Advent II: For Behold . . .

The next phrase is almost as challenging as the first. As if unfolding their hands to show something of great worth, they say:  “Look!” . . .”You won’t believe this!” . . . “Hold on tight, everything in the world is about to change.” It must have been an amazing moment. The challenge comes not from understanding what they were saying, but doing it.

We live in a time when we can observe vast galaxies and tiny atoms, and yet we have all but lost our ability to see. We attend church dutifully and speak of the lovely flowers, but miss the daughter trying to cuddle during the sermon. We schedule Christmas parties for each weekend night in December instead of making a fire and telling family stories. We bemoan the holiday season with all its commercialism, as we join the parade to max-out our credit cards, instead of looking for innovative ways to say "I love you."

The angels had it right: Behold!

God is coming.

God is here.

Way back when, and right this minute.

All we need are eyes to see.

Maybe we've forgotten how to look.

Maybe we’ve been looking in the wrong places.

I don’t think theirs were words of judgment or chastisement. I think they were trying to awaken us, to remind us. They knew better than we, if we open our eyes, our hearts will follow. Who knows, we might find God sitting right beside us.