humanity is struggling to find hope
we live in fear
and for the rest of us, we live in fear of living in fear
..
it's a dark time too on the christian calendar
the time of advent
it's winterdark
colddark
the time of longing
and lament
the time of wait
and too a time of hope
when faith kicks strong against the colddark
when eyes roam
in search of Light
release
redemption
anticipation
eager piercing eyes roaming the landscape
for the arrival of Him
the One
the long-awaited prince
of peace
Emmanu-el
God
among us
he comes
soon he comes
`|`
3 years or so ago i was privileged to hear the welcome words
" all are welcome to the table "
..
i was overjoyingly shocked
this was my first experience of being in a christian place where everyone was invited to join in the christian festival of Communion, Eucharist
.. it was an unexpectedly pleasurable emotion for me
i, who for all my life was told why i should consider not participating
dreading every Communion Sunday
often refusing the cup and the bread because i was not ' worthy '
unworthy
"unclean!"
..
and they came
the rich and the poor
the house-dwellers and the homeless
the sober and the hungover ..
and the not-so-obvious addicted held hands with the needled arm by their side
and someone said " God is good "
and the chorus rang back, " all the time! "
and i was delighted beyond words
thanking God for Godgrace and the kindness of God's people in this place
to all
everyone ..
welcome!
everyone is welcome ..
`|`
how did we ever see the incredible 'communion'
fellowship
intimate spiritual oneness with one peculiar unthinkable thought in mind
that we celebrate the death of the very creator of life
as particular
as elitist
as limited
as restricted
as something for which people must qualify
..
how is it partitionable ?
ever
everyone qualifiesbecause that Man gave his life
for the world
he initiated release
for the world
he consummated freedom
for everyone
everyone
`|`
advent
..
allofasudden people are smiling in this coffeeshop
when just a couple weeks ago they were 'minding their own business'
.. happens every year
people just change with the changing of the seasonal guard
christmas seems to lighten the air
brighten
even in the anticipation of it
even for those who don't believe
..
some fairy flies around waving a magic wand
and many-coloured stars fly free
while multicoloured people change somehow
`|`
ISIS and Boko Haram
republicans and democrats
melting ice and burning planet
israelis and palestinians
refugees and refusees
wicked rich and dreadfully poor
the politics of the corrupt and the corruption of politics
drug lords and the lords of the drugcompanies
lies and assassinations
hatred and violence
and the weapons that permit war
and paint bloody holes in people
some innocents
eating lunch at school
..
darkness
black holes in black souls
black spaces where souls once lived
in hope
`|`
who will rescue us from this madness ??
who will trump the darkness ?
is there anyone ?
anyone?
i thank God
through the Lord Christ we shall be released !
`|`
a warm welcome in from the cold lonely streets of needles and bottles
an invitation to join-in to the wicked in heart
the liars and the pretenders and the hateful
the pulpiteer preaching something borrowed
something foreign to their own heart
some lie
while furiously wielding a bible
one eye on the 'offering'
the tunnel-visioned artists who only draw lines
to segregte
the adulterers
in heart too
the cheaters-on-the-tax-forms
the destroyers of the Earth
that deny the destruction of the Earth
the stingy
the judgers
the pretenders
..
all are welcome
even me
`|`
advent
a time of dark hope
a cold reminder of warmth
a dread begging for Life
a resonant creation-call for green, for colour, for rebirth
`|`
communion
a time to one
a warm reminder that the Christ lives
out of death
a beggar's hopeful rejoin
a loser's reach for Light
for hope
a sinner's plea for God
in the hopelessness of lost and lonely
`|`
pray for rebirth in us all
a new creature
a new creation
under the wise and gracious hand of that Man
the Creator Himself
pray for peace
pray for the advent of the prince of peace in each of us
in you
in me
for this i pray
in Jesus' name
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