A Sermon For The Lighting Of The Bethlehem Candle

ADVENT 2

a Sermon by DEACON DAN FARLEY

Today, I want to discuss the future with you. The season of Advent always directs our focus toward what lies ahead. This theme is present in today’s gospel (Luke 21:25-36) as well as throughout the Advent season. In my sermon last Sunday, I mentioned that “Advent” derives from a Latin word meaning “to come,” indicating that something or someone is approaching during this time. While we often associate this with Christmas and the birth of Jesus, I believe it encompasses something greater. In the gospel, Jesus mentions the “‘Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory,” Advent is a period that anticipates our future, offering us a chance to prepare ourselves for what is to come, to the best of our ability.

What thoughts arise when you envision your future? We all have a future we must navigate. Some people face it with trepidation, anxiety, and unease. Jesus mentioned that “people will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world.” Have you ever felt this way?

In contrast, there are those who view the future with hope, enthusiasm, and positivity. They “stand up and raise [their] heads” in anticipation and excitement. Can you recall a time when you leaped out of bed eager to start the day, thrilled by the possibilities ahead?

Many of us likely embody both of these perspectives. Which one influences you more today? What aspects of the future do you fear? What do you look forward to and eagerly anticipate?

Regardless of your feelings, “the force of the future is to prevent the present from closing in on us, from closing us up”. Advent offers a way to open the present, providing the promise of renewal and the possibility of transformation.

I’m referring not to the future we can anticipate but to the future that is unpredictable. Everyone experiences both types of futures. Couples may ask each other, “What’s your plan for tomorrow?” or discuss their intentions for the weekend, summer break, or retirement. This is about the foreseeable future—one that we can plan for and have some influence over, where our efforts are directed. With careful planning, common sense, some effort, and a touch of luck, we can reasonably expect our future to unfold as we envision. This future feels attainable and under our control. Typically, I return home from work having navigated the future I had previously mapped out, which makes it foreseeable.

In contrast, the unforeseeable future arrives unexpectedly, “like a thief in the night.” It catches us off guard, being entirely unknown and beyond our imagination. We struggle to comprehend it and feel overwhelmed, seemingly pushed to our limits, lacking power or control. We find ourselves ill-prepared for such events. How can one get ready for what cannot be seen, known, or understood? These are the moments when we utter phrases like, “I could never have imagined that” “No way; that’s impossible,” and “Only God knows.”

I believe that each of you understands what I mean. I wager that all of you have experienced a sudden change in your life brought on by an unpredictable future. This is likely how Mary felt when Gabriel informed her, she would bear the Son of God—confronted with an unexpected future she never thought possible. “How can this be?” Is this not a question you’ve asked too?

Additionally, consider the context of today’s gospel. Jesus and his disciples have just left the temple—the heart of religious and community life—when Jesus declares, “Not one stone will be left upon another, all will be thrown down.”

This was something beyond their comprehension. Haven’t there been moments when you felt as if the foundations of your world were crumbling? It can feel unimaginable and unforeseen, but it isn’t necessarily impossible.

The unpredictable future always brings with it the potential for the impossible. This unforeseen future continuously unfolds, urging us to move forward and demanding our response. Therefore, we should refrain from hastily labeling it as good or bad, joyful or sorrowful, desired or unwanted—because we simply cannot know. We cannot define the impossible.

Attempting to categorize or judge the impossible would limit it and prevent us from embracing God’s arrival. During Advent, the unforeseen future presents itself as an opportunity for something new, a fresh beginning, and hope—hope against hope—in a transforming future. Advent doesn’t promise relief from our current circumstances or the world around us. Instead, it reveals the promise of Advent and the potential for the impossible right in the midst of those circumstances.

The future we can anticipate lies within our control and capabilities. Most situations are manageable, and we generally know how to address them. On the other hand, the unpredictable future brings uncertainty, with “no guarantees, no contracts or warranties… a lot of risk”. This is why Jesus advises us to “be on guard” and “be alert at all times. Pray.” He emphasizes that faith, hope, and love are essential when faced with the insurmountable, especially during times when “heaven and earth are [passing] away,” there is “distress among the nations,” and “the powers of heaven [are] shaken.”

Therefore, we should not lose hope when we feel unstable or when our circumstances become overwhelming and unmanageable. We must also maintain our faith in ourselves and one another.

This isn’t about naive optimism or sheer determination; it’s about remaining receptive to the possibility of the extraordinary and a future beyond our imagination. It’s about embracing the essence of faith, hope, love, courage, compassion, beauty, forgiveness, and healing—qualities that resonate deeply and inspire us.

While I can’t predict what the future holds for you, I am certain of this: the attributes I’ve mentioned—faith, hope, love, courage, compassion, beauty, forgiveness, healing—embody the spirit of Advent. They signify the potential for new and transformed life, calling us from the most unexpected and challenging circumstances. They will guide you through today, and when you wake up tomorrow, they will be there, ready to accompany you along your journey.