Advent 4A; Isa. 7:10-16; Matt.
1:18-25; St. Paul’s, 12/22/2019
Jim Melnyk “Wait,
Dream, Live God’s Love”
It’s December 22nd and
we light our fourth candle in the Advent Wreath. “We turn to you O Christ, the
Light of the world. Bring light to our darkness and heal our brokenness, so
that your hope, your peace, your Joy, and your love may flourish among us.” We
are only a few days away from Christmas morning with all the requisite presents
and overflowing stockings which had been hung by the chimney with care. We’re a
few days away from Christmas and we’re sitting in Nazareth as Joseph wrestles
with his faith.
On top of that, since we’re reading
Matthew’s gospel this Advent there is no mysterious dialogue between the angel
Gabriel and Mary, no visit by Mary to Elizabeth with all the John the Baptist
birth narratives intertwined, and no mention of the prophetically poetic
Magnificat from the soon-to-be Mother of God.
Just Joseph – someone who barely
shows up in any of the gospel stories – just Joseph who is with us for a few
brief chapters here and there at the start of the story and then gone. Joseph –
worried and anxious about his pregnant wife-to-be – wondering what to do in the
midst of what will probably be quite a scandal. Joseph – deciding quietly set
his impending marriage aside and perhaps skip town to avoid the ridicule of his
community.
That is, until the Dream. Joseph,
like his Old Testament namesake in the Book of Genesis, is a dreamer – and oh,
what dreams he dreams! Matthew’s gospel has angels, too – only they don’t show
up on Joseph’s doorstep, in his garden, or in his sitting room. They do,
however, show up in his dreams. And, oh, what they share – what they share! Joseph
(they say), Joseph, don’t give up on Mary – God is doing a new thing in and
through her, with your help along the way. God has been dreaming of this moment
in time. Mary, you, and the son she now carries – you are all a part of God’s
Dream for this world!
Dream, Joseph – Dream with God of a
child who will save his people. Dream with God because this child Mary carries
is Emmanuel – this child is God with us! You are a part of God’s greatest Dream
for the life of this world. Don’t give up – don’t give in – but live into the
Dream God has prepared for all the world to see.
Advent is a season for dreams. It’s
a season for hoping, for new beginnings, and for the unfolding of God’s hope
for creation. Advent beckons us to hear and live by faith the Prophet’s promise
– to know in our guts, and live through our hands and our hearts, the truth
that we are children of God – and that God always calls us to a promise beyond
ourselves and beyond the world as it is today.
Isaiah has a vision – has a dream
as well. Isaiah’s dream is about God’s people waking up and realizing the
promise of God’s presence in their lives. Faced with the ultimate destruction
of Jerusalem, King Ahaz is told of God’s dream for Israel through the names of
two children – his own son is named Shear-jashub, meaning “A remnant shall
return,” and the yet-to-be-born child of a young woman standing nearby – a
child whom Isaiah says will be named Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” God
will be with Israel. Even in defeat a faithful handful will stand firm and
realize the promise of God’s presence among them.
Advent is a season for dreams – a
season for hope – a season for new things. Joseph has a dream – a dream that
the child Mary carries will save Israel from its. Looking back, the gospel
writer sees the life and ministry of Jesus accomplishing exactly what the
vision of Isaiah proclaimed for Israel centuries before. In Jesus – in his life
and ministry – God is present with God’s people – and we are empowered to turn
away from self toward God and each other.
I wonder what we’re waiting for
this Advent – as individual people on our own life’s journeys – as a parish
community, living and working together as followers of Christ – and as a nation
– a nation whose collective identity seems wrapped up in ongoing feuds between
political parties. What are we waiting for this Advent? What are our dreams and
hopes as we look toward the celebration of Emmanuel – the Christmas celebration
of God with us? What are our hopes and dreams for humanity? What are our hopes
and dreams for this world? What are the hopes and dreams we hold on to for our
own lives? And what are we willing to do – or continue doing – in our lives to
help make those dreams a reality? How can we live and work together in ways to
make our hopes, and God’s vision for humanity, real? God is with us – how can
we know this is true?
Advent is about dreams – it’s a
season for hoping and waiting. The refrain that echoes throughout Psalm 80 is a
dream – it is our dream of God’s work in our lives: “Restore us, O God of
hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.”[1] But it’s more than just our waiting
for God’s dream to become real for this world. Advent is about God waiting –
God waiting for us to become a part of that dream – God waiting for us to buy
into the dream for creation to know, experience and revel in the gracious
loving presence of God. And taking liberties with Robert Frost, we’ve got miles
to go until we sleep – until we rest in the fulfillment of God’s dream.
Still,
God waits for us to get there. God nudges us along the way – pushes us – tugs
at our hearts – picks away at our consciences – waiting for us to really –
really – buy into the dream. God reminds us of the covenant we make in our
baptism. God reminds us in through God’s call for us to help repair
the world. God partners with us through the Word made flesh who dwells among us
and within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. And God strengthens us and
encourages us to open our hearts and our hands toward one another.
Four lighted candles bear witness
to the emerging light of the Incarnation – that moment when the dawn from on
high shall break upon us[2] –
the arrival of the bright Morning Star.[3] Each
Advent season we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace – Jesus the
Christ. We hope and pray for a new world where the grace of God’s love rules
the hearts and deeds of all humanity – a new beginning – creation enfolded in
the promise and presence of God. Each Advent season God renews a hope for us – and
God waits for humanity to live into her promise. Amen.
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