Isaiah’s call in 1st rdg to the chosen people to prepare for the coming of the Lord has three stages..console, prepare, announce.. three stages in our journey to the manger.. this Advent season, a time to get cracking, a precious few days.. ..to console the downhearted, the disillusioned & the betrayed ..to prepare a way out of the wilderness our world & our Church finds itself in.. & then announce the astounding news of the presence of God made flesh.. ..it is work & prayer in progress.. let us confess our indifference, lack of conviction & our apathy thus far this Advent.. “..speak to the heart..” ..a heart that listens not discriminates.. ; Lord have mercy “..her sin is atoned for..” ..guilty forgiven the debt paid off.. ; Christ have mercy “..her time of [punishment] is ended..” a clean slate a new heart.. ; Lord have mercy May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins & bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
“who is your idol?” a Yr 7 student asked last week..I gently suggested we don’t have idols in life & faith but role models, inspirers, folk we aspire to be like..we could do far worse than to look at John the Baptist..he didn’t fit the mould, unconventional in diet appearance & ministry..he challenged those comfortably snug & complacent in their dutiful Jewish best practice, to step outside to see & experience life & faith differently.. 5wks ago I had lunch with Joel our man of road..in conversation I asked sensitively how much longer he might be staying locally “only a few more days Father, the leaves are off trees & people can see me now in the woods” he lives in wood opposite Golden Square Caravan site in a sleeping bag..he looks threatening, his anorak hood always up, a tall powerful man, confrontational in way he asks for food or use of phone, yet a heart of gold..get beyond anorak & gruff voice & meet John the Baptist..”a voice cries in the wilderness [ above Golden Square ] prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight” I told Yr 7 students of seeing Hamish another of our men of road last Spring..met him outside the Church as he came to light candle & rummage through food bank boxes..we had chat & I commented on his bicycle..I said I could do with a bicycle like that to get some exercise in the valley..he immediately unstrapped his bag from bike & handed bike to me “here Fr Bede, its yours ..” & he meant it believe me..”so then my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace”..as you & I worry & fret about so many things our Hamish has the gift no one can buy & few have found..peace..homeless penniless an alcoholic & a man of peace..third man of road met two weeks ago for first time..he knew of our Church & our food bank hampers..he asked for some food..I searched to give him biscuits soup pasta..a year ago I noticed an unusual item a tinned fray bentos meat pie had been taken..two weeks later at our monthly get together Rev Sue Bond told me she’d been asked by Joel to heat a fray bentos meat pie..an ecumenical meal..a eucharist..gifted from OL&SB & heated by St Hilda’s..the new man of road politely refused all I offered him & then asked for one thing I’d never thought to offer him..a box of Turkish delight..a treat instead of an essential.. three John the Baptists out there “take us as you find us” preparers of our way to the manger by their witness, their radically different way of life, & all with warm hearts & a love & respect for you & I..& our Jesus..last Monday in St Benedict’s Primary School, talking with a Yr 6 girl & looking at painting of Our Lady waiting praying expectantly for the birth of her baby, her hands outstretched as if already cradling her beloved child, her eyes closed in advent thought & prayer..”what do you think she is thinking?” I asked ..girl thought pondered for moment then shared few familiar phrases..& then came a mind blowing revelation ..“she would be sad at losing him”..what an insight..indeed having grown the baby inside her for those difficult precious unconventional nine months, living in exile far from home as an unwelcome migrant, struggling to live with & to help a reluctant hostile yet faithful Joseph, disowned scapegoated by her faith family, a huge disappointment & embarrassment to her own family..she was about to bring him to birth & in doing so begin to lose him..”he must grow greater, I must grow smaller”..another John the Baptist preparing our way to Christmas..four role models for our Advent..you & I called empowered & now inspired to be messengers, Cedric Robinsons, guides over sands, not over Morecambe Bay for groups of eager hikers, but for reluctant timid damaged injured fellow pilgrims of ours, seemingly trapped directionless..hoping still if no longer expectantly, after years of Advents of disappointment, still hoping for a John the Baptist to prepare the way..to light the Advent candle each day in joyful expectancy, tinged with a sadness of losing the baby Jesus you too have carried expectantly for last nine months..”how can this come about?” you asked all those weeks ago; now at last you know how..& why..hold on to that familiarity of relationship with him for these next few precious days in the wilderness..& look into the wood.. [ 2ndSunAdventYrB Mk 1;1-8]