December 14, 2022

Zechariah 8: 1-17; Matthew 8: 14-17; 28-34

Advent Hope Leads to Joy and How to Get There

 

My friend Toby Ives recently heard Barbara Kingsolver say something like: “Hope is not optional. It is our duty.”  Really?! Reading that statement, which is it for you, the exclamation point or the question mark? The three texts give us some clues:

Psalm 42: Looking to God and the “Church” for resourcing and hope.

Zechariah 8: 1-17: For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce; and the skies shall give their dew.”

Matthew 8: 14-17:  Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”  God does not leave us alone but is working in and through us.

Matthew 8: 28-34: This is the question mark variety. Even if Jesus could heal the demoniac, he was scary and bad for the pig farmer business.

 

These texts all brought to mind the very wonderful prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.  It blesses us with faith steps for hope and joy.  It reminds us of the shorter Presbyterian Catechism: The chief end of (humans) is to glory God and enjoy God forever.” You will see it printed below and a link for the sung version.  I suggest that you read, listen to and pray the prayer three times.  It doesn’t take long. 

Time one: Just be open and let the prayer happen.

Time two: Ponder as you pray the prayer how at least one of the phrases may be speaking to you. 

Time three: Maybe with pen and paper (or oven voice memo on your phone) reflect how you may be directed to take some steps. 

The Cathedral of Saint Thomas More
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

Lord, make an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

 

Maybe you’ll be like Martin Martin who used to sing in South Pacific: “I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope” and find joy in being an instrument of God’s peace.

 

Cecil M. Jividen