Divine celebration

Romans 10:8-18

          I am very happy that there is a day of 'rest' between so called Black Friday and the first Sunday of Advent. Today perhaps we can take some time to think about the true season of importance, Advent, which begins tomorrow. I hope to focus my blog for that sole purpose each day until Christmas.

          Without getting all Adventy on you in advance, I cannot help but think of the passage for today without referencing why Advent is so important.  For the masses out there, perhaps the ones that went out shopping after gorging themselves on turkey or the ones that were on the road with me at 4am this morning, me going to work, the others headed to WalMart, this season is a jumbled frenzy. As Fr. Frank would say, buying things for people we don't like, with money we don't have, for things they don't need. It would seem to be a sad state of affairs.

         For the faithful however, this season is a joyous and divine celebration of the birth of our Savior. God so loved the world that he became incarnate, choosing to live as we live, walk as we walk, feel what we feel and bleed as we bleed. God embraced every aspect of our lives from birth to death and everything in between. How could we not celebrate on the grandest of scale?  To channel such joy, we wrap ourselves in lights symbolic, giving in the most generous terms and parties that are long remembered for their excess, from libations to brotherhood and hospitality. It is a glorious season.

         To some this will be an almost gruesome task of battling crowds and almost torturous friendliness. To the faithful who have the love of God emblazoned in their hearts and feel the joy and appreciation of God become man, it is a natural flow and manifestation of love.  

          

But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
   on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.^*

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for
‘Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
   and their words to the ends of the world.’