The Rev. Dr. Alison Turner | Litany in Procession and Solemn Eucharist

Sunday, December 10, 2023 @ 11:00 am

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The Second Sunday Of Advent

The Second Sunday Of Advent

Merciful God, who sent thy messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the HolySpirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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The Second Sunday Of Advent

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Litany in Procession and Solemn Eucharist
11:00 am

Listen to the sermon

Scripture citation(s): Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8

✛
A Sermon by
The Rev. Dr. Alison Turner
on
Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8
✛

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people

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A recurring question in school these past few weeks has been, What’s your favorite, your favorite part of Messiah? Everyone has their very own special piece, but Messiah is far more than the notes on the page. Each year the getting ready, the excitement and nerves in waiting for the day to arrive, the reminiscences of past years, the extra rehearsals, the tuning of the organ, and on the day of a concert the waiting in the wings, and waiting for the orchestra to strike up their opening chord culminates in a sense of wonder and anticipation in order for this momentous long-awaited tradition, become a reality, just as it has twice again this past week here at Saint Thomas Church. In talking to some of our boys it became clear that their excitement was magnified this year because it was their first Messiah, while among our Grade 8 students there was a sense of nostalgia as they realized this Messiah may well be their last in this beautiful place, unless they return as Gentlemen of the Choir as has often happened in the past. And then there are those Gentlemen for whom this week’s performance was their 14th or even maybe 75th Messiah. How amazing is that?

One of my favorite Messiah moments however is the anticipation of the opening Arioso which as you know starts gently and crescendos as familiar, poignant words of comfort are proclaimed by the striking voice of the Tenor soloist, as he moves slowly and deliberately up the central aisle of the nave, proclaiming the words we heard in our reading from the prophet Isaiah this morning: Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.

The multiple scriptural references in this marvelous choral work, Handel’s, Messiah and indeed the very oratorio itself brings comfort to many. It is filled with the confident recitation of those themes which underpin our faith, of a Lamb that is worthy, of a Child that is born, of the exaltation of valleys, and the Glory of the Lord being revealed, as the love of God is borne out in each part: in God’s plan for our redemption, of Christ’s Passion, and then in the final part, his Resurrection. The harmonious voices we hear in Messiah reconnect us with the Christian story and of God’s relationship with humanity as one of compassion, as one of hope and comfort, comfort in those times when our lives are overshadowed by death, in the valleys of waiting, when life feels uncertain and far from straight, when our faith is fragile and the promise of hope, peace, joy and love, comfort we hear about in Advent seems quite distant. In Advent we recall with confidence, just as we were reminded last week, that our God is not distant but one who is waiting and watching and weeping alongside us when we, his children in communities throughout the world are hurting; he promises comfort in a world which a friend recently said ‘conspires against hope’. Comfort that is not a temporary escape from reality, or shallow reassurance or even a feeling of being simply comfortable, but as the mystic Hildegard of Bingen describes it, comfort is something that runs deep, and which is about ‘being encircled by the arms of the mystery of God’. Comfort is something in which you are swaddled and held safe, or as Julian of Norwich might say, to be comforted is to be ‘Enfolded in love’.

When we turn to our gospel reading, and meet the one who is to Prepare the Way of the Lord in the guise of the somewhat eccentric yet charismatic character of John the Baptist, we initially hear a stern rather than gentle, comforting message. It is voice that speaks with a more urgent tone, as one who cries or shouts in desert and wants to be heard even in the wilderness. A voice which is calling the people to find healing in repentance, and finding hope and comfort in God’s promises to them as a Covenant People in the Advent of the Messiah, Jesus from Nazareth, the very one for whom John was preparing the way.

The voice of John we hear repeated in scripture also calls and challenges us like his early followers, who had left their homes to hear a call to repent, forgive and be forgiven, and be baptized. He is someone who gives voice to those who cannot speak up for themselves, and beckons us to join our solo voice to a chorus which sings and speaks out against places of abandonment and wilderness, war and division, and seeks to pour in love and compassion when hope seems absent. As Baptized Christians are we prepared to do this?

Are we prepared to step out of our comfort zone and put into practice the calling of our very own baptism covenant to reach out to the needy, to live lives of compassion, that truly respect and uphold the dignity of all humanity, of all God’s Children and to bring comfort to those in need? What might be stopping us?

This Advent, I wonder, What voice do you hear John, the Messiah or even God speaking to you, in those wilderness, deserted places of your lives, the places you wish did not exist or are trying to escape. Perhaps with words that will come with a loud voice or a persistent whisper. Take time to listen to God’s prompts in your heart, this Advent. Perhaps you are being asked to forgive and be forgiven, to turn around or turn back to him as you too find and give comfort to others, and as you prepare the way of the Lord in 2023.

This Advent we continue to listen to the comforting and challenging voice of God speaking to our hearts, through the music, scripture, the voices of the prophets of the past and those in our time, may we in this season recommit ourselves to our own baptismal calling. This week, take time to revisit the words of your baptismal covenant, the words you promised or were offered on your behalf, words which we will hear in the Sacrament of Baptism of Evie Lee in the Korean Mass this afternoon, where the words of the prayers offered for her will echo those that were offered for you on your day of Baptism.

May our Lord God

Deliver you, from the way of sin and death.
Open your heart to his grace and truth.
Fill you with his holy and life-giving Spirit.
Keep you in the faith and communion of his holy Church.
Teach you to love others in the power of the Spirit.
Send you into the world in witness to his love.
Bring you to the fullness of the Messiah’s peace, and glory.

May this all be so, as you and we, together, await the Messiah, the Christ child and the one who will come again in glory.

I end with a poem of the season, Advent by Malcolm Guite:

Sermon Audio