Advent 2 - Waiting

Isaiah 40.1-11; 2 Peter 3.8-15a; Mark 1.1-8

Advent is a strange time, an awkward time. It's two-fold waiting - for celebration and for return. One with awe, mystery, wonder, joy; the other with judgement and fulfilment of all God promises. And in Advent we are between the two, waiting for them both. And it's the awkwardness of the waiting we feel; the strangeness of the waiting.

Because it's not ordinary waiting, like waiting for a bus or a train or a plane; or waiting in the surgery to see the doctor. This ordinary waiting is like a gap that we can fill with anything we want to do, or nothing. It's up to us. Whatever we do to fill the gap doesn't have anything to do with what we are waiting for. It's usually quite distinct or separate.

Not so with Advent. Advent waiting is preparing for what is to come. And preparing in a very particular way. It's a time for what St. John the Baptist calls for, and Jesus when He comes and St. Peter at Pentecost. It's waiting that calls for repentance, for turning heart, mind and spirit to God. And it's waiting too that isn't sort of languid, but has an urgency about it,  even a tension.

It's waiting that in itself requires a response that's immediate. It's not a time to while away or waste. It's a time of opportunity not to be missed, because it might not come again. It might be our last opportunity to respond to St. John's call to repent.

Advent waiting is foretold in those parables of Jesus about the Kingdom of God; because it's that we are waiting for. Advent waiting is like the parable of the wise and foolish virgins waiting for the bridegroom. Altogether it's about being ready for the best that could ever be. It's about waiting for God and His kingdom. His kingdom of peace, righteousness and justice - to be born, to be fulfilled.

And this happens for us in time. But in God's time it's all of a piece. We exist in time and that's why we experience this waiting and having to get ready. St. Peter reminds us in the beginning of that part of his letter we've read today how this waiting is for God. He is endless patience and He waits for us to turn to Him and be ready for Him. And then He comes in His time. And that for us may be sooner or later.

This waiting may seem like a test, a trial, a temptation. And so it is. For some it's easy, for others it's hard. For many they don't see it as anything at all because they don't hear the call to repent. But in God's grace we don't need to be concerned about others. St. Peter asked Jesus about another disciple. He said to Jesus 'what about him?' And Jesus said, 'don't worry about him, you follow me.'

So Advent waiting is a God given opportunity for each one of us to hear and respond again or for the first time to God's call through John the Baptist today to turn again to Him, to take another step closer to Him no matter how old or young we may be. Love is limitless and God asks seeks our love in response to His love through our repentance.

Let's use Advent to try and take that one step nearer; let's use this time of waiting, for our good.