Sunday, 18th December 2022 (Year A)
St Anne’s Church, Wrenthorpe (Eucharist)
Isaiah 7:10-16 / Romans 1:1-7 / Matthew 1:18-25
I like Advent….
It is a time for getting ready…. There is a sense of excitement….
Being ready…. But what for?
Advent has a quality that is so much more than Christmas preparations, and anticipation of “the Big Day” – and all the unpredictable expectations that comes with all of that.
I like advent for its sense of Expectancy…
During this time, amidst all the other stuff that is happening, we shall pass the Winter Solstice and, imperceptibly… the daylight will diminish less, and the days will lengthen by a few moments.
We shall know that Spring just might be possible…. That warmth and light might return to us….
Such hopes are very human, and very ancient., and they come from deep within us.
I have no real expectations for the end of Winter…. Although as a gardener, the list of tasks begins again…!
It is just hope-filled Expectancy… I have a faith that this good thing shall come to pass!
No, expectations are often something quite different.
I am making a distinction here between the state of being Expectant, and the expectations we adopt – that we overlay onto any situation.
I’ll try and make some sense of that… bear with….
A mother, expecting a child, will understandably be filled with expectations – hopes, dreams, ideas for names, ideas for schools and interior design; anticipation for how it will affect her person – her body, her relationships and how she will be, as a mother.
Forgive me for the generalisations, and for only scratching the surface of what is a very real deluge of feeling, emotion, ideas and challenges.
The baby that is to come; the new life growing within – will be what it will be – yes, with the help or hindrance of those involved in its care, regardless of the expectations that precede it.
The expectations of the parent or parents to be, may turn out to be just hopes…..
For whatever reason, the realities of life can push back against our dreams at any given moment.
We know the dangers and pitfalls of expectation.
On a daily basis, we face the real possibility of disappointment and failure.
At the very least…. Whatever we anticipate, might just not be…..
That all seems to be more acute at this time of year, doesn’t it?
We will know of people who have been made redundant before Christmas.
Our present national reality makes any kind of hope in human preparations seem a folly;
That Christmas will be a time of increased hardship this year for many more….
I wonder, then, what you see when we are shown migrants on small, rubber boats, somewhere in the English Channel?
We rarely know anything about them.
We are told they are coming here for a new life – whatever that might be.
Maybe we hear that they are coming to steal our jobs and our welfare, that they will diminish us with their difference and strangeness…..
I truly hope that is not what you hear…
However… such views are widespread today.
I can tell you – for me to get onto such a boat, with dozens of others, cast adrift on the sea, in the middle of Winter, with very little idea of what I might find on the other side….
Either a bigger boat is sinking, and this is rescue….. or I am desperate.
Absolutely desperate for a new life…..for something…. Anything, other than what I am running away from.
And yes, possibly so desperate that I pay my life savings to a modern-day pirate for a place on this floating nightmare.
What are the expectations of such a person, huddled together against the cold on such a dangerous journey?
What do they expect to find here?
I am not going to answer this question for you.
Instead, I will pose another question:
For what, or of what, are they expectant?
New? Better? Safer?
Whatever has brought the migrant, in this time, to the shores of this nation, it won’t be a guarantee of happiness or success, will it?
The reality is likely to be detention, the threat of deportation to Rwanda, the deliberate harshness of the “hostile environment” – along with the usual barriers of language, culture, poverty and the burden of blame – for all the ills that our nation is experiencing, and then some….!
Last week, in the House of Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury – Justin Welby – amongst other Bishops, called the Government to account – once more – for their poor record on Immigration and Asylum cases.
Justin described current policy initiatives as “cruel” and “a failure”.
From the “language of Invasion” used by the Home Secretary, amongst others – to the dire need to bring people-smugglers to justice – he spoke of the urgency required to bring Compassion into all areas of this challenging issue – for all concerned and affected – an in particular, that those who come to us are treated as human.
And no, I do not think this is an easy issue to resolve…. But there is much work to do, in all areas of our governance.
I can only imagine that the first glimmer of hope is provided by volunteer lifeboat sailors, sent out to rescue them.
Whatever the reasons for the journeys that we take in life, whether it involves actual travel or a journey of the soul, in some way, we overlay everything with our expectations – hopes, dreams, presumptions and assumptions – where are we going, what will it be like, will I be OK….
We are prone to disappointment or surprise. Our lives may change for the better…. Or they may not.
Regardless, nothing stays the same. Being Expectant acknowledges this, perhaps without the overlay of expectations.
When we hear Jesus speak, during His ministry, God is always in the here and now – present in this moment….. and then in this moment….
Jesus seems to be the essence of being Expectant – ready for the now – God right here… doing something amazing!
The prophets, in what we refer to as the Old Testament, wanted Israel to know God NOW – in that time, to have hope and faith…… and to return to God.
They spoke of a past: “remember when…?”
They told of a future…. Even when – as is the case in todays passage from Isaiah – The Sign is given, wanted or not, and then disregarded!
Advent is the embodiment of our Expectancy – The Incarnation of God is foretold – God will come to us – the Messiah, Emmanuel – comes to us:
on that First Christmas…. Last year, yesterday, this morning, tomorrow…. And always NOW
Todays Gospel is a story about a journey that begins with Expectancy – of God for Israel – of Joseph for Mary and the child to come.
