SHARING THE JOY
Our journey towards Christmas continues this weekend with all our readings promising a glorious future if we but believe in the power of the Lord.
The first reading is from Baruch, and we have a clear and unambiguous message. It was written for Jerusalem and the Jews who have been conquered by the Babylonians. They are weary and despairing, but the writer promises them a new and glorious future with their sons in exile returning ‘like royal princes carried back in glory’. They proclaim the power and glory of God, capable of the ‘flattening of each high mountain’ and the ‘filling of the valleys to make the ground level.’ The Jews are exhorted to trust in God and believe in his mercy and power.
The sentiment of this is continued in the words of the gospel. Luke returns to the theme of the Old Testament with ‘prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled in, every mountain and hill be laid low’, winding ways will be straightened’. This is to highlight the power of the Lord to even change the landscape should he so wish. The final line gives us something further that we can take here and now and act on. ‘And all mankind shall see the salvation of God’. Luke is saying that not only should we believe in the power and glory of God to move mountains but the salvation that comes with belief in our Lord is available to everyone, Jew or Gentile. We need to think what that means in our world today. All peoples, those who already believe in a risen Christ and those who have not had the privilege of hearing the Gospel are offered salvation and glory with the Lord. Those on the peripheral of society, the homeless, the poor and those who are unwell or for many reasons find this time of year particularly challenging are equally entitled to hear the Gospel of the Lord and be given the opportunity to share in the joy of the birth of Jesus. May our actions and words through this time of Advent both acknowledge the power and glory of the Lord, but may we share this joy with all around us.
Jane Kelly
