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Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another? (Matthew 11:3)

How many times would we have liked to have asked someone who they are – who they really are – but modern etiquette and increasingly political correctness dictates our social interaction with others.  Some might take offence or even worse post something on social media for all to see. One party feels entirely justified by their actions; the other is publicly humiliated and even vilified.  John the Baptist felt no such restraints. He was bold, abrasive and at times more than direct in how he spoke truth to those in power regardless of its consequences.

Some years ago I unexpectedly sat next to a former Lord Chancellor at lunch in London. I knew right away who he was by what I had heard, read and seen on television and in the national newspapers. He had never before met or seen me. What would I say?  I began by saying that I was a lawyer and I lived in Edinburgh. That automatically opened up the conversation. Afterwards I felt that I had learnt something personal about him including his upbringing in Scotland, his love of art and his fine wine collection.   You can tell me later if you recognise him.   

In all our readings today we have abundant images of nature. Did you  notice them? They range from the wilderness and the dry land through to the blossoming of the crocus.  Of burning sand becoming a pool and thirsty ground becoming springs of water.   Of the farmer waiting patiently for the precious crops to appear from the earth. Think for a moment what these images convey to you.

John wonders who Jesus really is, and Jesus notes that the crowd wonders who John really is. Jesus alone can bring clarity. John who spent so much of his life in the wilderness is now cruelly confined to prison. He is being treated like chaff while Herod’s power grows and flourishes.

As is so often the case Jesus responds to John’s question indirectly. He enlarges the scope of the question with echoes from Isaiah with glimpses of a new age in which the wounds of Israel will be healed. John is now no longer the predecessor and preparer, no longer the messenger who goes before. Rather the one who now testifies to Christ is no less than Christ himself. John must hear for himself that in Christ the blind hear, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear and the poor have good news preached to them. He too, like us, must become a disciple.

In his book “The mystery of the incarnation” the late Cardinal Hume comments that “It is in the passing of the years that I now look back and realise the significance of what, in themselves, may seem trivial experiences. It is often through such things that God speaks to individuals. So with hindsight I believe that through such experiences God was giving me a hint to look beyond myself and the preoccupations of the world to discover something – indeed, someone”.

As we continue our journey through Advent with its watching and waiting, may we too ask that question “Are you the one who is to come or are we to wait for another?”

I look from afar and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.

Go ye out to meet him and say: tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?

Isaiah 11:1-10

Sometimes the prophets, including Isaiah, attribute the words that they offer to God, allowing God to speak through them. That’s not the case with today’s reading. This is visionary writing. Isaiah’s vision is a vision of hope – and hope is one of the themes of Advent – and it is also as a vision of judgement – and that is another important Advent theme. Judgement and hope don’t, on the face of it, seem to go together. We don’t instinctively hope to be judged. Yet Isaiah’s message is a message of hope. For what sort of people is the prospect of judgement a source of hope? For those who have been denied justice. Without judgement, there can be no justice and the human yearning for justice is very strong, though it is often darkened and diminished by the human desire for retribution and revenge.

Isaiah writes of a future ruler, a descendant of King David, that:

“…His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.”

Not fear in the sense of cringing terror, but rather awe and reverence for the God who is the source of all life and consciousness.

Romans 15:4-13

In this passage from his letter to the Romans, St Paul picks up Isaiah’s phrase about “the root of Jesse”. Over the centuries that separated Paul from Isaiah, the Jewish people had experienced several foreign conquests, and had come to believe that Isaiah’s vision was of the coming of the Messiah, who would restore their independence. Paul is expressing the belief that Jesus is the Messiah, and that his coming is good news for everyone, for Jews such as himself and for Gentiles. The Christian congregation in Rome to whom he was writing almost certainly included both Jewish and Gentile converts, and his words imply that there were tensions and disagreements between them. He reminds them of the importance of unity:

“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus.”

And the words with which today’s Epistle end echo the vision of the peaceable kingdom in our reading from Isaiah:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Reflection

I know that some of you share my interest in family history. We enjoy discovering new facts about the people from whom we are descended. It is, among other things, a way of learning a little more about who we are. Both my mother’s and my father’s families were Methodists, going back several generations, and my most interesting discovery in recent years has been that one of my ancestors was baptized by John Wesley. A lovely detail to find on the family tree, though it doesn’t make me a better person.

Today’s Gospel reminds us that it isn’t our ancestry on which we will be judged, but rather our character and our behaviour. When the Pharisees and the Sadducees come to him to be baptized, John the Baptist turns on them and calls them a “brood of vipers”. You lot, he is saying, are descended from snakes. Right at the heart of his criticism of them is that they take pride in their ancestry, but they fail to live up to it. He tells them:

“Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’”

And his point is clear – they may boast about being biological descendants of Abraham, but they don’t have Abraham’s faith and they don’t have Abraham’s virtues. They are not bearing good fruit, and John warns them that trees that do not bear good fruit get cut down.

That metaphor - the cutting down of trees – is also used by the Prophet Isaiah in today’s Old Testament reading.

