The readings for this First Sunday of Advent remind me that as a Christian woman, I am called to be very counter-cultural when sometimes it would just be easier to blend in. The selections recount terrible times to come. The modern world is full of terrible things, but they are outnumbered by far by the kindness, caring, and sensitivity of both men and women who try to be faithful to what the Lord has called all baptized people to be. As we prepare for the Incarnation of God's promise, we are all reminded that the Lord has said through Jeremiah that "I will fulfill the promise." Safety and security will dwell along with "The Lord our justice" and will outlast the tirals. God will do what has been promised.
The Gospel reading from Luke tells us that we must retain our hope that this will happen, even as we witness "the powers of the heavens" being shaken. We must not give in to dismay, remain perplexed, or be counted among those who will die of fright. Certainly if there will be such things as to cause these and similar reactions, there will be terrible things for sure. In fact, although "what is coming upon the world" is not yet at that scale of terror, individual's situations and certainly situations in some countries come much too close to prompt us to heed the same warning it seems. The instructions we are given are not to panic or hide. No, we are told to go against what seems to be a natural thing to do. We are told to "stand erect and raise your heads" !!!
That is a tall order for someone who barely stands five feet tall, or for anyone really. I get tired of ducking what comes my way, sometimes having to clean up the debris left behind in between rounds. The encouragement of the second reading "to strengthen your hearts" suggests relying on the prayer support of friends and personal prayer. Frequency of contact between such friends as well as daily one-on-one time with God solidifies the feeling into a habit. It is the habit that actually allows the thought that "your salvation is at hand" against future chaos to be translated into "God is with us" in the present.
Advent is obviously the perfect time to reinforce the Christian belief that God is with us, Emmanuel. We may need to embrace the hustle and bustle of Christmas consumerism with a creative and counter-cultural emphasis of joy and spiritual preparation. As more holiday activities lead to feeling more stressful, we need to slow down and re-capture the peace that is promised to us. While a day at the spa or golf course or mall might help, just a bit more time with the Lord will definitely do it.
(Comments to Lanie at lanieleblanc@mindspring.com.)