Good News! Rejoice!

  
Today has been a busy day. Actually yesterday and today have been busy! After a full afternoon in Boulder picking up things we need to finish getting the house settled, we came back and began hanging pictures and putting things away. After a full morning of Bell Ringing as a part of the Estes Park Sunrise Rotary Club’s community support of the Salvation Army and Crossroads Ministry, we came home and finished hanging nearly the last of the pictures (we have our Cross Wall downstairs left to put up) and then we put up the Christmas tree. Admittedly my contribution to the tree was helping get ornament boxes upstairs, putting one fourth of the tree together, and putting the angel on top. Denise did the lions share of the work fluffing the tree and putting the ornaments on the tree.

Yet now, the tree is decorated, the pictures are up, the Heisman Trophy winner has been announced (congrats University of Alabama Running Back Derrick Henry on your accomplishment AND what a wonderful and humble acceptance speech), and Mary Poppins is on TV. That was the first movie my folks took me to as a wee little lad back in California!

  
With the fire softly burning, I now turn to tomorrow’s reading from the prophet Isaiah.

“God is indeed my salvation; I will trust and won’t be afraid. Yah, the Lord, is my strength and my shield; he has become my salvation.” You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation. And you will say on that day: “Thank the Lord; call on God’s name; proclaim God’s deeds among the peoples; declare that God’s name is exalted.” Isaiah‬ ‭12:2-4‬ ‭CEB‬

Even though this Padre is feeling slightly under the weather (a sore throat can be a bit of a pain for a preacher on a Saturday evening), I can’t help but smile as I read these words of comfort from Isaiah. With so much doom and gloom in the Gospel readings (tomorrow’s “You brood of vipers” passage is still ringing in my ears), it is nice to hear good news from Isaiah!

And Isaiah’s words of hope are very relevant in today’s climate of hate speech, intolerance, bigotry, racism, and sexism. As you know, I hate reading the news on any channel and there are days when I want to shut down my Facebook account because of all the negativity. Yet about the time when I decide to do that, God reminds me that there is a ministry here and I stay.

When the world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket, I find subtle reminders (and not so subtle reminders) of God’s love, hope, and light in this world. God IS my salvation! I CAN and MUST trust and not be afraid!

Dear reader, in this season of Advent, when there is so much darkness and despair. I truly pray with all of my heart that the light of God’s love will shine in your heart and cast out the darkness. Even though the days may be short and the nights long (at least in the Northern hemisphere), may the light of God’s love drive out the darkness of this world from your heart and your life.

Dona Nobis Pacem, Lord

Grant Us Peace