Psalms 56, 57 (58) * 64, 65; Nehemiah 6:1-19; Revelation 10:1-11; Matthew 13:16-43The ribbons marking the readings for Year One and Year Two in my Contemporary Office Book are getting mighty close together. We are at the beginning of the week of Proper 26....the Church calendar year only goes through Proper 29......The turning of the Church year is nigh! Advent is fast approaching.
Advent comes early this year, starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, pushing everything earlier by a week. All this, making our ribbons coming closer, earlier. I wonder, as we are in the middle of Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus is doing a good deal of explaining in regard to the meaning behind the parables he is telling, if Jesus knew that his time was growing shorter, making the data-dump of knowledge and understanding he wanted to pass over to his disciples more urgent. If he felt pressure to turn the minds of those disciples from the Pharisees' teachings, to his own.
As we approach the holiday season, the changing of the clocks, making it brighter earlier, and darker earlier, and the craziness that all the end of year busy-ness can induce, we can be challenged to be open to what Jesus is trying to impart to us. As the accelerator of society's pressure gets pushed down, and the looming events start approaching quicker and quicker, we are reminded that the Kingdom Jesus is pointing us toward, leading us to, is something about which our wondering can help slow the pace of the craziness that surrounds us. This slowing down can allow us to remember that which is truly important about the coming days.
jfd+
Copyright 2011, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.
Photo: 2010, jfd+, Dark Magic.
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