First Sunday of Advent

Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation

Katrin and I enjoy watching what we call "crackpottery" -- TV shows and movies about the Knights Templar and secret Vatican conspiracies, angels and demons, and ancient prophecies. Last night's documentary on Hell was a real corker. Blending some Biblical passages with a heady mix of literature and art, the narrator painted a picture of humanity's enduring preoccupation with judgment and the afterlife.

Over against that preoccupation we have today's corrective passage from the Second Letter of Peter. "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think about slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Do not be preoccupied with dates and times, he essentially says, "but while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation" (2 Peter 3:14-15).

We cannot know what the end of days will be like -- and, crackpot documentaries aside, we certainly cannot predict when it will happen -- but we do learn from the Scriptures, as we pray them day by day, how God would have us live right now, today, in these in-between times.

I invite you to join me in my Advent Project of praying the Daily Office and reflecting on the Scripture lessons appointed for each day. Together let's give thanks for the patience of our Lord and listen for his word for our life today.