"Tools of Hope"
                                  October 21, 2007
   Dan Wilkie, TEI Graduate, Assistant Minister      

Scripture Readings:  Matthew 24:36-44. Romans 13:11-14

          The other day as I sat in Café Court at the mall, eating my lunch and watching people; one of my favorite things to do during this time of year, I noticed that it was becoming extremely busy.  Looking around, in the crowded space, I saw that each one of the food vendors had long lines there were probably a total of 75 or 100 people waiting for their food. This started me thinking about how much time we spend waiting for things.

Have you ever really thought about how much time we spend waiting for things? 

We wait for all kinds of things, things like meals, taxis, buses, children at school, our computers, people leaving on flights, or coming in on flights, stop lights, construction delays, plumbers or repair persons, family members, the birth of children and grand children, or a doctor’s prognosis, results of tests, house or car loans.

Most of the things we wait for we give little thought to, but have you noticed that the really serious ones like a doctor’s prognosis, or the birth of a child almost become all consuming it is all we can focus on, think about, or talk about.  Sometimes this is not all bad as it allows us to focus on the things we need to do, but sometimes it can be such an issue that it truly affects our lives and we find ourselves suffering filled with doubt and apprehension, unable to do the even the most routine and necessary of things.

I know that during the time that I was awaiting the birth of each of my children, regardless whether they were the oldest or youngest, I found myself filled with excitement, and as they grew in their mother’s womb, so did my level of excitement.  It became all I could focus on, everyone I talked to knew I was an expectant father, store clerks, co workers, friends and family, would often become so tired of hearing about it that they would either tell me to talk about something else or go away.  Often I would en lie awake at night wondering what kind of parent I would be, how I would care for them, sometimes even having nightmares about protecting them.  This went from simple joy at being a father to an almost all consuming passion, one that made it difficult for me to live life normally.

In talking to a lot of people, I think this is pretty normal reaction for the really big things in our lives that we find ourselves waiting on, it is easy for us to become totally focused often forgetting that we need to live and do other things. I have friends for instance that have been in the process of purchasing a new home for about a month, a large upgrade over their old one, and it has become so much of an issue with them they just aren’t able to focus with a lot of clarity on the other things in their lives.

How many of you have seen the movie “On Golden Pond”?  There are a few honest folks out there.  For those of you who have not, and even for those of you who have there is a seen at the beginning of the movie, when Norman Thayer Jr. played by Henry Fonda, and his wife Ethel played by Katherine Hepburn have arrived at their cabin on Golden Pond and are preparing to get settled in that provides a perfect example.  Ethel has just returned from getting a load of firewood because it is still rather chilly and is cleaning out the fireplace when she notices that her keepsake doll Elmer has fallen off the mantle into the fireplace.

Picking up Elmer, she tells Norman about Elmer falling and that Elmer was her first real love. Norman responds by saying, he knew he wasn’t the first, and that wouldn’t be such a bad way to go, a quick dive off the mantle into the fireplace, nothing to it, and as a diving champ he might even try for a full gainer with a half twist.

Ethel responds by telling him to go ahead and make his dive, and get it over with, what is he waiting for adding that his fascination with death is beginning to frazzle her nerves. He responds that he is not fascinated but rather just likes to think about it once in a while, to which Ethel responds every five minutes?

What we are seeing as the movie progresses is that he has become so focused on his mortality that he has quit living for the moment, he no longer finds joy in his wife of many years, he no longer is enjoying the things in his life that he always has, but rather is becoming bitter and resentful, struggling with life, That is at least until his daughter comes to visit with her boyfriend and his son Billy.  They ask Ethel and Norman to watch Billy, while they flew to Europe, knowing that Billy would be difficult. Billy, with his own issues taps into Norman’s desire to teach and relate and Norman once again finds a purpose for his life.

In Matthew’s Gospel, we see a similar kind of situation, the people have seen great brutality at the hands of the occupying Roman army, and have experienced a great deal of deception on the part of some Jewish elders and are in great distress.  They see their only answer in Jesus coming back to save them. Reacting much like I did at the birth of my children, or Norman Thayer with the realization of his own mortality, they have become prisoners of their own desire for salvation.

Matthew relates Jesus own teachings, that even he (Jesus) does not know the hour or day of his return only God does, and that they need to get about the process of living, as he taught them, living as if every day were their last, then goes on to remind them to be watchful that he will still hold them accountable, in what I and many believe is also telling them look you are going to be judged no matter what, better to live your life doing what you were called to do, rather than living in fear and pain.

Now many of you might wonder what this has to do with Advent, and it is precisely what the Advent story is all about, for like the folks in Matthew, Advent for us is our expectation of Christ coming, it is our waiting and watching for the Christ Spirit to come to us, to bring us hope for the future.  And even though we come as people who know the rest of the story, there is still a fascination for us in the waiting and watching for the commemoration and celebration of Christ’s birth that connects with us in the deepest levels of our being, we still find renewal and spirit in the concept of a virgin birth, a baby in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem, a guiding star, shepherds in their fields watching their flocks and the vision of angels singing Hosanna in the highest 

This deeper meaning touches us and calls to us to see beyond the wrapping paper and presents, beyond the decorations and dinner parties, to ask what it is that we really seek at this time of year to ask what it is we are really waiting and watching for. 

Are we really looking for the Christ the scriptures promise, the Christ that calls us to treat others with peace and justice, are we really seeking the Christ that calls us to care for those less fortunate, are we really looking for the Christ that calls us to care for our world, and are we really willing to live with the vision of the Christ that promises to hold us accountable for the actions of our lives? 

In the unfolding and timeless stories of advent, I pray that we may find this Christ, the Christ of our faith, the Christ of light who warms our hearts and renews our spirits, and fills us with the hope for the future; the Christ in whom we find the joy of living, and the Christ who promises salvation and renewal. 

I also pray that we can then have the faith and courage, to truly let this light live within us so much so, that it overflows in all direction, like the moonlight on new fallen snow, or the candles on an altar, or the lights of a thousand trees and we become light bearers carrying the message of hope, faith, joy and love to the world, “for the time is at hand, let us lay aside the works of darkness, let us put on the armor of light, let us live honorably in the day.”  

Amen.