December 18

Beloved of Good Shepherd Church,

Grace to you and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Advent lumbers, moving slowly on purpose as if to gently chide me as I rush to Christmas. I am worried I won’t get it all done. My worry is legitimized by the fact that I likely won’t. Advent says quietly, not crassly, “Who cares? Seriously, who cares?” It’s a sincere question and Advent wants an answer. “If you don’t get it all done, who will care? On January 4th, who will care that you didn’t get all your Christmas tasks done?” The answer - no one. No one will care, because we will all be on to the next thing.  

Advent practices a “love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Advent love doesn’t worry about anything least of all getting everything done. Advent love knows nothing of to-do lists. Advent love doesn’t know about worry or fear or anxiety in any form. Advent love is often viewed as romantic, naive, and childish. Some of my friends are inclined toward cynicism and find Advent love to be dangerously hopeful. Their cynicism simply reveals that they misunderstand the essential nature of their own lives. All is love and love is all. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures because love knows that all the darkness and despair and discord that ever was, is, or will be, is but a speck, a mere shadow held in an infinite sheet of light that is the eternal love of God. This sounds like foolishness to most people. That’s okay. Love doesn’t mind being thought foolish. Advent knows that all is well, so she moves slowly, smiling as we walk quietly to Christmas.  

Remember this always - God loves you, and I love you too.

Love is all, 

Hendree+