Come Lord Jesus, Come

I’m restless these days and I’ve been wondering just what that uneasiness is nudging me towards. But this morning as I’ve been reading the news and a few other blog posts I’m wondering if the restlessness that has surfaced over the last few weeks is in sync with the rest of the world. I’m wondering if far too often, I blissfully ignore the agitation occurring around me, insulating myself in my privileged life, letting myself off the hook from having to care about others in need.

The news programs I listened to yesterday is full of stories of violence and tragedy throughout the world. Conflict and war in rage beyond even that of which is reported in the news.  Protests rage in the U.S.A around race and justice. In Canada, everywhere you turn the media is covering something relating to violence against women: Amanda Todd; Jian Gomeshi; missing and murdered aboriginal women; the anniversary L’ecole Polytechnique shootings. Even in the city in which I live, fire destroyed an apartment building housing 45 units.

In this time when the stores are decked out with holiday madness seducing us to buy, we find ourselves numbed to the reality of the pain in the world which keeps us from really knowing the truth of one another as pressure mounts to put on a false front of cheerfulness when our souls may be consumed with sorrow.

It’s one of the reasons that I think that Advent is such an important part of the church year. Advent is an opportunity to live with the reality of our own restlessness in order to prepare us for the amazing gift of love that is the Christmas story. Advent allows us to live within the stark reality in order to hear the message of hope and new life that can be found in Christ’s coming.

As I live in the reality of sorrow, sadness and restlessness, I pray with the church of all time and of all places that prayer of hope, Come Lord Jesus, Come.