What Sort of Advent Is This? (Part 2 - A Response...)

And I'm back . . .







I seek to rediscover, not some answer, which will give me some sort of platform to speak my mind or make my claim, or institute my policy . . . But The answer - a person, that is Life, Light, and Love! I celebrate this sort of advent (arrival) and giving of Himself to me, to you but even more for THIS world. Not just some sort of gift that we just get to cherish, or horde or keep to ourselves, but one we are privileged to give.

Yet, can we give when it seems like all anyone wants to do in our world is strive to get? 

The world is so preoccupied with getting today, that I find great similarities to the world when Jesus came as a baby and existed as a person. We’re told through the scriptures that when he came he was rejected as well - the Life, Light and Love was appreciated for what they could get (healing, food, a wise Rabbi, and possibly their own political agendas fulfilled). But when he did not fulfill their expectations or asked for them to serve (a.k.a., give of themselves), he was rejected. So, I wonder, can we join in God's narrative of receiving and offering Life, Light and Love to others today?

Seriously, we live in a culture that is saturated and focused with self. The majority of conversations (posts) on Facebook, Twitter, etc. have to do with letting the world know what I think, I feel, I want, I miss, I support, I love, I hate, I-Pad, I-Phone, I-ect. Therefore, I :-) find it hard for us to give life, light, or love away, when all we talk about is what we want and not what we can give? What will it take to not only celebrate the coming (advent) of God into our world and into our lives, but to give what He gives us, away to others?

Could it be that we need a little sympathy, empathy or compassion? Dr. Les & Lesli Parrot help differentiating between empathy and sympathy this way;

Sympathy is standing on the shore and throwing a lifeline to a person who is struggling in the water. Everyone would do this. It flows with our adrenaline. Empathy on the other hand is diving into the water and thrashing around in the cold waves with the person to bring them to safety. And not everyone does that.

It seems that empathy is a lot more risky and that it just might cost us time, vulnerability, and emotional investment. It involves us being present and not just sympathetic. This of course will change everything, especially the particular relationship with the other and in turn, us too. So, yeah, not so easy to empathize, especially in our day and age where we’d rather be buying presents or posting what we've put on to go out for night. for ourselves than actually present with someone hurting, in need, or dare I say, not like us!

Can we, as a people consumed with self, be self-less? 

I truthfully, see a lot of sympathy in our world and that's not a bad thing, entirely. I see people sending lifelines all over - giving money to help a cause... donating clothes, materials, foods, etc. to others in need... Couples letting their spouse know that it's about time he/she seek some help with a certain problem because they see the other person’s need. Or parents keen on abdicating their child's nurturing responsibilities to the "experts" (teachers, ministers, counselors, etc.) because they are sympathizing with how their child must feel not knowing or excelling in this or that. Yet, is this all we're moved to do?

Empathy seems to involve more, that is, our whole being (jumping into the water), literally our heart and head. We take time to use our hearts to imagine how the other would feel if... and then we use our heads to accurately understand if what we would be feeling is the same as what the other is feeling. Every time we empathize, we better understand and understanding leads to a deeper relationship, but one that’s quite risky! Are we capable of such a risky life?

It seems many of us are OK living isolated lives who offer a little lifeline here or there. We're fine with just getting the gifts that we celebrate at Advent, like Hope, Joy, Peace, Love, Light, and Life. It's cool with us to just celebrate the God who comes and gives us the means to live good lives even in the midst of our turmoil. But we forget to empathize with the world that God so loves! We get lost in our own lives that we fail to be present in the lives of others. We see tragedy and get caught up on issues instead of being present with the hurting whether they are tragedies like Newton or the millions of children living in poverty.

Yet, I have a hard time stopping at just empathy. . . what about compassion?

I believe Henri Nouwen has left us with some incredible advice when it comes to living a life with not just empathy but compassion. He says,

 

            “Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.” [And] “Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.” 

 

I believe this is possible. I believe this is the appropriate response during not only the season of Advent that we celebrate currently, but the ongoing Advent we live in daily awaiting the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in His full glory! Yet, it’s not easy.

C. S. Lewis once wrote, "It is not a question of God 'sending' us to Hell. In each of us there is something growing up which itself be Hell unless it is nipped in the bud. The matter is serious: let us put ourselves in His hands at once - this very day, this hour". So may we pray as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “O God… help me to pray and to concentrate on you. In me there is darkness. But with you there is light.”

We’ve seen “Hell” and “darkness” at work recently, and throughout history. Can we take the time than this season, this moment, this second, to embrace the true Love - that is, a person, Jesus Christ, and not some idea we might have about love. He is the wondrous Love, He is the God who comes and who is always coming!

Nouwen also once said that, “You don't think your way into a new kind of living. You live your way into a new kind of thinking.” Why not, live your way into giving yourself away to others? Please don't run away from the pain that exists in this world. Don't hide from the darkness that prevails. And don't just sympathize, but for the Love of God which you embrace and that which embraces you, use your head and heart and do your best to dive into that water (even if you may not agree with him/her/them) by being present with others – compassionately - and give that Light, Love and Life to others. For, "God comes because He is love, and love needs to give of itself".

If you accept this Love you can give this Love, because such a love has been given to you! Mother Teresa once shared, “We have been created in order to love and to be loved. It’s possible that in the apartment or house across from yours there is a blind man who would be thrilled if you would go over and read the newspaper to him. It’s possible that there is a family that needs something that seems insignificant to you, something as simple as having someone babysit their child for half an hour. There are so many little things that are so small many people almost forget about them. If you are really in love with Jesus, no matter how small your work, it will be done better; it will be wholehearted. Your work will prove your love.”

This is the sort of Advent I believe in. The one where a good and caring God loves so much, that He came, He still comes, and will come again in full glory. And one where I too can illuminate a dark world by offering Light, Love and Life because of the God whom I not only embrace but even more embraces and fills me!

Finally, may we all head the words summarized from Saint John and Saint Paul; "As God's dear children, try to be like him, and live in love as Christ loved you, and gave himself up on your behalf. . . . (Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 John 3:16).  And may the Gift of Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, Light and Life fill you this day and forever so that you too may give it away