Advent - Who Wants to Wait?

So yesterday (Sunday, Nov. 27) was the first Sunday of Advent. I taught a class on Spiritual Practices for Advent. I preached a sermon about Advent. And in the afternoon I went shopping for gifts for a family who cannot afford Christmas presents. This meant I waited in line at Kohl's. And I was impatient.

We preachers are always talking about the spiritual value in waiting, and I guess I need to keep preaching about it, because I'm not quite "there" yet. I know what I want, and I want it now. But maybe I've gotten a little better. I've learned . . . good things come to those who wait.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a French Jesuit priest, said it even better:
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages; we are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by pasing through some stages of instability . . . and that it may take a very long time.

What is Progressive Christianity?

We often describe First United as a progressive church. What does that mean?

1. We practice sacred activism. Justice and peace in society are core values for us, and we seek to blend spirituality and social change.
2. We believe in gender equality and openness to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or questioning their sexual orientation (shortened to LGBTQ). Leadership, membership, sacraments and ordination should be open to all people.
3. We have compassion for the poor and the oppressed and we seek to transform the root causes of injustice in our society. This is evident from our strong commitment to charity and advocacy.
4. We affirm that the teachings of Jesus are primary for us, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey. We respect other faiths and seek to be in dialogue with other religious traditions.
5. The Earth is our home and we seek to protect and restore the integrity of Creation.
6. We take the Bible seriously, but not literally. Bible study and scholarship is a hallmark of our faith, and so we understand that a complete reading of the Bible requires understanding context, history and internal consistencies. We do not worship the Bible, but we understand it as the Word of God that points to Jesus Christ.
7. Our way of life is more important than accepting certain beliefs and doctrines of faith. Following Jesus and acting upon our convictions is much more vital than assenting to ideas about faith.
8. We embrace mystery, ambiguity and paradox. God is at the same time as close as our breathing and as distant as the farthest star. Jesus is both human and divine. The Holy Spirit comforts us and also drives us to go out in mission. Our faith tradition is not simple.
9. We are saved for abundant life in this world. We do not believe that salvation is a form of "fire insurance" that protects us from going to hell. We pray that God's realm would come to earth as it is in heaven, even while we look forward to resurrection after death.
10. We believe that God is still speaking. Jesus told his disciples that there were things he could not tell them, because they were not yet ready to be revealed. God's revelation is ongoing, and we hear and see and experience God's presence in daily life when we prayerfully pay attention.

The answer to a hard day at the office

I love being a pastor, but I have to admit that even ministers have day days.

I had one of those bad days this week. There was too much going on, everyone needed something from me, a few things happened that were really disappointing, and I felt stressed all day long.

On my way home, I thought, I need a drink! Then I realized that wasn't it. I need to eat . . . a lot, I thought to myself. I began to picture all the leftover Halloween candy on the counter at home. Then I realized that wasn't it, either.

I know, I go see the latest George Clooney movie with my daughter, I thought. It's been on my list for awhile . . . but that wasn't it either.

So I came home and watched two episodes of "The Colbert Rerpot," and I felt better. And then I realized there was something else I still needed, deep down. I wanted to pray. I needed time with God.

So I did pray. And it was exactly what I needed.

I used to think prayer was something I did to calm down. Or to ask for help. But now I think of prayer as something I do to shed by constant preoccupation with myself. When I pray in a contemplative way, it allows me to set aside my egoistic preoccupation. Prayer allows me to focus on someone else for awhile.

And that's what I really need. Even on good days.