God’s presence brings hope for world

Reflections on the Church:
The best we can hope for

People alive in Jesus’ lifetime on earth did not entertain any notions of transforming the world. Maybe a few rulers thought they had such power, but most people were pushed to and fro by the flow of events beyond their control and impervious to their influence. The strong dominated the weak; the rich lorded it over the poor. The best one could reasonably hope for was a warrior king who could keep invaders at bay.
We seem to be living in a similar situation today. We feel that we are powerless before the great threats to our lives and our planet. We are suspicious of those who think they have the power to make things better. Nine-eleven slapped us into the awareness of dangerous people bent on revenge and destruction. Wounded, we focus on survival now, instead of a new creation.
So we enter into the Advent season with a mixture of cynicism and despair. It is not with feigned emotion that we sing “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.”
However, we hope because we trust that God is yet at work. Transforming the world is not merely a human project. We are invited to look and listen for the signs of God’s persistent impact upon people, churches and nations. We know that God’s power is contrary to common expectations. God’s power was displayed in Jesus of Nazareth. We remember him in this season by reading prophecies that he fulfilled and changes that he made in the lives of those who gladly received him. We dare to believe (help our unbelief!) that the Risen Crucified One dwells in the midst of his people. We live in hope for the Christlike reign of God to become a full reality on the earth.
The best we can hope for is the one who has come already. We are as poor in fact as those who first greeted him. May his arrival surprise us and fill us with courage for the struggles ahead.