Wake Up Call

The last couple of mornings have been pretty rough. I’ve got one of those fancy coffee makers that I set to grind and brew my coffee while I’m out for my morning run. That way, a hot cup of joe is ready as soon as I walk in the door. However, upon returning from yesterday’s run, I discovered that user-error had resulted in hot coffee and wet grounds being spilled all over the kitchen counter. 

When I got to the office later that morning, I wasn’t paying attention as I poured myself a much needed cup. Distracted by the conversation I was having, I totally missed my mug and splattered coffee all over myself.

This morning my travails continued. I somehow mistook my shampoo for body wash. It was a sudsy experience that left me fragrant and well-conditioned. It would seem that I’m a bit distracted these days.

The Church is currently in the thick of the Advent season. This is a time in which we prepare for the arrival of Jesus. This is more than hanging the greens, stringing up the lights, buying gifts, and getting ready for a great Christmas celebration. Advent calls us to pay attention to the ways in which Jesus shows up in our lives in the here and the now. To borrow a line from Ferris Bueller: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Yesterday afternoon, I was informed that a visibly distraught young man was praying in our sanctuary. I could have left him to his business of prayer while I continued my personal busyness, but I decided to make his business my own. As we sat together in front of the altar, he shared that he had just tested positive for HIV. His parents could never accept his sexual orientation and regarded his situation as some sort of punishment. Add to that a bi-polar disorder and financial struggles, he was facing some pretty big challenges. He felt overwhelmed and alone. He talked, I listened, and we prayed.

I consider this to be a Matthew 25 encounter. You know, "...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me." Advent encourages us to pay attention to these kinds of encounters; the ones in which we are inconveniently encountered by Christ and are called to make the love of God real in the lives of others. 

When he left that afternoon, he did so having heard from me that he is a beloved child of God. As for me, it was a wake-up call that no amount of hot, spilled coffee could ever provide.

O come, O come, Emmanuel.