Blessings to you on the continuing journey of preparation in Advent, a time where we are invited to recalibrate our life and practice to something closer to our covenant with God.
Our invitation to worship is a reminder that God’s messengers are the prophets who invite people to return to their true relationship with God. Our first lesson from the prophet Isaiah reminds us that our salvation comes from our past relationships but only if we renew them back to our principled relationship with God. The psalmist asks that the leaders of the people exercise true justice in their right relationship with God. The New Testament reading from Romans recounts the ongoing power we receive due to our vital relationship with God in Christ. Our Gospel from Matthew introduces the prophet John the Baptist, the one who calls everyone to repent and return to a right relationship with God.
We are reminded of the prophetic mission of Christians in their ministries and the relationships they have with people in their midst. While not necessary, being eccentric in the eyes of conventional wisdom and secular society but the mission we have is based on the foundation of our active life in community. We need to recognize the healing place of the wilderness and the hope which we are offered and share by spending time reorienting ourselves to our vital connections with God and our faith. We are called to remember that, when aligned with God’s principles, we will be more successful than we ever imagine.
How will you use the time offered in Advent to make a difference in the lives of others, starting with yourself and moving to your community? I invite your comments,
Les+
Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 78:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12
Sermon link: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-2/song/advent-2-sermon
