Black Friday and today its Cyber Monday and either you are exhausted searching for deals on the internet or simply exhausted looking at your screen. However, the greatest gift in the past 72 hours is not found on your screen and it may surprise you because it doesn't come in a goody box.
It's the gift of repentance. Just a reminder, but this past Sunday was the beginning of Advent and we hit the ground by stating its starts with repentance, to turn around, to change one's mind, to feel sorrow for sin. A complete turning around. Repentance means I stop moving my way, I turn around, I express regret and remorse, and I move forward on God's way.
It's important to get clear on what matters most and what matters least. That's what repentance does. It brings clarity, self-awareness, and humility because we each have a tendency to turn away from God by the choices we make when we decide to nudge God aside and put ourselves at the center of the universe. And that part of us that thinks that we don't need God, we put ourselves where God alone should be, in the center. The part of us that causes us to resist or even reject what is right, even to reject God himself. Sometimes it's our pride. We think so much of ourselves that other people just aren't as significant as we are. We love to think about ourselves. We love to compare ourselves to other people. And spiritual arrogance is probably the worst sin of all because instead of having God at the center of our lives, we replace him with self. Or maybe what you and I need to repent of is anger, or impatience, or an uncontrollable passion that just gets away from us. It happens to all of us. Or maybe it's lust, or alcohol, or gambling passions that have become uncontrollable that they govern our lives.
When asked what his message was, Jesus said, "Repent, the kingdom of God is here." That was it. In Luke 5, he says, "I came not to call the righteous, but to call sinners to repentance." In Luke 13, he says, "Unless you repent, you will perish." In Luke 15, he says, "There's more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than 99 righteous people with no need to repent." Repent, to stop, to turnaround, to express remorse to God, and to move forward on God's way. The first Sunday of Advent is very clear: The Lord is coming. It is time to get ready. Repent, tell God you're sorry for the ways that you've placed anything or anyone, even yourself before him in your life. Be honest with yourself. Take time to look at your life, how you invest your life. It's time to clean up your house, repent and ask for forgiveness.
One way to do that is to do some things that humbles you, to serve somebody who needs your help, to serve someone maybe you don't even like, to serve. This Friday, I have volunteered to help make 500 nut rolls to raise funds to support Fr, Nadeem’s ministry. This young man and his spouse have won of hearts of people by inviting them back to church in Lancaster and North Java and make God the center of their farms and homes. We are humbled to have them serve our community.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was asked, "What are the keys to the Christian faith?" He says, "There's four: humility, humility, humility, and humility." He's right. Take some time to get ready, to clean up your house right here.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are either burned out from work, worried about a new variant or frantic about what goodies to buy for Christmas. Help us to get off this treadmill and put You back in the center of our lives. Call the cathedral at 716-685-5766 and order your nut rolls for the holidays to support Fr, Nadeem and Rebecca’s ministry.
