On Preparation

Sermon for Sunday, Dec. 6
Second Sunday of Advent
Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

A couple weeks ago, on Thanksgiving, Lisa and I visited my grandparents’ house with the rest of my mother’s family. Many of us who were visiting them were busy that morning preparing food to take, and making other preparations of a somewhat trivial nature. Meanwhile, my grandparents were preparing their home for our visit – making food, cleaning, making the dining room table even larger. But Grandma and Pap Pap, as I call them, were also preparing for visitors in a different way – with a means of preparation that has become part of their regular routine.

Over the last few years, Pap Pap’s mind has begun to be taken over by Alzheimer’s. Each day, it seems, Alzheimer’s is gaining more and more territory in his mind, destroying more and more memories that he once held dear. As a result, he sometimes struggles to remember exactly who people are and what their relationship to him is. So, every time my grandparents are expecting visitors, Grandma sits down with Pap Pap and reviews who is coming, the purpose of the visit, the nature of the relationships with the visitors, and even some talking points that he can use to have a conversation. Of course, I’ve never seen this preparation in action, but to me it sounds like a tutor helping a student cram for a test. I have this image of Grandma and Pap Pap sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, Grandma briefing Pap Pap on their wonderful grandson Erik, who is a pastor, and his beautiful wife Lisa, an engineer. And I can tell that when it comes to my visits, the cram sessions always include the fact that golf is and has always been a good talking point between me and Pap Pap.

In some ways, Grandma’s preparations work. This past Thanksgiving, I was able to talk at length about golf with Pap Pap, and whether he remembers that conversation or not, we were able to share and celebrate our relationship together, partially as a result of Grandma and Pap Pap’s preparations.

When I reflect on how I prepared for Thanksgiving as opposed to how Pap Pap prepared for Thanksgiving, I become aware that Pap Pap prepares with more love and care than the rest of the family. While the rest of us were busy that morning with menial, mindless tasks of labor, Pap Pap was engaged in deep reflection on the nature of his relationships with those whom he loves. And when I think about that, I become ashamed of how much he thought about our relationship with love and care prior to our visit, and how little we really thought of him at all, because we were busy making green beans.

We all know that the Advent season is a season of preparation in many ways. We clean and decorate our houses, we shop for loved ones, we plan days off to visit with family, we cook elaborate meals or bake dozens of Christmas cookies. We attend church with anticipation and excitement, eager to light the Advent wreath or to hear our favorite Christmas carol. We go caroling around town to spread the hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus Christ. We remind ourselves that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” The Christmas Eve worship service is already being planned. The choir is preparing wonderful anthems to offer throughout the season. Festive events fill the church calendar this month.

These are wonderful ways to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christmas. But something tells me that John the Baptizer isn’t talking about decorating or baking or even lighting an Advent wreath when he says, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” No, John’s quoting of Isaiah comes right on the heels of “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” As strange as it may sound, our call on this Advent morning is to prepare the way of the Lord through repentance.

The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, is used here to mean a reversal, a turning away from one thing and towards another. John’s hope is that we who hear him will choose to turn our attention from our lives to the life of Jesus Christ. Rather than worrying about whether we’re burning the Christmas cookies, or if we’ll make the party on time, or if we’re singing the carol exactly as written, John wants us to examine our relationship with Jesus Christ. This, I don’t think, is meant to be done in a fearful or threatening way – my relationships with other people are not based on fear of them, and neither is my relationship with Christ. But John does call us to the important preparatory work of repentance – turning our attention toward the God who will make his presence known to us through the birth of Jesus Christ. And so, we are called to close examination, like my grandfather, of the relationship we have with an expected visitor.

This Advent, this time of preparation, is meant as a time to examine the nature of our relationship with Christ. How has that relationship been in the past? What moments have we shared? When have we laughed together? Cried together? Been angry or disappointed in each other? What memories, old and new, do we have of experiencing Jesus Christ in our life?
And how does our relationship with Christ stand right now? When was the last time we were present – not just physically present but mentally and emotionally present – with him? Are we engaging in spiritual practices that are keeping us connected in relationship with Jesus? Are we worshipping with our soul, praying, reading – and really meditating on – scripture, being servants, loving one another? Are we really looking around our world trying to catch glimpses of the kingdom of God? Are we doing all that we can to prepare ourselves for the visit of the Christ child? And regardless of what we’ve already been doing, what else can we do to re-connect with Christ this Christmas?

I invite you to continue preparing in your usual ways this season. Decorate and clean your house. Show hospitality to family and friends, and perhaps exchange loving gifts with them. Practice charity with all people. Celebrate the lighting of an Advent wreath here or at home. Hang your stockings with care and set out your nativities with greater care. Cook delicious meals and tasty cookies. Attend worship as often as you are able. Count down the days until the celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

But in addition to these preparations, keep the words of John the Baptizer fresh in your mind. Prepare the way – not just the way of family and friends, but the way of the Lord. And practice repentance – find ways to help yourself TURN FROM what separates you from God and TURN TOWARD what draws you closer to God.

My grandfather, in his pre-visit preparations, defiantly turns away from the evil taking over his mind, and turns instead toward his relationship with the visitors. Rather than let his Alzheimer’s construct a barrier between him and me, he has found a way to still prepare for cultivating our relationship anew, each time I enter his presence. And I suspect that turning away from the evil and turning towards our relationship will get harder for him as time passes, but Pap Pap has always been very persistent. So I know that even when the barriers between him and me get stronger, it’ll only make him try harder to be in relationship with me. And what’s important is not necessarily that the relationship stays the same as it has been. What’s important is that despite barriers of evil, he and I will do all we can to keep our relationship meaningful in some way as long as possible.

Are there barriers between you and God as you approach the coming of the Christ child? Are you seeking ways to turn from those barriers and toward the relationship with the Messiah? While you clean, cook, shop, and party, will you allow this Advent season to be defined by preparations of a different sort as well? Come, repent. Turn away from the darkness and turn toward the light. Prepare the way of the Lord in your heart, mind and soul. Prepare the way of the Lord, so all flesh shall see the salvation of God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.