Advent: the \'un-scrooging\' of Deacon Michel

 I can't really place when it happened but it did; I had become a cynic. Maybe it was the economy,  unemployment, the last election or just me marching into middle age, but I had become increasingly cynical about life. I mean, politicians and CEOs put power over people, doctors and lawyers only care about money, most marriages are doomed to infidelity, promises will be broken, death is the only certainty, etc, etc, etc....

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...and then comes Advent with its ever timely message of hope, anticipation, expection and joy and it becomes the antidote or the antivenom for the poison of cynicism growing in me.

If politicians and CEOs put power and prestige over ordinary people, Advent reminds me that God put all people (even politicians and CEOs) above his power. If doctors and lawyers cared only for money then Advent reminds me that God cared more for people (even doctors & lawyers) than all the riches in Heaven. If I felt that marriages are doomed to infidelity Advent showed me that God would be forever faithful in His covenant love (even to unfaithful husbands and wives). If I felt that promises would be broken Advent reminds me that we are at the threshold of the fulfilment of God's promise. And if I felt that death is the only certainity, Advent reminds me 'no': that salvation leads to Eternal Life!

God's promise of a Savior, proclaimed through Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah & Micah during these Advent weeks has been fulfilled in the birth, death and resurrection of his only begotten Son, Jesus; the only reason for the season of Christmas. God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

Advent also encourages me not only to look back at the promise being fulfilled by the birth of a baby over 2000 years ago in a town of Bethlehem but to look forward to to Christ's coming again in glory (another promise) when the Kingdom of God established then, present now, will be fully realized. There is no place for 'Scrooge' there and so I must cast off those dreary robes and put on robes of love, peace, justice, joy and hope. St. Paul sums it up better than I ever could in his letter to the Phillippian (4:4-7)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

And so it is with Advent hope and joy that I wish you all a very Merry and Holy Christmas. Peace.