GOD IS NEAR
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” – Luke 2:8-11
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My 3-year-old daughter Beatrix has wanted to be near to me lately. “Hold me! Hold me!” is a common mantra of hers, reverting back to days as an infant. Of course, my heart melts and I quickly sweep her off of her feet, lift her in the air, and hold her close. To which Beatrix immediately presses her face into mine – nose to nose – and begins to tell me whatever is on her mind.
About a week ago, Beatrix simply said, “Me love you, Daddy.” Quite surely one of the greatest moments of recent memory.
Beatrix is also in a counting phase, so she often nudges in and shouts, “ONE!, TWO!, THREE!...” She can get all the way up to “TWENTY!” now, but mysteriously “FIVE” is sometimes overlooked.
Her nearness these days is unavoidable, as Beatrix is eager to be as close as possible.
These encounters with her come to mind as we enter the Season of Advent. For Christians, these four weeks leading up to Christmas are a time of preparation. We anticipate the coming of God into the world; we position our minds, bodies, and souls on God’s presence. Advent is a time of watchfulness, where believers are on the lookout for God’s nearness.
The church year begins with Advent, instead of Christmas, for this very reason – we often need this time to orient ourselves to experience God in profound ways. If we do so, the message that God delivers to the world on Christmas Day is more likely to be heard. With a season to prepare, this message of peace, joy, love, and hope somehow becomes more palpable, more tangible, more solidified. It is my belief that anticipating God’s presence causes God to be more manifest in the world. In a similar way, we have the choice to look for the goodness or waywardness in others. All too often, whatever we choose, readily appears before us.
The message those shepherds received in Luke’s Gospel left them terrified and shaken. The sudden appearance of angels, surrounded by God’s glory and majesty, sent to deliver an earth-shattering message, have a tendency to provoke such a response. Even if that message is good news and great joy.
And so, the faithful prepare for this transformative encounter during the Season of Advent. And we do so by looking out for God’s nearness. In hopes that we can grab hold of God’s presence, cling to it, and be ready for God to say, “Me love you, child.”
Many prayers to you for a Blessed Advent. May you know God to be near this season.
Berkeley Preparatory School
Founded in 1960, Berkeley is an independent, Episcopal, college-preparatory day school located in Tampa, FL, for boys and girls in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12. Approximately 1,400 students gather here from the greater Tampa Bay area to form ONE Berkeley.