[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Advent 1C

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Dec 1, 2012 7:24 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Advent 1C


Dear Friends,

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like
ChristMass!”and deals how to navigate Advent so we can have a
wonderful ChristMass.  Here it is:

Happy New Year!  Today is the first Sunday in the four week season of
Advent; and with it we begin a new church year.  You notice, the color
is purple (blue is also used) for contemplation.  Advent (“adventus”
in Latin) means “coming,” and our focus for these four weeks is
getting ready for the coming of Jesus.  The focus of the first week is
“hope,” the second week is “peace,” the third week is “joy,” and the
fourth week is “love.”

Speaking of comings- actually, there are two comings associated with
our Lord- his first (in Bethlehem many years ago and in our own lives
when we accept him as our Lord and Savior) and his second (which we
heard about in today’s gospel and also in our own lives when we die
and he comes for us personally).  We hear a lot of TV sermons about
the second coming, but Jesus himself said that the details, especially
the “when,” are none of our business.  In fact, as you recall from the
sermon two weeks ago, it’s as if God says to us: “MYOB.  Jesus is the
way, truth, and life- so live your life to the fullest, remembering
that you may die at any time.  Your next minute may be on this planet
or in eternity.”  With that in mind, let’s focus on the first coming
and how to get ready.  The prophet Jeremiah (33:14-16) promised in
God’s name that the Messiah was coming- a King who would establish
justice.  That promise was fulfilled when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem.  As you know, it’s his birthday we’re getting ready to
celebrate on December 25th, but if you wander through the mall or
watch the TV commercials- you’d never guess!  So far I haven’t heard
about any fights or other acts of violence on Black Friday (as we had
on previous years), but many stores are taking the hint.  They’ve got
security staff all over the place.  It all reminds me of this story: a
little boy went shopping with his mother, ate, and was put to bed so
his mother could wrap the presents.  She heard noises in his bedroom
and thought she’d better check.  When she put her ear to the door, she
heard him asking God in his prayers, “Hey, God- is this what you had
in mind when you invented ChristMass?”  Good question!  Along the same
line, a little girl was barely surviving the christmas jitters.  She
knew Santa wrote down who was naughty and who was nice, and she was
afraid she was on the wrong list.  You see- she and her mother had had
a hard day!  Her mother made the mistake of taking her into a toy
story to purchase a present for her little sister, but everything she
saw was a “gimme.”  The little girl ended screaming and kicking on the
floor of the store in a full-blown temper tantrum.  Her mother picked
her up, strapped her in her car seat, drove her home, fed her as
quickly as possible, and put her to bed.  Out from the room came a
sorry little voice- “Mother, are you too mad at me to listen to my
bedtime prayers tonight?”  Back came the mother to hear her daughter
pray, “Forgive us our christmases as we forgive those who christmas
against us.”  Been there- done that!  I remember christmases past in
which I was so frantic to get ready that I forgot who I was getting
ready for.  What about you?  Money worries, shop-‘til-you-drop, run up
the credit card (or cards), cook, clean, yell at the kids (or grand-
kids), cards, parties, pig-outs, toys to assemble, decorate, put up
the tree- the list seems endless until you’re an exhausted nervous
wreck on ChristMass Eve.  You force yourself to church (or skip it
entirely- telling yourself you’ll make it next year) and Jesus’
birthday is the last thing on your mind.

Let’s do it differently this year.  Let’s use these four weeks of
Advent to center ourselves and really get ready for the one who is
coming at ChristMass- the one with the birthday.  But how?
7.	First, put God in charge of your money.  God doesn’t want you
afraid to answer the telephone because creditors are calling at all
hours of the day and night.  Live within your means.  Don’t buy
anything you can’t afford.  Don’t buy anything on a credit card that
you won’t be able to pay for on the next bill.
8.	Gifts don’t have to be expensive or numerous.  Fr. Bill has a tee
shirt that says- “The person who dies with the most possessions is
still dead” (anonymous).  A gift from the heart means much more than
an expensive gift bought at the last minute because you “had to get
something.”  The best present I ever got was a hand-made card from one
of my children telling me how much they loved and appreciated me.
9.	Children don’t have to receive all the latest toys or fashions.
Get a little now and surprise them with another gift later.  What
children really need is your love, attention, time, energy, and
direction.
10.	In terms of cooking, cleaning, and decorating- keep it simple.
11.	Start early and pace.  If you’re running short of time- prioritize
and eliminate what isn’t absolutely needed.  There’s a good chance no
one will even notice.
12.	Finally, remember the episode when Jesus went to the home of
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.  Remember how Mary sat at Jesus’ feet
learning from him while Martha worked away in the kitchen.  Finally
Martha couldn’t stand it any longer and came storming in to Jesus.
“Master,” she said, “make my sister help me in the kitchen!”  Jesus
responded, “Martha, Martha- just one dish was needed.  Mary has chosen
the best thing and it won’t be taken from her.”  Choose Jesus, not
busyness.  How?  Don’t miss church one Sunday this Advent.  Don’t
neglect your prayer life.  The busier you are, the more you need to
start your day with the Lord.  Get your ChristMass preparations
focused on Jesus before things get out of hand.  Most of all- don’t
miss the Christ Mass on ChristMass Eve, December 24th, at 8 PM- that’s
what it’s all about.

I’m going to close with a true story from one of my internet friends
who is a Roman Catholic priest.  He heard it on the radio and shared
it with his friends.  There was a woman who was out Christmas shopping
with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of
toys and everything else imaginable and hearing both her children
asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she and the kids
finally made it to the elevator.  She was feeling what so many of us
feel during the holiday season- overwhelming pressure to go to every
party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, buy
that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making
sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, etc.  Finally the
elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She
pushed her way in and dragged her two kids in with her and all the
bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and
stated, “Whoever started this whole christmas thing should be found,
strung up, and shot.”  From the back of the car, everyone heard a
quiet calm voice respond, “Don't worry, we already crucified him.”
For the rest of the trip down the elevator, it was so quiet you could
have heard a pin drop.

My prayer for us is that we not crucify Jesus again with our choices
this ChristMass.  May we not argue or complain.  May we not fight or
say cruel things to someone acting as if they’re our enemy.  May we
not spend more than we can afford or encourage our children to be
greedy.  May we not get so frantically worried or rushed that we don’t
take time for Jesus.  My prayer for us is that we remember ChristMass
is Jesus’ birthday and Jesus is the reason for the season.  Amen.

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
wisdom statements either is or will be posted on our parish web site.
The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .

Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

 
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