People, look east: the time is near
of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
That’s the opening verse of one of my favorite Advent carols from Wonder, Love, and Praise, a supplement to the Hymnal 1982. I like it because it reminds us that as we tidy and decorate our homes for the holidays to welcome family and friends, we must not forget our guest of honor who travels all the way from ancient Palestine to be with us. We look eastward as we joyfully anticipate the arrival of this special guest at Christmas.
This year, however, looking eastward as we wait for Jesus also means that we cannot ignore the ongoing violence and suffering in the Middle East. And even as we look toward the east, we must also remember to look to the north, the south, and the west. In western North Carolina, for example, the news cycle has moved on, but the hurricane recovery efforts are very much ongoing. Just to the south of us, in Charlotte, housing insecurity is an increasingly dire issue. Needs are all around us, it seems.
And so is Jesus. We may not be able to literally see eastward all the way to Bethlehem or Nazareth, but we can look for Jesus in every direction and every situation and every person we encounter. The most faithful way to welcome our highly anticipated guest from the east is to treat every human as though they are the Christ Child.
People, look east, west, north, and south this Advent season, and you will find many opportunities to welcome and serve our Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Carmen
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