December 7, 2003; The Second Sunday of Advent Readings: Baruch 5:1-9; Philippians 1:1-11; Luke 3:1-6; Psalm 126.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Preparing with Passion Advent is the season of expectation and preparation. Last Sunday, we talked about "waiting with wonder." Today, I would like to consider "preparing with passion." We are preparing for Christmas-the celebration of Christ's birth. We are preparing for that day of mystery that determined the course of history. You and I are part of that history-part of that moment when Jesus was born. Jesus was born for us-our savior was born for you and for me and for all people. We, as a community of the faithful, are an expression of God's love in a world that can be uncaring and cruel. We are called to prepare with passion for Christmas-the annual feast of the incarnation. Just as we prepare for this holy day, we are also called to prepare the way for the love of Jesus Christ to be known at all times. Such an idea is nothing new to you; the stated mission of this parish is to spread the love of Jesus Christ to our community and beyond. We might ask how do we do this? How do "we prepare the way of the Lord?" How do we prepare ourselves to announce that the Lord is near? "The Word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the Wilderness." After John received the Word of God, he went and proclaimed that Word in all the region around the Jordan. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. "On Jordan's bank, the Baptist's cry announces that the Lord is nigh." John the Baptist is a model for us. We too are called to announce that the Lord is nigh. The Lord is near. Even with the extreme commercialization of Christmas, this time of year is still filled with opportunities to announce that God comes to us and dwells with us. We can announce the difference that Jesus makes in our lives. By adopting a family from CCAP, we, as a parish, are announcing the grace of God to others. In addition to providing Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and presents, we will stay with this family for a full year. God's love is not limited to the holidays-we are helping a family to experience that grace. By staffing the chain of checks booth, we announced the mercy of God. Anyone can sit at a booth and collect money, but when we as the church do that, we are announcing that the Lord is near. We do these good works not to earn God's love, but because our experience of God's love causes us to reach out to others. When you touch someone's life in a loving way, you prepare the way for God. Based on the particular circumstances of your life, you have opportunities to prepare the way of the Lord. Once when I was studying in England for the summer, I was talking with my Dad on the phone. I was telling him about the church I was attending in Nottingham, St. Peter's, and about members of its Young Adult Group who had invited me to attend a play with them. That all seemed very normal to me, but Dad was really struck by the way these people, who did not know me, had reached out to me. That was Christianity in action and it was very different from the way of the world with which my Dad was more familiar. Those people prepared the way for me and my Dad to experience Christ's love. During this a "high time" of the year, when joy is in the air, it might be easier to feel moved by God's love than at other times. Our ability to prepare the way of the Lord is a direct result of our experience of God. The Word of God came to John the Baptist, and then he went out to others. Sometimes this experience of God's grace just comes. Most of the time, we need to attend to our spiritual lives in order to grow in faith and love. Many of you have been talking with me about opportunities to be in small groups and to study the Bible. I have felt inspired to develop a way for all you to take part in a parish-based Bible study program, which, in a small group setting, also involves aspects of group spiritual direction. In your mailboxes, you will find the readings for next Sunday with suggestions for engaging these readings. Also included are discussion questions that you could consider on your own or in a small group setting. Right now there are four small groups that participating in this program, which include the adult education group on Sunday mornings, the Tuesday morning Group, the Wednesday morning group, and the Young Adult group. I have a vision of several more small groups starting at other times. If you would like to participate in a "spiritual friendship group" that focuses on the lectionary, let me know. I will help each group to get started as I train others to lead the groups. We are called to prepare the way of the Lord. May this season of Advent be a time when we can prepare to encounter Christ anew, be filled with God's love, and be strengthened to proclaim the Good News. Amen. Amen.