Advent Hope

It so happens that I will be conducting a funeral in Rooke Chapel this weekend. I thought back to my days serving a small parish in Western Pennsylvania, and it seemed that we always had a number of funerals in December. As a matter of fact, some of the most tragic, or funerals of people with whom I was close, took place at this time of year. How sad to have a funeral in Advent. Or is it? Well, from a human relations point of view, any funeral, any loss, is hard for anyone, no matter what time of year it occurs. But it can seem especially difficult during this time of year, when everyone is making Christmas preparations. Is there a word of grace for those who experience loss during the holiday season? Yes, I believe that there is. Advent is a time of preparation when Christians are called upon to examine the depth of their faith: "What do I expect from the Messiah? Do I believe that the Messiah has indeed come? Was Jesus the one, or are we to wait for another?" Although grief can make us numb for quite some time, it is still appropriate to speak words of hope. The One promised from God has come, and will come again to fulfill the promise that the Kingdon of God will, finally, come upon the earth. So, we are to be vigilant, aware, lest we miss Him. If anything, when speaking to someone who has experienced a loss during Advent, we can remind them that God has not forgotten us, or them. Christmas is confirmation that God chose not to abandon an unfaithful people, but rather, that God chose to come and be among us, as one of us. And God's beloved one also died. So, there is no pain that we can experience that God has not also experienced. This Advent and Christmas season can be a time in which we can all listen for the voice of the One crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord!" We can help to prepare the way for Him by standing with those who are experiencing grief, or loss this holiday season. It is not enough to pray for them, we must stand with them, so that they can more fearlessly find a safe and quiet place of their own in which to listen for the One who is to come.The darkness is less threatening when we have a friend to walk through it with us.