Advent Sermon: People, Look East

Church of the Ascension, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Advent I, Sermon Notes
December 2, 2007

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I worked at the Town of Oyster Bay annual Bluefish Tournament one Sunday each September for four years. We would arrive at Theodore Roosevelt Marina and Beach at 2am, long before sunrise. By 4am, we were putting boats in the water. And, by sunrise, we were having a much-needed cup of coffee on the beach. I loved watching the sun come up over the tree line at one end of the harbor. The story of the harbor – past, present, and future – I found, was tied up in that moment. And, as I looked to my left – to the West – the rest of the sky was dark.

At the end of the day, as we were still cleaning up fish guts and what not, the sun would set over the tree line on the opposite side of the harbor. Just as beautiful as when I watched it rise many hours – and lots of cups of coffee – earlier. I have pictures of both.

And, if I had them here today, and I held them up for you, I bet you could not tell the difference. The difference between a sunrise and a sunset is simply our perspective. Either way, there is bright light on the horizon and darkness in the sky opposite.

We begin our new Church year, looking to the future. We are not looking to Christmas Day – but looking forward to the return of the Christ. Looking forward with joy and hope for the coming of the perfect kingdom of God.

Advent is NOT to Christmas what Lent is to Easter. Lent is a period of self-examination, of self-denial, of “spring cleaning for the soul,” in preparation for “walking the walk,” as it were, on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and in the Great Vigil of Easter. Lent is our chance to clean our souls to continue to be the people of the Resurrection.

Advent is NOT Christmas’ Lent. Advent gives us a chance amidst the shopping, cooking, decorating and baking, to re-focus our attention. Re-focus our gaze not on Christmas Day when the crèche will appear and poof… heeerrre’s Jesus. No Advent re-focuses our gaze on the future, on things – specifically a person, Christ – to come.

The first Sunday of the Church year does not have us looking to the past, to some historical event. No, it has us looking to the future – looking to the future with hope and joy and love.

So, what’s the bit about the sunrise and the sunset, then?

The only different between them is perspective. We can look at our lives, our parish life and our Church life as being in the sunset. We can grasp on to the light, attempting to turn back the clock, make the sun shine longer. And, when we do that, we spend all our time cursing at the darkness.

Or, we can refocus our gaze. We can look at the light and see it as sunrise – a new dawn, a new day. [We are Easter people, after all, and Mary and the women went to the tomb at dawn!] We can look East, gaze into the sunrise and see our stories, our story, anew.

People, look East the time is near / Of the crowning of the year.

Why do we look East? We look towards the sunrise, towards the new day, the new year. It’s no mistake that our new Church year begins looking to the sunrise, watching the light of Christ dawn again in our lives, in our parish and in our Church.

We are given a choice. We can try and stop the darkness by cursing at it. Or, we can put on the armor of light and walk with the Sun into a future filled with hope and joy.

Advent is about re-focusing. Amidst the cares and concerns of our daily lives and as we prepare with busy-ness for Christmas, Advent focuses on the future; quiets us to recognize Christ coming into our lives and the life of the Church. However, Advent does no good if we don’t let it change our gaze.

Curse at the darkness if you wish. It won’t go away. Or, “put on the armor of Light that is Jesus Christ,” and walk as people of the Light, as people of the Sun of righteousness and sing out the Good News of God in Christ. Walk with courage. Walk with hope. Walk with joy.

People, look East and sing today, Love the Lord is on the way.