The Adventurous Lectionary – The First Sunday in Advent – November 29, 2015

The Adventurous Lectionary – The First Sunday in Advent – November 29, 2015 November 20, 2015

The Adventurous Lectionary – The First Sunday in Advent – November 29, 2015

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
I Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

How do we feel as we look toward the future? Do we see continuity or discontinuity? Do we expect gradual evolution or cataclysmic change? Today’s scriptures suggest both options, and whether the result of our own actions, divine-human companionship, or unilateral divine action, the future will bring change?

Jeremiah images hope in a naturalistic fashion. God’s new era will emerge out of the people’s history and life experiences. God will fulfill God’s promises in ways that are continuous with God’s previous promises. A branch grows from a tree. God’s healing of the earth is gradual yet certain. God’s restoration of Shalom emerges from the world we live in and in accordance with its causal relationships rather than through a dramatic and supernatural intervention. God’s fidelity is naturalistic. God mercies are new every morning, although some may be more dramatic than others. Still, God works within the world to bring forth God’s realm of Shalom.

Psalm 25 also looks toward the future in a naturalistic way. Our hope is God’s pathway of righteousness and peace. In lifting our hearts to God, trusting God’s way instead of our own devices and desires, we embody God’s future in our time. While we can choose pathways of destruction as well as divinity, following God’s path leads to fullness of life for us and our communities.

The prayer from I Thessalonians is affectionate and affirmative in tone. The evangelist is grateful his Thessalonian followers. They are running the race faithfully. But, more growth is possible, especially in an antagonistic social context. The evangelist prays for the Christian community and its members to grow in openness to God’s guidance, loving relationships, and spiritual maturity. While there may be mystical experiences and spiritual quantum leaps that radically transform our lives, the author imagines organic spiritual growth, building on previous experiences of faithful community and spiritual commitment.

The “apocalyptic” passage from Luke’s Gospel has often been read in a supernatural manner. The Son of Man will return in the clouds with power and glory. This rapture ruptures the world in which we live. Many commentators see this passage as a precursor to today’s “Left Behind” prophecies in which divine destruction is prelude to divine re-creation. Here the circle of hope is small and the circle of horror immense. According to those who claim insights into biblical prophesy, only a small portion of the earth will survive. The signs of the time herald destruction as well as redemption, and exacerbate the polarization already present our world. The saved and unsaved are separated eternally, one group to celebration, the other to judgment. But, in real life, is the separation of saints and sinners, believers and unbelievers, really that great?

Still, the imagery of the fig tree and the signs of the times speaks to our generation. The adventurous preacher might ask, “What are the signs of the times that we can discern in our world today? What threats and hopes do these signs bring?” The message of the fig tree is that dramatic future events are grounded in the naturalistic process at work in the present moment. By our actions, we can promote a culture of life or death for ourselves and the planet. From this perspective, we need to look out for the signs of the time and not tranquilize ourselves with trivia. The signs of the times herald future scenarios, each of which is contingent on our commitments to God and the planet. For many, the signs herald ecological apocalypse. For others, our future, positive or negative, is unfolding gradually. Still, we must discern the signs of the times and respond in ways that heal the earth and its peoples.

Today’s readings open us to a divine destiny for our planet. They affirm that this destiny unfolds according to a dynamic divine-human partnership. In the creating the future, we are not omnipotent, but we also not impotent. We can tip the balances toward planetary health and open the door to greater influx of divine activity. We can choose intentional partnership with God to heal the earth.


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