Dear friends,

There’s a delightful religious curiosity in St. Peter Mancroft Church, in the city of Norwich, England. Behind a curtain in the baptistry hangs a sixteenth century altar frontal woven by Flemish refugees. The tapestry tells the Easter story in three episodes. One depicts the encounter between Mary Magdalene and the risen Christ. At first Mary does not recognize Jesus, mistaking him for the gardener. What makes this tapestry unique is the representation of Christ: he is wearing a hat. 

What has a resurrection story to do with Advent? More on that in a moment. In my sermon last Sunday I spoke about the need to prepare for Jesus’s second coming. I asked the question, “am I really ready for Jesus?” As Advent is a penitential season, one of the ways I prepare is to consider the ways I have fallen short of what God requires. In other words, I examine my life and confess my sins, placing myself before God my merciful redeemer and judge, while humbly asking for God’s forgiveness. 

However, what God requires most of all is an account of my loving. This is what I said on Sunday,

The highest standard which God sets for us is the standard of love. How am I loving? When I think of love, I may think of a spouse or partner, or of children, of family and friends. God is also interested in how I am loving toward him. Jesus told us that the first and greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” So the key part of my preparation for the coming of Jesus is to kindle the fire of love and keep it burning in my heart continually.

The following day a parishioner wrote to me with a “heart full of Jesus joy and thanks.” She wanted to share with me her life-giving love for God. I replied that, alas, God has too few lovers. To love God is to begin to see the world as God sees it. Among the heartaches and sadnesses there are blessings and miracles to be discovered. When we open our heart to God, our eyes are opened too.

Now, about the church tapestry. What does that have to say to us about Advent? In preparing for the second coming, the second question to be addressed is this: when Jesus comes, will you recognize him? One of the mysteries of the gospel story is that, at first, none of the disciples recognized the resurrected Jesus - not even Mary Magdalene who, along with Peter, loved Jesus more than anyone. 

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus provided an image of himself to help us identify him. He said,

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35-36) 

The coming of Jesus at the end of time is preceded by many comings beforehand. The blessings of faith and love allow us to see Jesus coming in the here and now. Jesus comes to a world in need. When we have been richly blessed with faith, it is easier to look beyond our own needs to the needs of others. Jesus stands at the heart of this world and we are invited to stand with him. The closer we get, the nearer we will be to the kingdom of heaven.

With Advent blessings

Father David