My December Newsletter Article

Every month I write a letter for the church newsletter. Here's this month's letter...

Dear Friends in Christ,

The other day I was driving to the church up south Washington toward the square. It was one of those balmy Indian Summer mornings when it wasn’t too chilly and you knew it was going to be a lovely day. My mind was wandering a little, as far as it should while driving in the hospital zone. Just south of the hospital is the Marshall Manor nursing home and as I was passing the nursing home I saw something that simply mesmerized me. On the patio facing the street, facing the east, was about a half-dozen residents. Some were in jackets, others wrapped in blankets. Some were on benches and others were in wheelchairs. Nobody had either a cup of coffee or the newspaper. All of them were gazing into the rising sun. They were sitting on the patio being bathed in the first rays of the dawn of the day as they rose above the treetops.

Of all things, it reminded me of a 1988 movie starring Nicholas Cage called “City of Angels” about an angel who fell in love and fell to earth so he could be with Meg Ryan. One of the recurring scenes in the movie shows the angels standing on the seashore or on tall buildings and gazing into the sunrise and sunset. At these quiet moments, the angels can hear the music of God’s glory ringing through creation. As I was driving past the nursing home, when I saw these people sitting on the patio gazing into the morning dew, seeing these fragile people who had seen so much in this life; I imagined them as the angels hearing the music of God’s glory in the breaking of the sun on creation.

It may be kind of cheesy, but that’s just the way my mind works some days.

As we come into Advent (and as we say, “Advent” means “Coming”) I am not reminded of God’s coming in power and might, I am reminded of an infant. I am reminded of a newborn who can do nothing for himself. I am reminded of someone who is totally powerless and needs people around him to do the most basic and mundane things, beginning with cleaning and feeding. But I am also reminded that in the early light of the star that burns so bright in the night sky, there is a music that everyone can hear, a music that comes not from creation, but from the Creator, from Him. He comes without power and might, and he comes in majesty and in glory.

So during this Advent season, let us prepare for his coming. Let us prepare for this coming and for his next coming in majesty and glory and in power and might. As we prepare our homes let us prepare our very selves to hear the music that is aching to be played in our soul. Let us be like those residents of Marshall Manor, sitting in the morning glory like the angels hearing the music of God’s glory in the breaking of the Son of Man.

Have a wonderful Advent… and a Merry Christmas, Paul