Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 Advent IA
December 2, 2001
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
"And God shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Is. 2)
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the time of year in our liturgical calendar during which we prepare for Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin word "to come." Well, who or what are we expecting to come? During Advent we hear Scriptural passages like: "Prepare the Way of the Lord." "Be ready for the Son of Man is coming." "They shall see the glory of the Lord." "Strengthen your hearts for the coming of the Lord is near." In all of these passages, there is a sense of urgency; a sense that something new is coming into being.
At the core of the Christian faith is the hope that good will eventually triumph over evil. How this will happen is expressed in very different ways throughout the Bible. For instance, in the first reading from Isaiah, the prophet announces that good will triumph over evil when God reigns on earth (within human history) such that the social, political, and economic structures will give rise to a world order of justice and peace. In the second reading from the Book of Romans, good will triumph over evil when the human heart is filled with the Spirit of Christ, and love of neighbor becomes the operating principle. In the third reading from the gospel of Matthew, good will triumph over evil after apocalyptic events, when in the final days, the sheep will be separated from the goats, and those who are Children of the Light will be swept up and a new creation begun.
These are all eschatological statements. Eschatology is that part of theology which deals with the ultimate destiny of the world in general and human beings in particular. What are we destined to be or to become? Eschatology means the "final word" and addresses decisive turning points in history due to divine intervention. Now whether these decisive turning points deal with the end of history or the beginning of a new era of human history, depends on what passage in the Bible you read. Remember the fall of the Berlin Wall and the fall of Communism? Who could have imagined that they would fallen with such ease within a year's time? What were the aggregate forces in the cosmos that affected such a drastic change? These are examples of decisive turning points which could set the stage for a new creation within human history. If we on the other hand were to experience an international nuclear war, this could be a decisive turning point on a cosmic level that could end human history. For the next three weeks, I will be preaching on different understandings of eschatology: that part of theology which deals with the ultimate destiny of humanity. Let's turn to the reading from the book of Isaiah.
Will there ever be a time when war is a thing of the past? Will there ever be a time when nations put down their weapons and live peaceably? Will there ever be a time when our national budgets no longer reflect trillions of dollars for defense but rather sufficient money for feeding and taking care of people in need? Will there ever be a time when all nations turn their hearts toward God and walk in God's ways? Will there ever be a time when humanity is committed to justice such that the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, and persons are allowed to be all that God intended them to be? According to the prophet Isaiah, the answer is "YES." This is a statement of hope. It is a vision that God has for the world and it is this vision and this hope that must be lifted up before all nations in place of their cynicism, selfishness, and fear.
Isaiah was a prophet who lived in Israel sometime during the 8th Century BCE. At that time, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered by the Assyrians and the Southern Kingdom was in danger of the same fate. During this time of tension, there was a break down of justice, security, and the common good. It was into this context that Isaiah offers an eschatological word of hope: They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
For the Jews of ancient Israel (and even today), life on earth is all that there is. They do not believe that there is going to be a New Jerusalem somewhere up in the heavens. If a new creation is going to happen, then it is going to happen within human history. For the Jew, their hope tends toward a socio-political arrangement on earth where justice, peace, self-rule and well-being describe the state of Israel and perhaps even neighboring nations. Now it is not just the Jews who hope for this type of Kingdom on Earth. Most of us here today hope for this kind of arrangement. We who have been baptized have promised to strive for justice and peace and the dignity of every human being. And in that promise, we are holding onto God's vision, God's destiny for the world.
Let me say a word about this vision. Just because we want peace, doesn't mean it is going to happen. In order to realize peace, there first must be justice. Only in the presence of justice; only when there is a commitment to the well being of the common good, can peace be present. I think justice is a core value for the people of St. Jude's. Justice is reflected in our inclusive welcome: "Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here." Justice is reflected in our outreach programs: The rotating shelter, the Senior Day Care Center, the feeding programs, and the distribution of money to many other charities. Justice is reflected in our recent plumbing bill of $5,500, which the vestry allocated to fix up the bathrooms for the homeless men who will soon inhabit our campus during the month of January. Justice is reflected in our attitudes for affordable housing, prison ministries, and serving on various advocacy boards.
This is a great beginning. I encourage all of you to allow the Spirit of God to move you into the next level of discipleship where you will be willing to integrate your lifestyle and resources with your baptismal vow to strive justice and peace among all people. It is only the power of God working within us that will motivate us to make the necessary sacrifices that justice and peace require of us.
Several years ago, there was a Special Olympics held in Seattle. Special Olympics are oriented for children who are physically and mentally challenged. These children are very special people, filled with love. They are beacons of light to all of us who are graced by their presence. At this particular event, 9 runners prepared themselves at the starting line for the 100 yard dash, just like in the real Olympics. The signal was given and all of the runners took off. Soon after take off, one of the runners fell. He got up and tried to run but fell down again and this time, began to cry out loud. Just as the other eight runners were about to approach the finish line, they heard the boy's cry. They turned around, walked back, picked him up, took his hand and then all 9 of them walked hand-in hand to the finish line together. For about 30 seconds, the fans in the audience did not know what to do. They had never witnessed such behavior at a competitive event. When they finally realized what they had witnessed, the entire stadium stood up and cheered for 15 minutes.
When we as human beings are able to focus beyond our own needs; when we are willing to stop before the finish line of success and turn around to help someone in need; when we are willing to sacrifice our comfort to serve justice, then there will be peace on earth. Then, shall "the wolf live with the lamb, the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf and lion together." This is the reign of the God that was envisioned by Isaiah.
| Updated 12/02/01 |
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