Can you believe it?<\/strong><\/p>\nWe\u2019re just a week away from Christmas.<\/p>\n
For some of us, I know, that\u2019s a cause for panic. Time to make that last trip to the mall, or hit Trader Joe\u2019s, or see what Amazon can deliver before December 25th. Right around now is when you realize those Christmas cards you didn\u2019t mail will have to be New Year\u2019s cards. Drop by Walgreen\u2019s and you\u2019ll see small crowds of people huddled around the gift cards display, grabbing last minute cards for Buffalo Wild Wings or the Olive Garden or Starbucks. Most of them, we know, will end up unused in a dresser drawer. But it\u2019s the thought that counts, right?<<\/p>\n
Yet, on the Christian calendar, despite the last minute frenzy, this isn\u2019t a time for panic.
\nIt\u2019s a moment for rejoicing.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nAnd for good reason. All the anticipation of these last weeks\u2014the call to watch, to prepare, to straighten our path, to repent and get ready\u2014all that is drawing to a close. Again and again, the scripture this Sunday calls us to rejoice.
\n\u201cI rejoice heartily in the Lord,\u201d Isaiah cries out. \u201cIn my God is the joy of my soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBrothers and sisters,\u201d Paul writes, \u201crejoice always.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Latin for rejoice is \u201cGaudete,\u201d which is why we call this \u201cGaudete Sunday.\u201d And we mark that with the bright, joyful color we wear \u2013 rose \u2013 to signify that our Advent journey is nearing its end.<\/p>\n
I was reminded of that recently when my wife and I found ourselves on the road, for Thanksgiving. We were in Maryland, visiting our families. You\u2019ve probably had this experience: driving around in a rental car in a strange city trying to find a good radio station. I was looking for a station that was playing Christmas music. I found the hip hop station, the jazz station, the talk station, the Hispanic station, the country western station. Finally, I found a Christian music station that had some nice carols and some songs I hadn\u2019t heard before. One of them stood out \u2013 a song that described Mary and Joseph\u2019s journey before Jesus was born. It was called \u201cNot That Far From Bethlehem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, on this third Sunday of Advent, we\u2019re not that far from Bethlehem.<\/strong><\/p>\nWe are almost there.<\/p>\n
In geographic terms, Bethlehem is about 70 miles from Nazareth. It\u2019s about the same distance as from Forest Hills to Philadelphia. If Mary and Joseph had taken Amtrak, they\u2019d have been there in about 90 minutes. But they weren\u2019t so lucky. It may have taken them up to a week to get there, traveling on foot and donkey. We can only imagine their relief as they got closer and closer to their destination, and they realized the trip was almost over.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s what the song is about \u2014 Joseph encouraging Mary, and reassuring her. We\u2019re almost there. \u201cWe\u2019re Not That Far From Bethlehem.\u201d<\/p>\n
But for us, I think, the sentiment behind the song is about more than just geography, more than a date on the calendar.<\/p>\n
Bethlehem is not just as a point on the map, or a place in history. It is where Christ comes into our world.<\/p>\n
It is a crossroads of the human heart. It is where hope is born.<\/strong><\/p>\nA place of eternal possibility.<\/p>\n
And we\u2019re closer to it than we may realize.<\/p>\n
In these last days of Advent, we need to remember that. These are days that will be crazy, with parties to attend and gifts to wrap and cards to send. There will be decorations to hang and notes to write and meals to prepare and cookies to bake and bags to pack and trips to make.<\/p>\n
But take time to pause, and to give thanks. Take stock. Take heed of all the messages God has sent us this Advent \u2013 to stay awake, to repent, to prepare the way of the Lord, to seek him in the desert.<\/p>\n
And: take time to pinpoint the Bethlehem of your own heart. That place that calls to each of us.<\/p>\n
Bethlehem is waiting for us<\/strong> \u2013 even as we are waiting for it. Even as we are waiting for Christ. It is the destination at the end of our Advent wanderings \u2013 where we were always meant to be. Spend these days quietly, joyfully anticipating it.<\/p>\nBecause we will be there before we know it.<\/p>\n
The lyrics of the song I mentioned put it so simply, and so beautifully\u2014and carry a message for all of us.<\/p>\n
A message of anticipation. A message of comfort.<\/p>\n
A message worth rejoicing<\/em> over.<\/p>\nThe imagined words of Joseph to Mary can serve as God\u2019s words to us \u2026as he accompanies us on our journey:<\/p>\n
Though it seems the road is long,
\nWe\u2019re not that far from Bethlehem,
\nWhere all our hope and joy begins.
\nWe\u2019re not that far from Bethlehem. <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Can you believe it? We\u2019re just a week away from Christmas. For some of us, I know, that\u2019s a cause for panic. Time to make that last trip to the mall, or hit Trader Joe\u2019s, or see what Amazon can deliver before December 25th. Right around now is when you realize those Christmas cards you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":262672,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11252],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-262664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-open-mind"],"yoast_head":"\n
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