“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”

In this case the family tree that has been cut down is that of the Jewish royal family - the descendants of King David who was the youngest son of Jesse. That family tree was cut down because its members became corrupt. Foreign conquerors prevailed over them. Yet the prophet tells them that tree is not quite dead – out of its stump a new branch will grow, and a new and very different kind of ruler will come.

Isaiah’s prophecy speaks of human potential fully realized and the peaceable kingdom that makes possible. The faith of Abraham and the courage and creativity of King David show much of the potential that is in all human beings, regardless of whether they are biological descendants of Abraham and David or not. At the heart of the Jewish understanding of what it is to be human – and therefore at the heart of Jesus’ understanding of what it is to be human – is the insight that we humans are created in the image and likeness of God. That is what Isaiah is saying when he mixes his metaphors in the very first verse of today’s Old Testament reading:

“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” 

Shoots do grow out of tree stumps, but branches do not grow out of roots, at least not directly. The roots of Jesse lay not only in his human ancestry, traceable back to Abraham, but in the God in whose image and likeness he was made, and we are all made.

The hope of Advent is that justice and peace are possible if we human beings define ourselves in terms of our shared rootedness in God. That is the only family tree that matters, because that is the only family tree that includes us all. It is the family tree that Jesus acknowledged by showing unconditional and unselective love to all who needed it and were able to receive it. We shall be judged, lovingly and fully, on the extent to which we have followed his example. Following that example is our only hope, but it is a very real hope.

Advent I
27th November 2022 Year A

Isaiah 2:1-5

The piece you have just heard read has the subtitle; ‘The future of the House of God’ It is a 20th century appendage but it gives a focus to this the first reading of the Advent Season.

Advent is all about hopeful expectation – the dreams of the coming of the promised Messiah in Isaiah’s case and of our hopes the promised return of that Messiah. In Hebrew teaching the Messiah was to be the long promised son and heir of God, the one who would restore the fortunes of the Hebrew people. Most Jews today still await the birth of the Messiah; we Christians acknowledged his birth over two millennia ago. There is one thing for certain and that is that we humans are not very good at agreeing with each other on so many things let alone faith. The Muslims too, do not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah but simply revere him as another prophet. All this disagreement can lead to interesting debate but for us Christians, those of us who have chosen to follow the ways of Jesus this Advent period is a time of rejoicing in the birth of the Messiah and hoping that his ways will reign on earth. But, why

do we keep Advent at all? If as we say we believe that the Messiah was born some 2000 years ago why do we keep hoping? Why not just celebrate his birthday and not the weeks before it as well?

The early Christians did just that, celebrated only his birthday but as the church grew and time progressed it was felt that a period of prayerful preparation for that birthday celebration was needed – perhaps as a way of giving increased significance to the actual event.

Personally I like the Advent time of preparation and anticipation as it gives me hope. For me, it serves as a period of reflection and prayer even if it is interspersed with pre-Christmas celebrations and parties. I love the way that anticipation makes Christmas all the more important.

In his writings Isaiah and this is Primary Isaiah

(that is the actual Isaiah and not those who wrote in his name at a later date) gets very excited. He imagines in metaphor all that the hoped for Messiah will bring and that all people will flock to him to learn from his ways and teachings. What Isaiah is implying is that all who recognise the Messiah will acknowledge him as the most important person in the known world. That they will come to him and

offer him homage and give thanks to God for him as well. Isaiah hopes that the Messiah will offer wisdom and guidance and prove to be the leader the world needs. As he says:

“May he teach us his ways.” Isaiah 2:3b

He also hopes and expects that through his teaching the people of the world will be united and follow only the paths of God resulting ultimately in peace between all nations:

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many people; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4

If nothing else is to be hoped for in Advent today then the hope for peace between nations is worth praying for and encouraging others to strive for as well.

Romans 13:11-14

This piece like the piece from Isaiah has a 20th century subtitle; ‘An urgent appeal’.

Paul and this, like Isaiah in the previous passage, is actually the real Paul is writing to the Romans to remind them that although they are no longer waiting for the arrival of the Messiah they should not be tardy in celebrating who he is and seeking to follow his ways. Believers, Paul suggests need to be just as watchful and awake to greet the Messiah as their Hebrew forebears were. In this immediate post-resurrection and ascension period of history Paul indicates that Christians need to be ready to greet Jesus at his return. In the early decades of the Church it was believed that Jesus would return soon after his ascension. We 21st century believers know that we still await that return, we are still anticipating the ‘Parousia’ but in the youthful enthusiasm and minds of those early Christians the return could have come at any minute. The fact that Jesus has not returned as quick as was first thought is something that some early Christians found disappointing. Paul is encouraging them not to lose heart or hope. He encourages them to hold fast to their beliefs and not to return to their old ways and old religions but to look for signs of the second coming. I suspect that some Romans had given up

on Christianity and had returned to worshipping their pagan Gods or the emperor and that this worried Paul, who wants them to live in the light of Christ’s new day and not in the dark of their old lives.

Advent reminds us that Christ’s light has already come into the world and has yet to be extinguished, despite what we may sometimes think or be told. This Advent challenges us to look for Christ’s light in the world and I believe that if you seek it you will find it or at least get a glimpse of it for Christ never seeks to disappoint us.

