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| Stephen B. Whatley |
Advent (2nd, 3rd or 4th)
Philippians 4:1, 4:4-9
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown of glory, stand firm in the power of the Lord.
Rejoice in the nearness of the Lord at all times! And I say it again: Rejoice!
Let a gentle kindliness be evident toward all human beings you encounter. The Lord is near! Let not worry have power over you; let your concerns in all things be known to God by sending your supplication and prayer upward in thankful thoughts. And the peace of God, which transcends anything that the intellect can grasp, will keep your hearts and thoughts safe in the Being of Christ….
And lastly dear brothers I say to you:
all that is true,
all that is worthy of reverence,
all that is good and holy,
all that is lovely to look at and beautiful to hear,
all that has virtue and deserves praise:
let these be the content of your conversations and thoughts. All that you have had handed on to you, what you have heard from me and seen in me—put all this into practice; then the God of Peace will be with you!
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| Fra Angelico |
3rd Advent Sunday
December 17, 2017
Philippians 4.1 and 4.4-9
If you were about to receive an important guest, you would probably want to prepare your home. You would probably first de-clutter and clean, rid the space of the debris of everyday life. Then you could proceed to add elements of beauty: arrange fresh flowers, light a warm fire or fragrant candles, set the table and prepare refreshments.
On this our third Advent Sunday, we continue our inner preparations for Christ’s coming. We are preparing the house of the soul for the coming of the Guest.
In the reading, Paul suggests first that we clear out the debris of worries by sending them to God. And when that inner de-cluttering is done, we can proceed with positive additions to our own soul space. Paul encourages us to fill our inner space with the aroma of gratitude and the warmth of loving-kindness. He suggests that we beautify the soul with thoughts that celebrate truth; with good and wholesome things to contemplate that evoke reverence; with lovely and praiseworthy virtue.
In this way we truly ready the soul’s house for the coming of Christ, by making our hearts a beautiful and worthy place for the Great Guest, the Prince of Peace.
For in the words of the poet:
We are the guardians of His Beauty.
We are the protectors of the Sun.
There is only one reason
We have followed God into this world:
To encourage laughter, freedom, dance
And love….
We are the companions of His Beauty.
We are the guardians
Of Truth.
Every man, plant and creature in Existence…
Is a servant of our Beloved—
A harbinger of joy,
A harbinger of
Light.*
* Hafiz “Guardians of His Beauty,” in The Subject Tonight is Love, by Daniel Ladinsky, p.46.
