The First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 27, 2005
BCP: Isaiah 64:1-9a; Psalm 80 or 80:1-7; 1 Cor. 1:1-9; Mark 13:(24-32)33-37
RCL: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18; 1 Cor. 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37
The psalmist sets the stage perfectly for Advent. “Where is your kingdom, God?” he seems to be asking. “We know you are in charge, that we belong to you, and you have made glorious promises to us as your children. Now we want to see those promises. The world is laughing at us. Show us that you are the King, that we are your special people among all the people of the world.” Or, to quote the poet further, “Show the light of your countenance — just once! — and we will be saved!”
Isn’t that the tension of Advent? We know we belong to the King of Kings, so where is the glorious kingdom? Why are our life and our world such a mess? We want to see the power of his kingdom.
The word of our Lord to us is crucial: “Watch!” He is not telling us what to watch for so much as how we are to watch. Wait, he says, remembering that his kingdom is coming. Don’t look for it in this world, don’t attempt to find its fullness before he comes, don’t try patching together a substitute, don’t get drawn into the schemes and the priorities of this world, no matter their promises. If you do, you will find yourself in the company of those who return to his fold in sorrow and shame. The Lord restores, but oh the anguish and the grief of having not watched, of despairing of the Lord’s reign. Oh the shame of having sought it in the ashes of the promises of the world.
How would this satisfy the anguished cry of the psalmist? And of us today? The wisdom of the collect helps.
The “works of darkness” are those very temptations which would cloud our vision of his return. These are not ordinary sins, but the aping of the world for the satisfaction of our appetites from things seen and experienced now. The “armor of light” is the ways of our minds which recognize that the King came into this world “in great humility.” If he withheld his glory, then, of course, we will not see glory yet. But there will be the day of his return “in glorious majesty.” In that brightness we will see the light of his countenance. In the light of that countenance we will see his kingdom in full color. In the meantime, train your eyes, direct your vision, be careful for what satisfies. “Watch!”
Look It Up
The collect is full of biblical references. Break out some of the phrases and read them in their biblical context. See how they fill up the meaning of Advent.
Think About It
What are my temptations which darken my view of Christ’s kingdom? Which of them will I try to cast off this Advent?
Next Sunday
The Second Sunday of Advent, Dec. 4, 2005
BCP: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85 or 85:7-13; 2 Pet. 3:8-15a,18; Mark 1:1-8
RCL: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Pet. 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8
