December 10
Second Sunday of Advent
“Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.”
Readings
Reflection
One of the things that seems really obvious in our current time is that we are living through perhaps one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of mankind. With the uncertainty of climate change, with the violence of wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, with plagues, famines, and political unrest, we wonder where we might look for some sense of calm and peace. Well, look no further than the Lord’s divine plan for our lives which is depicted in the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent.
Today’s readings seem made-to-order for these difficult times we are living through. From the opening line of the Prophet Isaiah, "Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God,” to the Psalm, “I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people,” to Peter’s assurance that God is patient with us, and finally, to the gospel with John proclaiming, "'One mightier than I is coming after me,'" we receive a message of hope and celestial optimism.
All the readings seem to be specifically crafted to address the reality of our world today. These readings can assist us as we are preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus into our world. If the events in our world are causing you grief and anxiety, read and reread the opening lines from Isaiah about comfort. So many of us need comfort right now with all of the chaos and uncertainty we are experiencing.
In all the tumult and craziness of our world there is one thing that we can count on, only one “true north” that we can be guided by. That is the knowledge that God’s plan for our salvation is unfolding as it should. If we keep the faith and stay strong in our love for God and our neighbor, we will be able to weather any storm that the world throws at us. Jesus is coming, soon we will be once again basking in the glow of Christmas and all the “tidings of great joy” that Jesus’ birth as one of us brings. If Jesus is with us, we will be just fine.
Keep the faith,
Deacon Dare
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