For the Third Sunday of Advent

Collect

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.

Amen.

Reading

From Luke 3:7-18

“Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.”

Reflection

Luke describes the message that John the Baptizer brings to the people as “Good News”. We are conditioned in the church to know that “Good News” stands for the gospel even when it doesn’t seem objectively good. Or even appealing. We know that the Good News of Jesus may not sound like the kind of good news we get from our neighbors.

But this distinction makes it too easy to ignore what actually is good about the news that John brings.

I’m really struck by this line from the reading about Abraham. We can guess what it is responding to. That sense of entitlement and privilege with which we are all familiar. The kind that drives one to say “Don’t you know who I am?” or “But I’m the customer! Be nice to me!”

There’s something about this moment that is both frightening and liberating. John is telling a bunch of people “Hey, some of you are insiders. But don’t think being born an insider is a golden ticket. God can let anyone (or anything) in.”

We must consider how this might apply to us, too!

I can’t help but notice the parallels with our own explorations of racial reconciliation and healing. That the burden of the present is to not only deal with the past, but reconcile with it now for the future. Because if we aren’t up to that task, someone else will be.

John drives them to not rely on their lineage or power to define their relationship with God. But instead, they must act like children of God. The impact of this is huge. It is also easy to ignore.

Because the drive to be satisfied by identity is strong. And because sometimes we’re afraid of what acting does to our identity. And yet, the need for us to not only move past our problems, but engage them is also strong.

This is what makes the good news so tough. And yet it’s still good. It invites us into a new pattern of life that is thoughtful, generous, and equitable. And one that is willing to be better than the stuff we’re made of.