Third Week of Advent 2013
Walking the path of Isaiah
Throughout advent, the readings from Isaiah will guide us through this season with hope and expectation and into the Christmas joy of new creation. Advent provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the past year and to dream new dreams for the year to come. We take time amidst the busy-ness of the holiday season to quiet ourselves and reflect on how the Christ within us to calling us to be collaborators in birthing a new reality in our world. We pause to ask ourselves how we are called to be participants in the active hope that a world of equity and justice can become a reality.
Isaiah calls us to walk in the path of God (Is. 2:30) and to birth a new world. A path that beats swords into plowshares (Is.2:4). A path that makes real the hope that our church can be a place that mediates (Is. 11:3-4) and welcomes the stranger (Is. 11:6-7). A path that rebirths a world where the thirsty ground springs water and all inabilities will be transformed into abilities (Is.35:5-7).
In a world where governments use bombs instead of conversation to solve problems, where we have catastrophic typhoons and tornadoes and when our church often divides and excludes we might ask ourselves: How do we do this in a world where the vision of Isaiah seems so far away? We are reminded during this time of reflection that through our active hope we are able to radically transform our world and make the vision of Isaiah a reality in the here and now. We build the kindom today by saying yes to recognizing the Christ within ourselves, our neighbors and all of creation. A kindom where nations build relationships rather than drop bombs. A kindom where the earth births beauty of epic proportions rather than epic storms. A kindom where churches welcome all and create doctrine based on love rather than power.
As we enter this time of incredible mystery, how will we respond with hope to the call of the Christ waiting to be further birthed within ourselves and our world? Are we willing to recommit to quiet time to listen to the Christ within? Will we engage the world to address the issues of human made disasters of war and destruction of our environment? Will we seek justice for the oppressed? Will we stand with the workers of Walmart to birth a world where all can earn a living age? Will we voice our solidarity with our LGBTQ brothers and sisters to birth a church where all are welcomed?
As advent people, we choose to walk on the path Isaiah has laid forth. A path of justice and compassion; a path of radical transformation. We actively hope together as we reach beyond ourselves to recognize the Christ within all of creation and accomplish the dream of a world made new.
