Lessons: Psalm 41, 52; Isaiah 8:16-9:1; 2 Peter 1:1-11; Luke 22:39-53
Where Was God?
In the letter to the Church in Galatia, Saint Paul writes: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Where was God on Friday, December 14? Was God anywhere near the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut?
The answer to the question is that God was present in the midst of the terror, the suffering, and the heartache. The incarnation of God was made manifest on Friday in the heroic actions of teachers and administrators who confronted the evil and sacrificed their lives for the sake of the children in their charge. The courageous actions of that first grade teacher who placed all of her students in the closet, confronted the gunman, told him that the kids were on the other side of the building, and then her life was taken from her is no different in my mind than when Jesus confronted his enemies in the garden of Gethsemane and sacrificed himself for the sake of his disciples. Jesus was made visible in that classroom on Friday morning. The incarnation was real and tangible. The Light was shining in a moment of utter and complete darkness.
God can always be seen in lives of the poor, the hungry, the handicapped, and especially in this instance, the powerless. It is almost impossible for us to recognize God when our focus is constantly on success, and influence and power. Henri Nouwen wrote many years ago: “Our faithfulness will depend on our willingness to go where there is brokenness, loneliness, and human need.” I am reminded again by this horrific event that a nation, which claims to be less and less influenced by religion, returns in moments of crisis and suffering to spiritual resources in order to find solace and comfort. God is alive and very much present as residents of Newtown have reached out to one another, wept with each other, consoled one another, and offered words of hope and solidarity.
If we have finally had enough of the violence and pain that such a recurring event brings to our lives, than this Nation must move in a new direction embracing once again the ancient spiritual truths of the great religious traditions. God can be found, is alive, and well: not in the illusions of power and influence, but in the sacrificial actions we offer to one another and the random acts of kindness given to others in God’s Name.
Be with me, Lord, in every moment of this day and in every place so that I may recognize and respond to your call to go to the broken, the lonely and the needy. AMEN.
Advent Action Step: Read Psalm 139. It has alot to say about wherever you are in the journey of faith.
Love One Another – Brian
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