4th week of advent – Jesus @ 2 am blogs and podcast

How one over-busy pastor remembers that you can’t be a part of peace on earth until you find peace within (and with God).

In this episode I take a pretty personal look at what to do when the internal angst is up, satisfaction with the state of the world is low and prayer feels impossible. Short answer is: back to basics – show up, meditate on the Gospels (make St. Ignatius proud) and wait for God to speak…

For me, the help came with a look at the story of the annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), aided by the painting of same by Leonardo da Vinci. It was there I was reminded of the gentleness of God (in the form of a bowing Angel Gabriel), who brings about peace on earth not with the sword (in the manner of every tyrant…ever), but with an infant….

Every December the decorations return – banners with doves, cards declaring “Peace on Earth”… And yet every year the headlines never change: hardship, loss, injustice…

How do we come to terms with the contradiction? Is the biblical promise that God’s shalom (peace, rest, wholeness) is taking over creation to be believed? Or is it (as it often feels) little more than a comforting ideal – a goal perhaps, but not one we ever expect to become real?

In this episode we examine the personal search for peace and rest, and how we take that gift of shalom and offer it to others.

This is a sermon that was originally presented at Canvas (a Presbyterian church in Irvine, CA), December 21, 2014. To learn more about Canvas, click here!

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Tag: 4th week of advent

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