As the poet Lawrence Sail writes in his poem ‘The Glimmering’ ;

The horizon draws the line
At having been trampled down
All through a slutchy autumn,
Moves in as a caul
Of rain which blears the hills,
Hissing like the prefix which history Adds to words and laughter:
Finally, shrinks to the glimmering From under a stable door,
A straw-breath of light which can only Imply the warmth of spring

Or the memory of it – the long Pursed buds of the lily
Peeling open on the angel’s wand.

Spend time this Advent looking for the glimmer of light under that stable door. Where will you see it and what will it show you?

Matthew 24:36-44

‘The necessity for watchfulness’

Matthew’s Gospel passage seems to sum up quite well the previous two readings despite falling chronologically and historically between them. Jesus tells us that not even he knows the hour of his return or when the Kingdom of God will be fully established on the earth. He suggests that it will take us all by surprise as we go about our ordinary business and live our daily lives. He also, however, suggests that we should be prepared at all times for this coming and not be caught out. We need to be ready to welcome the Kingdom and his return at anytime and he encourages us, just as he encouraged his first listeners and followers to live for today with one eye on the future as well.

It is I think good advice. Too many of us live lives weighed down by the past and can miss out on things of the present and thus the future as well. If one is constantly looking over one’s shoulder to the past one will never see what is coming towards one or what is here already. We need to be alert to today and to anticipate the future as well. Live your lives in this present time, try not to dwell on the things that have gone and that you now have no control over but seek to use your experience of life to

prepare for the future. Let the coming light of Christ always be your guide and the illumination along your path.

The King we worship, love and serve is no mere powerful deity. He is no supreme being wielding power at a whim over our lives and destiny, nor is he a remote and uncaring being who does not worry how we feel or how we thrive. No, the King we serve is a spiritual King and a servant. One who was prepared to take human form and to serve the basic needs of us, his creation.

Our King is no dictator or uncaring governor our King is a loving and caring parent who is always seeking and hoping the best for us, always willing to love us despite what we may or may not do and ready to challenge us to do better than we thought we could.

The Gospel accounts of Jesus do not read like the life of a King. His was not a life of privilege or comfort. His life was one of service to others, healing and caring for those society rejected. He was a leader but no bully and his followers were a motley crew with their own baggage to carry let alone their imperfections. Yet, this rag-tag King inspired those who listened to him with not only their ears but their hearts as well and this King still does that to those like us this very day. How many other Kings or monarchs still influence anyone two thousand years later?

Listening to the words of Jesus and the promptings of God can lead us into pastures new and fresh. We must, however, continue to pray and listen to Jesus and like the disciples to be ready to respond to his call to be a friend to the needy, seeking to do good at all times and to be thankful to God and to each other for all we have and all we share in the name of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ the servant King.

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God (Job: 19:26)

Radio 3 has been running a series entitled “Soundscape of a Century”.  Some of you may have listened to it this past week. It relives a hundred years of the BBC.  It is a soundscape of classical music and sounds from the archives, decade by decade.  Many of the musicians and artists have long since died but even the mention of the name of a song or radio programme will invoke memories not only for ourselves but also of our parents and grandparents. The decades I listened to recently were the 1940’s and 1950’s. These included Roy Plumley’s “Desert Island Discs” first broadcast in 1942; Kathleen Ferrier’s singing of “What is life without thee” from Gluck’s tragic opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” recorded in 1946; and “How does your garden grow” which became “Gardeners’ Question Time” in 1951. Think for a moment what these names invoke.

The month of November is traditionally a time in which the Catholic Church remembers those who have died. We had the great Feasts of All Saints and All Souls last week. In a fortnight’s time we shall celebrate the Feast of Christ the King bringing to an end the liturgical year and then a new year will seamlessly start again with the beginning of Advent. We look forward to those things which still await us and in which we have hope. The circle of life continues year by year yet at some point our own journey, at least in this life, will come to an end. We will move into a new dimension and realm, much of which is unknown, but to which we are given insights and promises.  Through our own faith; through what we read in scriptures as well as seeking to follow the one who said “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies”.

In our reading from Job, he has reached the end of his tether.  All those who should have loved and supported him have abandoned him. Those who have relied upon him and looked up to him as their master, provider, husband and father have all turned against him but still he cannot quite turn against the one who has been all those things for him – God.

The theologian, Jane Williams comments that “Job is certainly angry with God. He wants a written record of all that he has been through so that he can present it to God and demand a satisfactory answer. Does he want justice? Does he want health? Does he want his position back? More than anything he wants to stand in the presence of the living God and hear from him that he is loved and vindicated and that the relationship between them still exists. Like us, Job needed to know, above all else that his Redeemer lives”.   

In closing I want to read part of Malcolm Guite’s poem from “Sounding the Seasons” which picks up on today’s readings:-

Tangled in time, we go by hints and guesses,

Turning the wheel of each returning year.

But in the midst of failures and successes

We sometimes glimpse the love that casts out fear.

Sometimes the heart remembers its own reasons

And beats a Sanctus as we sing our story,

Tracing the threads of grace, sounding the seasons

That lead at last through time to timeless glory.