The eCrozier

Advent is a time for rousing. Human beings are shaken to the very depths, so that they may wake up to the truth of themselves. The primary condition for a fruitful and rewarding Advent is renunciation. It is surrender; shattering awakening; that is the necessary preliminary. Life only begins when the whole foundation is shaken.
– Fr Alfred Delp writing during his imprisonment by the Nazis in WWII

A few years ago I was on my way to Africa and I had to fly into Heathrow airport north of London and then take a bus to Gatwick airport, south of London, to connect to my flight to southern Africa. On the bus ride on the M25 there was much road construction. In that typical British way, there were many signs posted for motorists. A particular one got my attention. It was for motorists who had car trouble. The sign simply read: “Free recovery, await rescue.” “Free recovery, await rescue,” how nice, polite and very British that sounds.

It struck me that the road-sign probably describes how some people approach Advent. For some Christians, Advent is about “free recovery” and “awaiting rescue.” They see their lives as broken down and Jesus comes to their rescue with his heavenly tow truck. To be sure Advent is about waiting for Jesus. And certainly the Christian message is that Jesus rescues us from our sins. And we know that our heavenly rescue is a gift of free unmerited grace from God. So, in some ways, “free recovery, await rescue” is an Advent message to us.

But as Fr Delp wrote: Advent is not about passive resignation. It’s about giving ourselves fully to what God is up to in the world. Advent is a reminder that God’s work in Jesus didn’t happen only 2000 years ago. God’s work in Jesus continues each day until that day when the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our God. Advent is a wake up call for all of us to relearn the truth of God’s redeeming love for the world in Jesus Christ. It is the sound of the ram’s horn calling us to throw our lot in with God. This is the time for us to be roused from any lethargy we might have and be awakened to the truth of ourselves and the truth of God in Jesus. It’s a time for God to shake our foundations so we can begin to see the world through the eyes of our Loving Savior.

We Christians proclaim that in Jesus God’s work of restoration and recovery has begun and that Jesus will bring it to completion in God’s own time. In the mean time, we’re called to be participants in that work.  Such work will test our resolve as leaders. At times such work is mind-numbingly dull; and at other times such work will demand our sacrifice. But most of the time the work to which we’re called will be somewhere in between such extremes. It will be filled with good days and bad days. It will be shared with people we love and with people who annoy us. Such work will require great patience on our part as we await God’s ultimate reconciliation and restoration. But we are up to the task. We have God’s promise and we have one another, which means we have everything we need. “Free recovery, await rescue” to be sure. But in the mean time we have holy work; disciple work; Gospel work.

+Scott