In this season of Advent, we focus our prayers, our seeking, our reflections, and our actions on the coming of the One called the Messiah -- the One who is the focus of our faith, our salvation, and our hope. If you are like me, there are times you sit back and ponder… reflect… ask yourself, “Who is this One whose coming we celebrate in this season of wonder and anticipation? Who is this One the Gospels proclaim? Who is the One the apostles followed and about whom the Epistles teach?”
And we know that “...of the making of books there is no end…” and that scholarship about Jesus changes from generation to generation and that scholars, and doubters, and seekers will continue to look for answers.
Still, we are guided by the conviction that “We live by faith and not by sight.” (2 Cor 5:7)
But even as I live by faith, I still wonder, and ponder, and ask,
- Who is this one whose coming we celebrate in this season of wonder and anticipation?
- Who is this One the Gospels proclaim?
- Who is the One the apostles followed and about whom the Epistles teach?
Albert Schweitzer, wrote about these questions in his book titled The Quest of the Historical Jesus published in 1906. That book ended with this declaration:
“He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those ... who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words: 'Follow thou me!' and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”
--Albert Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus -- 1906
In the end, Schweitzer abandoned his theological career and spent the rest of his life in Africa as a missionary doctor. Albert Schweitzer was awarded the Nobel prize in 1952 as a consequence of his work for peace, for the abandonment of atomic testing and his opposition to the creation of weapons arsenals.
Please pray with me…
Holy One, You who walked by the Lakeside and called to people saying, “Follow me...”
... in this season we remember that your earthly presence began in a humble way...
Born to humble parents...
- Who were under an edict to comply with a census at Bethlehem...
- 90 miles away from their home in Nazareth...
- 90 miles by foot from Nazareth to Bethlehem for Joseph and his pregnant wife…
- And we remember that there was no room for them in the inn.
Holy One, We remember that your earthly presence began as you were laid in a manger...
- Wrapped in bands of cloth…
- Surrounded by cattle...
- And shepherds...
- And angels…
- And … surrounded by uncertainty.
Holy One, two thousand years later we are still remembering that birth...
- As we too are surrounded...
- Surrounded by uncertainty...
- Surrounded by pandemic...
- Surrounded by self-centered politicians...
- Surrounded by the purveyors of greed...
- Surrounded by the interests of secularism...
Holy One, we listen…
- We listen to the music of the angels…
- We listen to the moaning of those who suffer…
- We listen to the reading of scriptures...
- We listen to the noise of the crowds in the mall...
- We hear the grieving of those whose loved ones have died of COVID-19…
- We listen to the mournful cries of those whose loved ones have been shot by police…
- We hear the sounds of church folks singing “Silent Night...”
- We hear the cries of children at the border who have been separated from their parents...
- We hear the moans and aching hearts of those whose loved ones have been killed or captured by Boko Haram…
- We hear the despair of health care workers in the COVID-19 units…
- And the tinkle tinkle music box in the nativity scene on the shelf…
- We hear the choirs sing “For unto us a child is born…
And we hear again the words of Dr. Albert Schweitzer…
“He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those ... who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words: 'Follow thou me!' and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”
Holy One,
May we know who you are.
May we hear your voice.
May we follow you. Amen.
