Sermon by our Seminarian, Felicity Thompson, 12/8/2024
Centering Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, may your will be done, through me.
I am so excited about our gospel reading this morning. This passage from Luke opens with a roll call of power: Emperor Tiberius, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Philip, Lysanias, and the high priests Annas and Caiaphas. These names set the stage and create a timestamp with the pomp and grandeur of earthly authority. Yet the word of God doesn’t arrive in their palaces or council chambers. Instead, it comes to John the Baptist, son of Zechariah calling people out of the shadows into daylight, out of ignorance into knowledge … in the wilderness!
Note that these moments that are documented in the time they were documented were not just for the people during the time this was recorded, but for all nations throughout time and today. That world continues to change but one thing is constant, the God we speak of is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The God we speak of is the same forever. So let’s look out for God’s presence in our lives throughout this season. Go to the wilderness.
This contrast couldn’t be starker. The wilderness is not a place that we usually think of as power; it is untamed, unclaimed, unbridled and, for many of us, unfamiliar, a place we don’t recognize and might feel uncomfortable. Yet, it is precisely there that God speaks, reminding us that God's ways often challenge our expectations. God speaks during Advent where there are no distractions, in the wilderness.
I must say, with the busyness of our lives today, Advent is a wilderness season for us, too. It is a time when we are called away from the noise of the world to prepare our hearts for Christ's coming. Like John, we are asked to step outside our comfort zones, to hear God's Word in the stillness and the unknown, and to make ready the way of the Lord … through the wilderness.
Advent in my life is a balancing act. It’s a sacred tension between my roles and responsibilities. It’s an ongoing process of carving out time for the holy between the demands of everyday life. Yet, in the busyness, I find glimpses of God’s presence: in the laughter of my friends, the challenges of my studies, the stories of those I minister to, and the love of my family and friends. And where is MY wilderness?
At the end of the day, once we’ve had dinner, the dishes are washed and my evening class is over, we sit together in the quiet glow of the Christmas tree talking through plans for the next day. Permit me to indulge in a bit of frivolity. Not one Christmas tree, but two, three, four, five, six and counting Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes, dotting the home landscape. There’s always more to do, but for now, we enjoy the stillness.
Our Advent journey, though hectic, mirrors the season itself—a time of waiting, preparing, and encountering God in the unexpected.
John’s ministry is a call to action. His proclamation, "Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight," brings about imagery of road building—. This work is both literal and spiritual.
John is not asking us to pave highways; he is asking us to clear the spiritual and moral barriers that separate us from God and from one another. What mountains of pride or self-interest need to be brought low in our lives? What valleys of despair or neglect must be filled with hope and care?
This Advent, we are invited to examine our hearts and take a look at our communities. Where do we need to repent? Where do we need to change direction? Where do we need to re-evaluate our actions so that Christ may enter in?
The last paragraph of our appointed reading is a dance of images and a weaving of words that create a beautiful quilt. The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'
Luke’s writings point to the magnificent scope of God’s salvation: "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." This isn’t a message reserved for the elite or a chosen few; it is for all people.
At St. David's, we see glimpses of this vision when we gather at the Food Pantry or the breakfast ministry at St. Andrew’s in Ann Arbor. We encounter people from all walks of life—some with heavy burdens, others seeking connection. Our work in Haiti, our gun buyback events, and our partnerships for justice all echo this call to prepare the way for God’s salvation to be revealed here and now.
Advent reminds us that the kingdom we prepare for is one of radical inclusion, where every person is welcomed into the light of Christ.
In this busy season, let us find our own wilderness moments. They might be in a quiet prayer before sunrise, a conversation with someone in need, or a pause - in the chaos of holiday preparations. In those moments, let us listen for God’s call.
The word of God comes not to the halls of power but to the wilderness. Luke is concerned to show us that Jesus is Jewish, that this prophecy is rooted in time and space and nation. All of this for the sake of all of us.
This is a disruption! “So, prepare the way!” It comes not to the comfortable but to those willing to prepare the way. Let us pay attention to John’s call, leveling what is high, filling what is low, and making straight the paths that lead to Christ.
Amen