Stay Awake!

Today’s Gospel is the classic call that we have been hearing for weeks now, to stay awake and anticipate the good news of Christ coming. This is also the time when much of the world prepares for Christmas, which takes a whole lot of work.  Preparing for Christ is not about “doing” things, it is about opening our hearts and minds to the love of God casting the light of Christ into a world of darkness. We are called by Mark to stay deeply awakened and to watch for the good, even in the midst of bad.

Paul praises his church in Corinth for doing just that. “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you.” 

This day of our Annual Meeting is a celebration of the many ways Paul’s message is true for St. Margaret’s. We will be reviewing, and hopefully reflecting on the way faith is growing as love in action blesses many people. We are also warned to be aware and pay attention to the threats to that faith, the spiritual darkness that blinds us and thwarts our progress.   

Keep awake, celebrate the many blessings that you have and share, and trust God is leading you to an even better future.

Amen.