Readings
for 1 Advent A:
Is. 2:1-5; Rom. 13:8-14; Mt. 24:37-44
November 28, 2004
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Jesus said to his disciples: "Keep awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." [Mt. 24]
What is the greatest threat to the well being of future generations? According to Colin Powell and the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, the greatest threat to the well being of future generations is the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They describe the AIDS pandemic as a catastrophe greater than terrorism, greater than weapons of mass destruction.
On June 25, 1981, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta Georgia, introduced the world to a disease that would eventually became known as AIDS. In the early years of this epidemic, the CDC was denied sufficient funding to adequately research the cause and prevention of this killer disease. Since it was believed to only affect homosexual men and because there were so many other medical concerns competing for the same dollars, funding for AIDS research remained in short supply. Through a combination of politics, prejudice, fear, selfishness, ignorance, and denial, the HIV virus began to rapidly spread throughout the world. Today, over two decades later, some 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS; 70% of them are women and children.
In the less developed nations of Africa, the impact of the epidemic is destroying whole societies. 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS which is a threat to the well being of the future. AIDS kills those on whom society relies to grow the crops, work in the mines and factories, run the schools and hospitals and govern countries. Children orphaned by AIDS are often consigned to a life without hope, beginning with the emotional trauma of their parents dying of AIDS before their very eyes. A future of dysfunctional societies is being created today. Consider this: [Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, Esq. - 10/30/03]
"Children orphaned by AIDS are more vulnerable than other orphans to high-risk lifestyles that result in HIV infections, perpetuating a vicious cycle of transmission of HIV/AIDS
Children orphaned by AIDS are more likely to drift into crime.
Such children often become the victims of exploitative child labor.
AIDS orphans are prone to become child soldiers. Warlords and terrorists will conscript these children - a trend with important future strategic implications. We have already seen too many television pictures of hordes of children, many of them orphaned by AIDS, as child soldiers in the wars that have wracked the African continent in recent years - in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, and other theatres of conflict.
As children lose their parents to the AIDS epidemic and drop out of school - or are unable to get into school - a critical mass of citizens without knowledge and skills grows up. This will create massive unemployment.
The rise of AIDS orphans is breaking the generational transmission of knowledge that enables societies survive, and will mire affected countries in poverty. The result will be the economic collapse of several societies."
In other words, a world environment is now being cultivated which will breed future terrorists, poverty, and desperation. Is this the kind of world you want your children to inherit? If not, how can you offer a note of hope? On December 1st, we will remember World AIDS day. Not only will we remember the 20 million people who have already died of AIDS but leaders from many nations will gather together to address the multitude of problems created by the epidemic. The call to wake up continues.
Back in 1981, when AIDS funding was scarce and bigotry was abundant, there were researchers from the CDC who voluntarily gave of their time and talent to fight the disease. These researches were "bright lights" in a sea of darkness; conscious people who were awake. They were visionaries who could see beyond the narrow-minded and short-sighted landscape of the politicians and fearful people who chose to put their heads in the sand. These bright lights were the ones, who predicted a tragic future if something was not done immediately to stop the scourge. These were the awakened souls who stood together in the face of resistance to strive for a better future and for the dignity of every human being. While they could not fix the entire world at once, they did what they could. They stretched out to mend the part of the world that was within their reach. And what was in their reach? They couldn't change the politics. They couldn't force others to care. But they could fight the fight on a day to day basis by using their gifts of epidemiology, research, and teaching. This is what they did and the world is a better place because of them. For their heroic and tireless efforts, I give God thanks.
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the beginning of the Church year. Unlike the beginning of the calendar year in which people celebrate with a big party and new year's resolutions; unlike the beginning of the school year in which people prepare by buying school supplies and making promises to study harder; the beginning of the Church year prepares us to open up our hearts more fully to the spirit of Christ. Advent means the coming; the coming of Christ into our hearts. It is the time of year when we read those prophets in Scripture who sound the alarm to wake up! God wants us to mature and to wake up to a new way of walking in this world. God has a vision for humanity; a vision that is based on justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being. Our Savior showed us how we are to walk in this world to make that vision a reality. Some people have caught on to that vision and have intervened in this stormy world by standing up and being counted. Others are still hesitant and need to hear, over and over again, the words of the prophets who speak about a new world order, a new creation, the kingdom of God.
In today's readings from the Holy Scriptures, Isaiah envisions a future where justice will prevail. In that future, all nations will have a common standard to determine what is right. This standard is the word of the Lord. The establishment of justice will lead to an unprecedented reign of peace where weapons of destruction will be turned into agricultural implements that will grow food and thus give life instead of death. [Is.2] This is the future that Isaiah longed for. Is this the future for which you are longing? Wake up!
St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, envisioned a future where loving one's neighbor becomes the operating principle and purity of heart forms the character of the individual. He encourages the Christians in Rome to keep the faith and not let the darkness have power over them. He tells them: "Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light...Let us live honorably as in the day and put on the Lord Jesus Christ."[Rom. 13] This was the future that Paul worked hard for. Is this the future for which you are working? Wake up!
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus encourages his disciples to keep awake and to not become complacent with everyday life. He teaches them to recognize, train for, and be ready for God's intrusion into human history. God's future has a way of breaking into the present moment. However, if we are not awake and ready, this future can be ignored or feared or even sabotaged. "Keep awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." [Mt. 24]
Today, people seem to be less interested in the future than they once were. They are certainly less interested in life after death, with eternal life in general, or anticipating the day of the Lord. And so many of the Advent hymns and readings have little impact on the life of the believer. Many ignore the season of Advent altogether and jump right into Christmas without preparing the heart. While the Scriptures are not clear about whether the day of the Lord will be within human history or at the end of human history, they are clear about our responsibilities as people of God. We are to be recipients and agents of God's grace during our lifetime; especially during times of darkness. The prophets give us "a wake-up call" to pay attention and to respond to the divine initiative.
In any dark time, there is a tendency to veer towards fainting over how much is wrong in the world. Do not focus on that. There is a tendency to fall into being weakened by dwelling on what is outside your reach, by what cannot yet be. Do not focus on that. "Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good. What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, and continuing. We know that it does not take 'everyone on Earth' to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up. One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, and causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of the soul is to be fierce and to show mercy towards other. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it." {Clarissa P. Estes, Author of Women who Run with the Wolves}
There will be times when you will feel discouraged. But do not despair. Instead, put on the armor of light and live honorably. Remember, we do not walk alone. The power of God working in us can do infinitely more than we can ever ask or imagine. It is this spirit of Christ that is being birthed in our hearts. So keep awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
| Updated 11/28/04 |
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