But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
Our watching and waiting during this Advent Season continues. This reading from 2 Thessalonians begins with thanking God for all that God has done on our behalf. It is also a reminder that we are to give thanks to God for the work God does with those around us.
In a society that has become all about the have's and the have not's we tend to value our worth by having the latest cell phone or ipad. Every six months we turn around and probably 3 new cell phones have come out that are suppose to take over the world. What has really taken over is a corporations control over our thinking that we need them in order to feel like we are "with the times." Our thanksgiving to God for all God's goodness within our sisters and brothers can also be based on our own particular world view. Those "traditions that we were taught by word, example or letter" have been misinformed by Biblical literalism, colonialism and social/economic conservative ideologies. Such realities have taught that homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender people are "intrinsically disordered" and a "disorder" at all, to the point that a Christianist attempts to perform an exorcism on a transgender person.The American Family Associations Bryan Fischer wants the Federal Government to call for abstinence on all forms of homosexuality. In other words unless our social and economic policies become like theirs, we are wrong. And so many of us duplicate such ideologies that unless someone is like what we think they should be, apparently the individual just has not opened her or his heart enough to God. The end result? Spiritual malpractice, violence and doctrinal abuse.
The message of the Christian Faith is not one of conquest, having a monopoly on truth and globalization of one way of thinking and doing. If that were the case, there would not be as many nations, religions, occupations, languages, classes, sexual orientations, genders, gender identities/expressions etc. But the fact remains is that no two people are exactly alike. People wind up playing Sesame Street's "One of the things is not like the other" game with people and their many characteristics as opposed to seeing what is so awesome, good and unique about what God is doing with each and every person. God can and does work in people's lives through different traditions and expressions and orientations in ways that we cannot completely understand or appreciate.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ by which God called the marginalized and separated into the company of God's people recognizes that through our differences and diverse ways of being and loving God communicates God's love to all of God's creation. As we watch and wait for the return of Christ and "prepare the way of the Lord" we also need to prepare the way for God to reach out to all people recognizing God's presence in diversity and charity. God can find a way to communicate with and through each person, even if we are not all alike, worship alike, love alike and work alike. God has already come in Christ, but not yet. God wishes to be made known as people reach forth their hands in friendship and concern with and about those who live in poverty, economic hardship and social exclusion. To bring everyone together to work for the common good of all humankind. To work for an end to prejudice, violence and empathy.
May God who has given us all every good gift to do the work that takes place in our watching and waiting, as we "prepare the way" of the Lord's return. May we see our work and opportunity in this present moment to make ready for Christ to come and bring together those who are separated, heal those wounded by division, classification and violence. Today is an chance to love, welcome and reconcile so that Christ becomes ever more real in the lives of those who are looking for a reason to believe.
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent, page 211).
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis, Book of Common Prayer, page 833).
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