First Sunday of Advent : our preparation for Christmas is not a safe, private, or even familial enterprise but is preoccupied with great public issues of war and peace and issues of economic justice

God of all our beginnings, we thank you for this new beginning in Advent.  Give us the freedom and courage to enter into your newness that exposes the inadequacy of where we have been and what we have done in time past.  Be the God of all truth in our midst.  Through Christ, Amen.

Psalm 146

Amos 1:1-5

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Luke 21:5-19

We rightly expect that Christmas will go "out like a lamb."  What comes from Christmas is indeed the Lamb that is slaughtered on Friday who is worthy of praise on Sunday,  who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29; Revelations 5:12)  Before that, however, Advent is "in like a lion," a roaring truthfulness that disrupts our every illusion.

The text from Amos begins,  "The Lord roars from Zion."  The image is of a lion (from the temple in Jerusalem)  who is seeking prey,  thus a threat to the status quo.  What follows is the poetry of Amos is an exposé of the sociopolitical failures of Israel's neighbors and of Israel.  The offenses of Damascus (Syria) and Moab and Ammon (Jordan)  bespeak violations of human rights and savage military assault.  The affront of Israel is economic; "trampling the head of the poor."

Such texts assure that our preparation for Christmas is not a safe, private, or even familial enterprise but is preoccupied with great public issues of war and peace and issues of economic justice that concern the worth and bodily well-being of human persons.  Our Advent preparation may invite us to consider the ways in which we ourselves are complicit in the deep inhumanity of our current world.  All these texts attest a coming upheaval because the roaring lion can wait no longer.  The lion opens space for the Lamb, who will arrive soon. 

From Gift and Task by Walter Brueggemann

I'm going to post a sort of advent calendar of the Advent readings from Walter Brueggemann's Gift and Task, a very useful book that takes the readings for Year 2 of the Episcopal and Presbyterian lectionaries, which I believe corresponds to the Catholic B year cycle.  I don't believe they are the official readings for this year that is just beginning but they are very good for daily practice.   If they want to consider this a long advertisement for the book, I do in fact hope that some of those who read this blog will get the book and use it.  I don't plan on going with it here past Advent.   If they send me a cease and desist request, I will honor that.

It sounds like there is a very good chance we might lose power on Monday and, or Tuesday and if that happens who knows how long it might be out.  Just to let you know if there's a pause.