An Advent Reflection

An Advent Reflection

By Micah J. Chisholm

December 13, 2014

He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy.

~ St. Luke 1:54

In my work as a hospital chaplain I encounter people on a daily basis who are struggling, really struggling, to hold on to faith in God. They are caught up in so much grief, confusion and tragedy that they have great difficulty seeing how God could possibly be present to them, let alone have anything good to offer them. There are so many things in life that just don’t make sense – people die young or unexpectedly – sometimes both. And we ask why? There is injustice, poverty, sickness and war. And we ask why? For many of the patients and families that I care for each day these “why” questions, these tragic circumstances make this season of Advent, this season of preparing to celebrate Christmas, especially difficult, almost ironic. What could there possibly be to look forward to, to celebrate?

For centuries the people of Israel had waited. They had lived near to God and far away from God. They had enjoyed abundance and prosperity, they had endured famine, hardship and oppression. At the time of Christ’s coming they were a people oppressed and beaten down, a people acquainted with suffering, a people waiting for God to act on their behalf, a people waiting for redemption, for hope. Indeed many of us live our lives waiting, wondering, looking for signs that God has not abandoned us, looking for redemption, for hope. This is at the heart of Advent, the time when we await the appearing, the advent of our God, our Savior.

We live in the time known as “the already and the not yet.” Christ has come, born as a babe in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago, the waiting for God to act is over, in one sense. And yet, we are still a people awaiting God’s action in bringing about the complete renewal of creation, something we look forward to when Christ comes again. Yes, we are still waiting and in the waiting we see signs of hope and signs of despair. Life and death, joy and sadness, victory and defeat – these are the things we know, these are the things we experience one beside the other as we wait.

As we wait, where do we find our point of reference, our center? What is there for us to cling to, to find hope and solace in? It is the Holy Babe born in Bethlehem – Him and no other. In our recollection of that holy birth we see the mighty act of God unfold before the eyes of our hearts. Our Blessed Lady Mary, the Theotokos reminds us in her hymn that “He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.” God’s acts of redemption and healing and provision were etched in the history of Israel, in their hearts and in their minds. Time and time again God had acted to preserve and protect his precious, chosen people. And then he acted in the greatest way, offering the greatest help when he sent his Son to be born to redeem His people. God’s mercy knew and knows no limit. In the God-Man Jesus Christ there is a perfect union between the Creator and the created, between the Divine and the Natural Man. In the God-Man full communion is achieved, and this communion is the purpose for the Incarnation, that those who unite themselves to the God-Man Jesus Christ might be united to the Divine Life and thus enter into the Life of God, into the peace and rest of God. This is our hope and consolation in our turbulent, often troubled existence on earth. This is how God has acted on our behalf, this is how He has helped us. As we wait we are urged to draw ever closer to God, to unite ourselves more and more deeply to our Redeemer and thus to experience even now more and more of the fullness of Divine Life. One day the wait will be over and Christ will come again and all things will be set in order. Until that day we must cling to our precious Savior, whose first coming we will soon celebrate, and whose second coming we must be ever watchful and ready for, that we may be found reading and worthy of the King of Glory when He comes to receive His Bride.

The Next Step

“A person must be in the religious search not for the sake of religious experiences, which can deceive, but for the sake of Truth.” ~Fr. Seraphim (Eugene) Rose

For centuries Christians have understood that Truth is not simply a concept or a piece of data, but that Truth is a living, breathing person, indeed the person of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thus, the quest for true religion is not a search for doctrinal statements (which are important) or ecclesial structures (which are also important) but it is actually a search for Jesus, who wills to be found by multitudes of women and men, young and old, in all places. Indeed, there are evidences of the presence of Jesus in all sorts of places, some expected (various Christian communities) some unexpected (like a back ally in Flint, MI for example).

My wife and I were both raised in Christian homes, by Christian parents in faithful Christian communities – things we are both eternally grateful for, which we treasure and look back on as being very formative in each of our lives. Jesus was presented to us and we were encouraged to respond to him as we understood him. And yet, for each of us as we grew older, and especially as we have begun to journey through life as husband and wife, we have sensed that there was still more to seek out, more to know, more to love.

Ultimately, this desire for a deeper fullness in our Christian faith led us to begin exploring the world of Christendom outside of the traditions we were raised in. For a period of time this led us to make the Anglican tradition our home, where we were introduced to liturgical worship, the sacraments and a patterned rhythm of prayer. We began to read the Fathers of the first centuries of the Christian Church, individuals who sat at the feet of the Apostles and had the faith transmitted to them in all of its fullness. We began to take seriously the study of history, and as we experienced all of these things and more we began to sense a certain amount of unease with where we were. Eventually there comes a time when you have to stop and evaluate where you have been, where you are, and where you are going. The past eighteen months have been that time of reflection and discernment for our family.

It has not been an easy process. There have been tears. Frustration. Confusion. There has been honest conversation. There have been wonderful friends and family who have made parts of the journey with us as we’ve sounded out ideas, asked our questions, hoped and prayed about the future. In the midst of it all has been the question, where can we find a fuller, a deeper, a richer understanding of our faith, where can we find the faith of the Apostles, where can we put down deep, deep roots that will sustain us, our children and our grandchildren for generations to come. Is there a place that offers more stability, a surer foundation, than the place we presently find ourselves?

Over time, we began to find that the answer to those questions was “yes” and with that came a new experience in the journey: deep, abiding peace. That’s doesn’t mean all of the questions disappeared. It does mean we came to a place of decision, a place of commitment, a place of trusting God to continue to lead us and shape us, to restore in us the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.

The journey has led us to the threshold of the canonical Orthodox Church, the faith of the undivided Church, ancient Christianity in all of its beauty and all of its challenges, for indeed it is a rigorous faith, teaching its members to daily join Christ in his death in order to share in his resurrection. Our entire family intends to cross that threshold this summer as we enter into full communion with the Orthodox Church.

We look upon our years in the Anglican tradition with joy, and there will be a bitter sweetness to this transition. Through Anglicanism we were exposed to parts of the ancient Church, it wetted our appetite to learn more. Perhaps most importantly it brought us close to other people, very dear friends who we have shared our lives with (and will continue to do so). We are better followers of Jesus because of our time spent in the Anglican tradition. Yet, we believe there is more God wants to show us and teach us. Additionally, remaining apart of a church that has separated, and separated and separated again from the trunk of the tree so to speak has become untenable for us. It is no longer possible to look for the undivided church and then remain on the other side of the fence looking in when there is the opportunity to cross the fence. We realize that this decision will confuse, sadden and perhaps even anger some. If we have given offense to anyone, we ask for forgiveness. We ask all to pray for us as we continue to seek after Truth.

For further information about Orthodoxy please visit these sites: www.oca.org www.allsaintsofalaska.ca/index.php/the-orthodox-church/81-these-truths-we-hold