Friday evening I was at a gathering,and a man shared some reflections. He said that he tried to believe in God for many years, but his mind couldn’t rest. He kept asking himself how a loving God could allow so much suffering in the world. He was particularly plagued by innocent victims of violence. It’s easy to identify with his confusion, watching today’s news. After a time, he decided he would try living as if there is no God. He said that it gave his mind rest. He no longer needed to struggle with the questions that plagued him before.
You may have felt like this fellow in the past. You may be feeling a lot like him today. You may even have brought such feelings to church, not knowing what else to do with them. So what does today’s Gospel have to say in response? Today’s Gospel contains the most outlandish prophecy ever preached. Hear these words again: “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” That is an amazing claim. All flesh admits of no exception. It encompasses every innocent victim of violence. But even more amazingly, it encompasses every perpetrator of violence. It encompasses every lamb and every lion. It encompasses every ant, every gnat, every beetle, and every one of us who has wondered whether our life amounts to any more than that of an ant. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. And by including this prophecy in his Gospel, Luke is testifying that it came true in the birth of a small baby in Bethlehem.
I would love to say more about that, but I am not allowed to. You see, it’s not Christmas yet. The crèche is still empty. We are obliged to stay in Advent. It’s a time set aside for refining our sight, so that when we newly celebrate that baby’s birth, we can newly see salvation for the whole world. A parishioner told me a story this week that has helped me with my Advent mission of improving my eyesight. Many of you know Janice Ranton, and you know that she worked for a time delivering flowers. Janice made a real ministry out of this job. She convinced the florist to give her the flowers that were a little too old to put in an arrangement but still had enough life to brighten someone’s day. And that’s exactly how Janice used those flowers—to bring joy. One day, she crossed paths with a particularly bedraggled street person whose eyes were downcast. Janice ran back to her delivery vehicle and got one of her flowers. She rushed after the man and handed him the flower, with love in her gaze. As he responded in disbelief, Janice extended her arms and hugged him. Those downcast eyes looked up full of tears. Obviously, no one had extended a hug to him in a very long time. Then, he quietly said, “My name is Jerry.” Jerry sensed he was with someone who cared that he had a name and cared what it was. He felt like a person, not just a problem to be averted. Janice saw him on other occasions, and she always called out, “Hi Jerry!!”
This story doesn’t speak to a struggling mind at all; but it speaks powerfully to the human heart about the heart of God. It models God’s response to suffering. God is always looking for a way to hand a rose, a sign of belovedness, to all who hurt. And God is always imploring us to help in extending some rose, some sign that all are the beloved children of God. Janice consented to my telling this story, because she knew it is not her story. She knew it is God’s story. It describes how God operates. And it affirms a vital truth about how God operates that today’s Gospel reflects as well. God operates through one. It was only one voice crying in the wilderness, but that one voice prepared many to receive the birth of one baby who would bring God into our human condition. 2000 years later, it was one disciple of that baby who offered one rose to tell one man he is beloved. It saved one moment in time for both Jerry and for Janice. Despair gave way to wonder. It saved other moments when they saw each other again, and it is saving moments for us right now. Do you know what? If you add up enough saved moments, you have a saved day. If you add up enough saved days, you have a saved life. If you add up enough saved lives, before you know it, all flesh will see the salvation of God.
You may have noticed in the program that Tina Campbell was scheduled to preach today. Sadly, she learned Friday night that her sister had died. Many of you will want to extend some love and compassion to her in her loss. Here’s an idea about a wonderful way to do that. The Cross (Cathedral Newsletter) that was mailed out on Friday contained a cover article Tina wrote. It is all about the difference one person can make. It discusses the Millennium Development Goals. They were formulated by the United Nations and have been endorsed by a wide array of nations, including the United States. They are practical, on-the-ground initiatives that truly have the capacity to end extreme poverty by the year 2015, if we each do our part. There is no better way to show love for Tina than to read that article and take it to heart. Nothing would please her more. Use the resources she offers to find what you can resolve to do as one.
May this be an Advent in which we all gain better sight, better ability to see the ways in which God is calling us to offer a rose that may save a moment, a moment that will take us closer to that time when all flesh will truly see the salvation of God.