Tis the Season
An Advent Reflection
One of the perks of my job is that I get to travel, and on one of my trips, I was blessed with the opportunity to journey to Princeton Seminary for a collaborative gathering of higher education personnel from other PCUSA institutions.
As part of our gathering, we attended the final chapel service of the semester, joining students, faculty, and staff in one last moment of worship before the winter break. As the band began to play, and we sang the words to “Here I am to Worship,” I was surprised to find myself smiling, overwelled at the joy welling up in my spirit.
The last few years have been hard years, or at least it has felt that way to me. Instability at the global, national, and even local level have continued to destabilize our sense of equilibrium. As a society of human beings, we seem increasingly more inclined to separate ourselves from one another than we are to come together. Personally, I’ve found myself overwhelmed by the tumult, fatigued and grieved by the moral pain of witnessing so much disunity, heartache, and pain. It’s become easy to lose hope.
But as I was singing in that, surrounded by strangers, I was reminded of the unity of the Christian family, the unity we have in Jesus Christ.
As we continued to sing, I was reminded of all the different worship experiences I’ve participated in over the years. The diversity of people and voices, styles and practices, all expressions of praise to the God we love, all declaring in their own way: “Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you’re my God!”
For a moment, I felt like I was given a glimpse of a reality that transcends time and space. I could see the bond, the thread of Spirit spreading out all around the world. Everyday there are Christians worshiping Jesus with earnest hearts, a global community of hope filled people, believing against all odds for a world better than the one we inhabit. And over it all, Jesus smiles, embracing his sisters and brothers with love.
This advent season, I needed that reminder. While it may be the end of a hard set of years, for Christians, this is also an opportunity for a new beginning. We anticipate the arrival of a gift, Immanuel, God with Us. We prepare for the coming of Christ, on whose shoulders all “authority rests,” who is called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
I am excited for Christmas in a different way this year. I am excited because I need Jesus. Our God is not one who is far off, but one who promises to be present with us. I don’t know what you might need this year, but I pray that the love of Christ would envelope you the same way it did for me in that chapel at Princeton. We are beloved, and our God is coming near.
With all love and care, Merry Christmas!