I write this in early November, as we continue to see the unfolding of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the area of the world referred to as the Holy Land – the promised land of the Israelites and the place of the birth of Jesus, and a significant place in Islam too. It is hard to know how that conflict will evolve, and of course we continue to pray for peace in that region, for safety for all civilians, and specifically for the Anglican Palestinian community under the leadership of Archbishop Hosam Naoum.
The season of Advent which has just started takes us on a journey through the great ancient prophecies which foretold of the coming of the Messiah, the anointed of God. Our Advent carol services lead us from darkness to light, and our hope – like that of all those who wait in darkness – is that there would be a show of power and strength to fulfil those prophecies.
Instead, as we know, God disrupted our human expectations and turned the pyramid of power upside down. Jesus the Messiah, though a King, turned out not to be a warrior with great strength. Instead, a powerless baby born in the unstable environment of occupied Palestine under Roman occupation. Miraculous signs and significant unexpected visitors highlighted the birth of Jesus, which was followed by a horrifying massacre driven by a ruler hellbent on keeping his position of power and influence.
It would take another thirty years to see Jesus take on the work for which he was sent – by continuing to challenge and subvert human assumptions, not ruling from on high but mostly going about healing, teaching, and reconciling people dealing with their powerlessness in the chaos and injustice of their world.
Many at this time feel powerless – powerless in the face of intractable world conflicts that do not seem to have a solution in sight; powerless at a time of escalating climate change with consequences that cannot yet be fully comprehended; powerless as governments lose control and transnational corporations seem to rule their lives and the world.
And yet – God did face power with powerlessness, and in the person of Jesus – an innocent babe, later an itinerant preacher, he showed the power that comes from attending to God’s people. The power that comes from spending time with God.
As we prepare to celebrate the incarnation of the Christ, may this season of darkness and preparation be for all of us a time to ask God to strip us of the power we think we have in the eyes of the world, and instead continue to build us up into today’s people of reconciliation, healing and peace.
