The 2nd Sunday of Advent; December 9, 2007 Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-11; Matthew 3:1-12; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Prepare the Way for Hope The holiday season of Christmas has begun. The twelve days of the Christmas start on Dec. 25, but all around us the spirit of Christmas is alive. For Christians such as ourselves, with a liturgical bent, having a knowledge of the Church seasons, we know that we are in Advent. Some wonder why we are hearing readings that focus our attention on the end of time - John the Baptist preaching about repentance and the "unquenchable fire." I can understand how someone who is not accustomed to liturgical seasons could be confused hearing the Gospel reading today. I've heard it said that the readings for Advent are depressing and not right for this time of year. Why do we do what we do as the church? Why do we do it with it does not fit exactly into the culture that surrounds us? Maybe it is because we are being called to something more. The message of John was one of hope. We are preparing to celebrate the great day of hope - the birth of Christ - God with us, breaking into our world in a new way to bring salvation - often experienced as hope. Advent is the season of preparation for the birth - but this is not any birth this is the birth that changed the world. This is the birth that thirty some years later enabled John the Baptist to proclaim that the kingdom has come near. If we take time to pray and to think about what Christmas really means for us, hearing from John the Baptist starts to make sense as a piece of our preparation. How do we prepare the way for the Lord in our own lives? This time of year can be filled with a sense of God as we go about the joyful tasks of the holiday - we connect with God through others. Many of us, however, need a time set apart for prayer (beyond what we can have on Sunday morning) and other spiritual practices to get prepared for Christmas. In addition to your personal prayer, I recommend our Wednesday night services for Advent, which have a contemplative aspect to them. We hear John's message for ourselves, to attend to our lives and prepare; we prepare for Christmas in personal ways. Advent is also a time that we can prepare the way for God in other people's lives. John the Baptist was preparing the way for people to embrace the new life of Christ that would be given to them. Jesus was about to begin his public ministry. John the Baptist was clear that his ministry was not for his own glory, but for the glory of God. "Repent," he cried, for the kingdom is at hand. John connected with the people of his time and place with a message that captured their hearts and minds. They knew there must be a better way. He was a wild sort of fellow who used strong language, but his primary message was one of hope. Attend to your life, John the Baptist insists, because the kingdom is at hand. We continue to prepare the way for Jesus. Like John the Baptist, we know something that makes a difference - we know the One who makes a difference. Without doing anything extraordinary, we help prepare the way for God in people's lives by just being ourselves - people of faith. We live in ways that make God's love known. This time of year is a great opportunity to prepare the way for Jesus. Many people celebrate Christmas who do not go to church. Through you and I, people can get a sense of what belief in the birth of Christ means. It is a knowledge of hope that lasts well beyond Dec. 25. While Christmas starts a bit early for those who love Advent, it does not pay to wish this were not the case. Rather, we can see this month as a great chance to prepare the way for Jesus in people's lives. God will do the work. God will use us to help others see the light that is Christ. What is the message about life and God that will engage the people with whom you live and work? How can you be God's prophet? What we do as the community of faith also prepares the way. Within our own congregation, the pastoral care we give to each other makes a difference and helps the light shine through darkness. When we are in pain, hurt, grieving, in need, through prayer and helping in many ways, we make a difference; we share the compassion we feel and communicate the love of God to each other. St. Paul's on-the-Hill is a community you can count on for support and understanding - this is one of the great gifts that church of our size offers. With the wider community, among the people we encounter every day, we prepare the way for God through our words and our deeds. At this point in the history of the Christian faith, we, as Episcopalians offer a life affirming and welcoming message of hope. We at St. Paul's on the Hill prepare the way for Christ in particular ways. We welcome all people here without qualifications. We do not judge; instead, we appreciate differences and see the kingdom more fully when a wide variety of people are present. We are not the largest church around, but we have a more diverse congregation than many in our area. In our welcome to all, we prepare the way for the Lord. Through our outreach to those in need we prepare the way. We reach out in many ways. The recent creation and growth of St. Paul's Table, our ministry to the hungry, has been miraculous. The first Sunday in January, we will open a food pantry here at the church, which will serve those in our area the first Sunday of every month. Through the gift of our time and compassion to others, we prepare the way for Jesus. These weeks before Christmas are an appropriate time to think about the message of John the Baptist. Because Advent brings our attention to the coming of Christ at his birth and at the end of time, we are more fully prepared to celebrate the miracle of Christmas. May this Advent be for you a time to grow in faith and love. In the words of St. Paul: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Amen.