This year, we’re crying out to God, “When will Covid 19 be destroyed? When will wars and violence around the world end? When will God’s kingdom of love and peace come to this world?”
When his disciples ask that question, Jesus answers “ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back… 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!” (Mark13:34-37)
Reading this passage, we often hear the command to the door keeper to “Watch!” Jesus has no answer to “when?”. He does speak about “how?”. He says, “each with their assigned task.” They’re assigned task, of course, is to live God’s love as they too wait.
How do we live God’s love? Look around. Some are quietly doing random acts of kindness. A senior in care smiles. A son willingly takes his aging parent to church. A woman joyfully volunteers at the food bank, or the church, or … Some use special gifts of music, writing, painting to express their love. Some bake cookies, some shovel snow, some are politicians, police officers, the list goes on and on. Just as the homeowner needed all the servants to do their part, our world needs everyone’s contribution joyfully, wisely, willingly given. We all contribute to growing God’s love in our world.
Too often, we feel as if others do lots and we do little. Does our “little” really count. When we look carefully at Jesus’ life, we see that he did what he could with the people whom he made contact – healing a few, teaching a crowd, walking with his disciples, challenging the Sadducees and Pharisees. Each encounter with one, or many, made a difference, a difference that is still felt today.
We each have our assigned task. As we live, we have our opportunities to add to the building of God’s reign of love and peace. On the back of my business card it says, “you can choose to add to the world’s joy today.” Yes, we are waiting today, waiting for the coming of God’s kingdom. Although we don’t know when we do know how. God works through our daily living to create a world of love and peace.
During this Advent open your heart to recognize and value the love you already give to the world. Ask God for direction and wisdom each day, as you choose to build a world of peace and love.