Maybe Advent is best understood at night, sitting with the streetlit world, hearing ambulance sirens as we watch and pray. Likewise, maybe the story of Advent is best understood starting not with the promises of Isaiah, but with its anguished cries to God:
"Your sacred cities have become a desert... and all we treasure lies in ruins.
After this, O LORD, will you hold yourself back?
Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?"
Isaiah 64:10-12
'Respiration' by Black Star feat. Common: (lyrics: here)
**Advisory: Some strong language. Clean version and pretty sweet orig. music video HERE
'Respiration' is about telling the truth from your corner of the world. I especially love its intro about taggers (graffiti-ers) talking about their aerosol work: on two cars they've written,
On this end of Advent, our job is to tell the truth about the world and cry out to God about a Creation gone terribly awry. As Kara Root, preacher at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian, stated this week: "Advent begins with a great cry of disappointment." Disappointment in ourselves, certainly, but also in the world and even in God.
"ALL YOU CAN SEE IS... CRIME IN THE CITY."
On this end of Advent, our job is to tell the truth about the world and cry out to God about a Creation gone terribly awry. As Kara Root, preacher at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian, stated this week: "Advent begins with a great cry of disappointment." Disappointment in ourselves, certainly, but also in the world and even in God.
During Advent we boldly name our disappointment and pain, knowing that God is NOT ultimately absent or unmoved. God is here - even as God is still coming. Because of this, as Kara stated, we can "stand bravely with our broken hearts and the broken hearts of the world... waiting to be mended."
How do we speak our broken hearts in these coming days? What do you see even from your limited perspective that still needs voice and naming?
In the darkness of a very real night, may we boldly tell the truth about our world and hold out our lives to God.
- Anna
Here in La Paz, on Sunday mornings on my way to church I see a variety of things. There is a happy bustle of people buying and selling in the markets. But there is also the aftermath of Saturday night--vomit and sometimes blood in the street, trash, women dragging drunken husbands on errands. Here I am confronted with the role of women and the reality of domestic violence in a different way. Sometimes it makes me angry, sometimes it makes me frightened, but mostly it makes me wonder how long, and what is next, what new thing does God have to offer to these women? to me?
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