December 10, 2006
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The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church Text: Luke 3:1-6 All flesh shall see Advent 2nd 2006 All flesh shall see the Salvation We deal with two different persons from our Biblical and Christian heritage today: Sta. Lucia and John the Baptist. When I try to imagine, I find that they were very different persons: Lucia, a beautiful young Italian girl. While John the Baptist was more like a strange figure, both where he lived (in the wilderness of Judah), the way he dressed (in a mantle of camel hair) and what he ate (grasshoppers and wild honey). I tried to figure out: Have John the Baptist and Sta. Lucia anything in common? If we move from the outside to the inside, we succeed. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. He was a very committed person. He concentrated on shedding light upon the One that came after him, Jesus. I think of John the Baptist as a searchlight or a spotlight. He himself stepped aside. He didn’t want PR for himself. He just prepared the way for the Lord. He notified that the spiritually dark days for Israel were over, that now the Light of the world was approaching. Listen to this wonderful prophesy of John’s father, Zechariah, about his son (Luke 1,76-79): And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. While this young, Italian girl Lucia, also was a light carrier for Christ. Her name, Lucia, means "light". And she early became the great patron saint for what is called the "light of the body"--the eyes. She is said to have been beheaded by the sword on the Italian island of Sicily. It happened during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. As early as in the year 303, Lucia became a martyr. The only reason for killing her, was that when they tried to force her to marry a pagan man, she totally refused. She had committed her life to Christ, and that was the most important thing to her. Which was the same with John the Baptist. The two also had in common that they both were executed in exactly the same, cruel way. Now for us, the time of Advent is about preparing the way for the Lord. Make room for Jesus. The important questions we need to ask are for example: What kind of hindrances are to be cleared away before we ourselves, and people of our time can meet God? What makes it difficult to believe in Jesus today? What kind of hindrances have to be removed, by ourselves, by others? We have to be honest, and ask: Is it our wealth, our materialism that makes us blind? Is it bad habits that hinder us from going to the places where God reveals himself? Is there anything in our life style that hinders the Light? Dear listener, today I want to stand by the side of John the Baptist, and the virgin Lucia and say: Prepare yourself to meet God! Prepare the way of the Lord. Because he is on his way! I believe that He will appear in glory, as he has promised. When, I do not know. But surely, he will appear. And we know that the day has never been as close as it is now. I love the last sentence of the text for today: All flesh shall see the salvation of God. Imagine that never have so many human beings believed in Christ as today. We think that Christianity is declining. But that is only in Europe, and in North America. In many countries of the world, faith in Christ is growing, and it grows rapidly. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. We are closer to that today than we have ever been. This should encourage us to carry the light of Christ to our neighbors, like John and Lucia did. So let us rejoice and celebrate Advent, both preparing for a holy Christmas celebration, and also for Christ’s appearance amongst us in glory. To the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, who was, is and shall ever be one true God now and forever. Amen |
The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church · 924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 · (612)874-0716 |