2 December 2012, 1st Sunday of Advent
[ Jeremiah 33:14-16 |
Psalm 25 | 1
Thessalonians 3:12-4:2 | Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 ]
[__01] Show all work.
In high school and
college, taking examinations – midterms, finals – I recall the instruction
frequently written just below the space for your name:_______.
Show all work.
In other words, we
were being asked to “justify how you
arrived at each answer and list steps we followed”, rather than simply writing
an answer in economics or statistics or accounting or math.
Doing this, we would
demonstrate that we understand the method, theory, reasoning..
Show all work.
[__02]
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the first of four Sundays leading to
Christmas on which God shows us his work in the birth of our Savior.
[__03]
In the academic classrooms of [____ HIGH SCHOOL _______] or of [FDU = ____ Becton, Dickinson, Robison
…. ], we may or may not be able – during the exam – to interrupt with a
question.
Thus, as we students,
we would spend time now – trying to study –
- final
exams of previous years – 2011, 2010….
- Midterm in October/November
We would be trying to anticipate what questions our various professors might ask.
To them, we might want
to say, please “show us all work” …. Or just give us the questions [answers?] ahead of time.
[__04]
In the twenty-fifth psalm on this first Sunday of Advent, we read a prayer of
trust, a prayer of fidelity. We also read a request, a desire.
Show all work.
We read, “Your ways, O
Lord, make known to me, teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25)
In the psalm we also
read that this particular “student” this particular “believer” admits, “for you
I wait all day.” (Psalm 25)
This student/believer
wants an answer, or at least wants to know what the question is for him, for
her at this point in life.
The psalm reflects that we don’t always know
or understand God’s ways or method.
Sometimes we
experience sorrow, difficult, obstacles. This could be due to events/crises
beyond our control.
This could be due to
my own fault – my own sin – or due to
the fault, the sin of another.
And, thus, the sorrow,
difficulty, obstacles keep us waiting all day, all year, or longer.
Experiencing this
sorrow, difficulty, obstacle, pray .. “Lord, teach me your ways.” In other words, what can I learn from this.
And, we might also say
the same prayer when we experience success, joy …
Lord, what is your
way?
Show all work.
[__05] December 2012.
Are we not now under
greater pressure to show all work now having lost a 7 days or more due to the
hurricane?
Classes have been
re-arranged …and, perhaps, some of our free time has been blown away in a 90
mile-per-hour wind.
Advent, however,
remains a review period for all of us, a review period of prayer. These four
weeks are both the reading days, and the praying days that are
untouchable/unchangeable by any professor / dean / provost.
Advent is our time to
reflect on God’s work in our lives, to ask him to show us his ways.
And, for us, through
repentance, forgiveness, prayer, we also show God our work.
There is extra credit
for effort.
And, God works – shows
his work – while we are still.
[1]
Therese of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul, Ch. 8 “From Profession to the Offering
of Love,” page 185 – Therese writes about the approval by God on those who
would fall asleep while praying reasoning… and compares to the fact that doctors put their patients to
sleep before an operation and parents gaze lovingly at their sleeping children. God works even when we are still.
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