Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36Reflection by Sister Jane Becker
Clinical Psychologist, St. Luke Center, Louisville, Kentucky
“There will be signs in the sun…People will die of fright…the heavens will be shaken…Beware…Be vigilant…” John 21: 25-28, 34-36.
How strange! It always hits me as sort of odd that we start off the Advent/Christmas season with words about the end of the world. As we go through Advent the promises of what (or Who) is to come become more uplifting, but we start with a note of dread.
Perhaps this focus on the end times is to get our attention and to put the mystery of Christ’s birth in perspective. From the beginning of the universe until the end of time, no stranger thing has happened than God becoming human. Nothing more significant has occurred than the Creator coming to be one of us.
We need not plan on four weeks (actually, only three weeks and two days) of dread; we know that the celebration of a very happy event is coming. But we might try to “be vigilant” each of those 23 days, remembering for a moment each day the real importance of this Advent season: Jesus is born to each of us, Jesus the Light of the World and our Redeemer.
Just as thoughtful and insightful as you were almost 50 years ago when you listened to my babble. Your words make me realize how much I miss the cycle of the Gospel. Though the Byzantine Church has a slightly different cycle, living in that cycle seems to bring a peace to live that is not present outside the Gospel. Maybe it's time to get back into it!! Thanks, Jane!
ReplyDelete