Apocalypse comes to us via Latin "revelation, disclosure" from Greek "to uncover, reveal". . . but in 2024, the connotation of a world-ending cataclysm layers our perception of the term. And no wonder. Apocalyptic days have moved from movies to the newsreels. Sometimes it's not clear if one has stumbled upon CNN or a cinematic tragedy, as we see a people group decimated (in the literal sense, losing 10% of the population) in Gaza or Sudan, or the posturing threats of annihilating nuclear weapons in Russia or North Korea aiming at Ukraine.
On a small personal scale, we are ready to turn from November to December today. The last month+ seems to have stacked more conflict, more tears, more discouragement, more misunderstanding, more defeat in our sphere than should be possible. Both cross-culturally and within our work responsibility, I can't remember another stretch with SO MANY hours of meeting to listen and discern and grieve and struggle forward. From couples in hurting marriages to teams at loss for how to draw good out of scarcity to colleagues missing each others's hearts to credible suspicions of skimming funds or failing jobs, to unjust unexpected tax and documentation demands. . . each day has seemed to boil up in a new crisis that has significant implications, but goes unsolved and then overshadowed by the next. Not to mention the roiling politics and church of our home country this Fall.
Today begins Advent, and it turns out that the traditional readings for this first Sunday and first day of December are from Luke 21, and Matthew 24. Jesus, who habitually collapsed timeline gaps in the foreign territory of being time-bound, stood with his people in the last days of his life and talked quite a bit about why he came, but also about coming again. Advent is a season to ponder the first coming, and whet our appetites for the second. And those passages DO sound apocalyptic in the cosmic sense of dramatic signs, and in the sobering sense of inescapable tragedy.
Not so much in those Bible chapters about baking or decorating, about warm gatherings and luxurious gifts. The primary word is "watch". Be alert. When the world spasms in wars and earthquakes and meteors and hunger and floods, remember the story.
The story of Christmas Apocalypse, in all senses of the word. God revealing God-ness in human flesh, a new living entity that discloses a nature of mercy and truth, of love and justice, of transcendence and presence meeting in a baby. A Christmas uncovering, revealing the framework of a bigger story of the world, one that overcomes evil in apparent defeat, one that passes through the messy danger of birth to the cross and the grave, but ends in glory. A Christmas cataclysm, history's inflection point, set in motion.
Watching forms the essential prerequisite to thanks-giving. Giving thanks that even in this month, this year, of desolations, God's Spirit quietly transforms. We've also seen relational and physical healing, generous funding, a miraculous visa, a massive tax relief, genuine kindness, solid reasons to hope.
This year, let's start Advent right where we are. It is into the darkness that the light shines. It is into the reality of Palestine then and now that Jesus comes. It is into our own struggling, hurting hearts that the assurance pours: watch and pray, be found faithfully serving, by endurance possess your souls. Hold on through Advent 2024. Christmas is coming.
2 comments:
Thank you for all of this... and for your honest sharing and perseverance.
Praying the Lord's blessings on your lives and work. Thank you for your beautiful writing, as always, and for allowing us to share a bit of your life. Praying you will not grow weary in doing good, dear friends.
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