Now, it would be fair and accurate to say, that the Birth Narratives we read and hear at this time of the year, have given Christianity quite a lot to wrestle with, over two thousand years!
In all honesty, I am not going to help you with those tricky subjects today. We can talk late about that!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t know much about Joseph.
Matthew tells us that, despite what others might think, Joseph acted in faith – his future was Expectant with his involvement with Mary and the Child soon to be born.
No matter how he reflected on his dream…. Or what his community might think of him and Mary…. He acted in the NOW.
Unlike Ahaz…. Who chose his own counsel instead of the Prophet; his own political intelligence over the hope of God in the Emmanuel to come. More fool him!
Matthew mentions Joseph many more times than he does Mary, unlike Luke’s account which is mostly from Mary’s viewpoint.
To read this story, through the eyes of Joseph, brings a different perspective. It complements Lukes version.
We are shown how God is acting through another person in this story. Same story – different eyes.
The Angel speaks in his dreams. On waking he acts with purpose in, what we imagine to be a situation full of social and cultural dilemma.
Whatever has passed between Mary and Joseph – there is a real chance that their community may take against them.
Joseph seems to perceive an Expectancy in the bigger picture; a narrative larger and more significant than might ensue in their village.
He too is told to not be afraid. His faith in God, and how he acts, is in the NOW – for the sake of others, before himself.
Both Mary and Joseph show their faithfulness, in this way.
Whichever Gospel version you read, Matthew and Luke don’t ask us to just take the story “as is”.
They want us to see it in the light of the entire history of Israel – where God was always present and at work, often in a very surprising way; and also in the light of the story of Jesus himself.
OK
So how will our sense of being Expectant – of preparation and readiness; of being present in each moment of God’s presence – how will we present ourselves as Christian Disciples to the world we live in?
Now, I am very hopeful that you will have some answers this time, later over coffee maybe….!
However, in the meantime….
There are times, such as Christmas, when we might hope that the Story of the Birth of Jesus will do its own magic, and mix nicely with our expectations of Joy to the World, Santa, snow and tinsel; parties and Turkey (or a vegan option of your choice); nice films on the telly, the family all around and everyone getting on because…..
Because… so often, all of our hopes and expectations are placed into one massive, Christmas shaped basket….
A basket that has been on display since Bonfire Night, and each year we cannot seem to avoid filling it up regardless of how disappointed we will be when Christmas Day is something else….!
Let’s face it, Christmas advertising is insentient on raising our emotional expectations – often despite the harsh realities we know too well.
Ok – I apologise for sounding a bit down about this.
Probably like you, I am ready to remind people that Christmas BEGINS with the birth of Christ and continues, for a season…. Not just until New Year or the sales!
And because of those harsh realities that we see, just under the surface, can bring out the best…. so many people putting all their energies into helping others to have just a moment of hope, light and warmth – in whatever way they can. Thank God.
You don’t need me to tell you that the real Hope of Christmas, is Jesus Christ – the Redeemer, the Messiah, Emmanuel – God with US – right here (heart) in us… all of us…
It is up to us to tell the story of Light in the Darkness; of faith in the face of God’s seeming impossibility!
Tell it, show it, live it, be it – however you are able – be the Light in the Darkness that we all need.
Last Sunday we enjoyed the Nativity right here in church, with a cast of thousands – young and old – telling the story of the Birth of Jesus. It was Amazing (wow)!
During last week I was privileged to be an able to watch our granddaughters school Nativity. It was a fairly modern version, telling the story from the viewpoint of the animals in the barn.
It was big on laughs and big on catchy songs… and thankfully, it was big on Jesus too – with the message that Jesus was born in a barn but would be the King of the World… hurrah!
I think we place quite a lot of hope into such opportunities, especially for children, that this and other biblical stories are experienced somehow. Of course they are – we are a Christian nation, aren’t we?
Er, Census says “no”.
We run the very real risk of this becoming less popular in the years to come, as our society believes less in faith as a grounding for human enrichment.
It is for us to remind others that the Child born in a stable, who then explained about how God loved the world; who died for us that we might be forgiven the burden of our sins.
It’s not just a sweet story for Christmas…. It’s for life. Isn’t it?
I began by saying that I like Advent for its sense of being Expectant.
Of all that could be possible – and all that could possibly be.
I invite you to hold on to that sense of Expectancy – that hope that the Light will come to us….will abide with us.
Even when all around us, Christmas might seem short-lived.
There will be many in our midst who will not know any kind of hope at this time; nor see any any light in the darkness.
How will we change that?
When we hear of rubber boats losing their Expectant passengers to the merciless sea….
When we know that warmth and light are too costly to have…..
When we hear loud voices that condemn the stranger…
When a child knows nothing about love.
Tell them about Jesus – anyway you can.
Make it about the animals, or Mary and Joseph, or angels, kings and shepherds….
However you tell this story – tell it from your experience, your memories, your soul.
It is up to us.
Enjoy the Expectancy of faith in God who can and will make anything possible, right now.
Go and be the Light of the World this Christmas.
And may God go with you.
Amen.
References
Borg, M.J., Crossan, J.D. (2007) The First Christmas, SPCK
Wright, T. (2004) Matthew for Everyone Part 1: Chapters 1-15, SPCK, Kindle
Image: Wayne Forte (2017) Holy Family Immigration
Holy Family Immigration