Dec. 1, 2019
Dear Beloved in Christ:
Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Someone I met in Hawaii recently shared that local drivers generally do not honk. If someone honks, they assume it is a tourist. Hawaiians do not rush; they are polite to other drivers and allow the motorist in front of them to take his or her own time.
This description of Hawaiian drivers reminded me of a conversation I had with a church leader about the way we move through Advent. In essence, he said, we rush through Advent — going from one party to another, racing to finish Christmas shopping, hurrying to put up a Christmas tree, scrambling to mail Christmas cards, stressing over preparing food for family and guests. After all these rushed preparations, we greet this joyous and important day with low spirits and fatigued bodies.
I thought further about the contrast between these two ways of navigating through life in general and Advent in particular.
Our commercialized celebrations cause us to honk our way through Advent; to act like tourists rather than residents of God’s realm — pushing our way through crowds, hurrying the motorist in front of us, rushing to be fully prepared by Christmas Day.
Sadly, and ironically, it is precisely our rushing and honking our way through our preparations for Christmas that cause us to miss it! We miss the arrival of the Christ, who has already come again in the people in front of us.
My prayer this Advent is that we cease our anxious honking and wait with anticipation – “Prepare Him come” with open hearts and see Christ where he is – here and now – in the great gift that has already arrived: It is the motorist in front of us, those around our table, and everyone we meet.
In Christ’s love,
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar
ADVENT PRAYER
Loving God made flesh —
as we rush through the days of Advent
busy about many things –
our minds full,
our hearts racing,
our bodies weary,
from the mad pursuit to prepare for Christmas,
slow us down
wake us up
open our eyes
to see you right here, right now
in front of us
in the lines of traffic
we want to rush past
in the preparations
we want to finish
in the people we want
to move out of our way
in order to meet you —
who has already come
to this place,
to this moment
right here
right now –
Love made flesh, dwelling among us.
We pray through Christ
who lives and reigns
with you
and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
