kingdom.
Like a thief, Jesus stole the
compliance of people. Never again would
the powers of the age be able to fully squash out a rebellion – because this
rebellion, this Christian rebellion, came from the heart, was guided by love,
demonstrated through compassion, and lit the way for others to follow suit.
If the Roman Empire or the leaders
of the Jewish community could have seen him coming, you know they would have secured
their kingdom, bolted the gates, sent away all the first-born males, and
appointed armed guards at the lookouts. You know they would have protected
their possessions and not let their house be broken into. But like the thief, the Son of Man came at
an unexpected hour.
Our God is a God of reversals. In a world that reveres strength, wealth and
victory, he arrived fragile, poor and vulnerable. In a world that busies itself with excluding
groups and labeling others, he ignored our categories and offered his gifts to
all people. In a world that likes to
cast blame and escape humiliation, he took blame and humiliation. In a world that likes to win, he lost – lost
the political battle, lost popularity, and lost his life. And yet, he won us over. Because through him, we glimpsed that burning
light of compassion and forgiveness, wisdom and sacrifice, which never went
out. Like the Advent candle, Jesus says you
are welcome, you are safe here, I will share my warmth, food, and comfort with
you.
In his commitment to sharing God’s
message, Jesus put it all on the line.
He risked his health by healing people with contagious disease; he risked
his social standing by keeping company with outcasts; he ultimately risked his
life to show the meaning of compassion and redemption for all people. He lit a spark in the hearts of the people,
and it just keeps burning.
Indeed, followers of Christ have
kept this light burning through the centuries. While often we Christians, just like everyone,
become comfortable in our lives, and distracted by our possessions, and
complacent within a system, there has always been Christians lighting up the
world by being vigilant for love in every age.
Where there was sickness, followers
of Christ have offered healing. From the
smallpox plagues in the 2nd Century, to Medieval monasteries caring
for the sick, to the first US hospitals founded by faith institutions, healing
has been led by people because of their faith.
When there was devastation,
compassionate people have offered shelter, warmth, and food. Amidst every war and natural disaster in
history, it is religious people around the world who are the first to respond
to the wounded, the displaced, and the starving. From Bread for the World to Christian Aid to
PADS, there is a light in the window for people in need.
Where there was fear, good people
around the world have offered safety.
From warring factions in ancient England to the Pilgrims on our shores,
to hiding and safe passage for Jews in World War II, to political and humanitarian
asylum today - the practice of people finding safety in a church stretches
through the centuries. In fact, the word
‘sanctuary’ has become synonymous with a safe haven and the right to asylum.
This is the candle that burns
bright in our hearts. It is the light of responsive compassion, abounding generosity,
and full hospitality. Jesus changed the
course of history because never before had society considered that since “God
loves humanity, Christians cannot please God unless they love one another. As God
demonstrated his love through sacrifice, humans must demonstrate their love
through sacrifice on behalf of one
another….” Not just for family or tribe, but for everyone.
As I light up my candles this year,
I pray those candles will be a beacon for people in need to find their way to
me. I hope they sends the message that I
will offer welcome, respite and company in sickness, and warmth, food, and safe
haven for their fears. And I ask that as
we experience this Advent season, we consider how we want to demonstrate our compassion,
generosity, and hospitality to the people we encounter. How can we, as individuals and as FCUCC, be
vigilant in our love to steal away their fear, solve their isolation and soothe
their desperation? This is our time to
wake up, because God is promising us to be remade in his own presence and help
create his Kingdom. What will we do with
our chance to show Christ’s light burning brightly in the window of our hearts? …….Amen.
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