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Sermon Preached at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Granite Springs by the the Reverend Matthew Mead
November 29, 2009
Advent 1, Year C
(RCL): Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36.


The Gospel today is a reminder to always be on guard, always be prepared, always be ready. There are many different ways that Christians can be prepared, but I would like to explore one of the traditional ways Christians have been prepared.

Christian Education. There are many different forms of Christian Education. Bible Studies, Adult forums, Sunday School, Seminary Classes, etc. All of those are great, and I do hope that you will consider coming to some of the classes that are being offered at Good Shepherd this Advent: I am leading a class on Liturgical music at 9AM the next three Sundays. I am also offering a class on the infancy narratives on Tuesday Nights at 6PM. Great stuff, but I believe that formal classes are secondary to understanding what we say and do in church each week.

A great way that all of us can prepare for Christmas is to slow down and really digest the words of our faith. And so, this Advent I invite you – in the words of the famous Collect – to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the liturgy itself. We are in a new season and the worship service should reflect that. I hope that the changes will allow for an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the words we are saying.

Each hymn we sing is sung for a reason. What are the words, how do they inform the singer about the season of Advent? A number of the prayers are different from the ones we have been using the last few months. There will be a different version of the Prayers of the People, a different confession, a different Eucharistic Prayer, a different post communion prayer. What are we really saying in our prayers, thanksgivings and intercessions? Who are we praying for? How are we praying? What do those words mean?

Start with the things that are different or unique to this day and then turn your attention to the things that are always the same. What does it mean that the entire service reaches its highpoint, not in Gospel or the sermon, nor in any of the hymns or anthems, but in a shared meal. What does it say about Christians that we gather together to eat and drink bread and wine blessed at one table and shared by all. For two thousand years, since the Last Supper when the Apostles ate bread and drank from the same cup together, Christians have been gathering together and doing the same thing.

Even though I’m a priest: every single time I step back and open my ears and my heart to the movement of the Holy Spirit in the liturgy, I see or hear something that I never noticed before. Learning more about my faith helps prepare me for lots of things. It allows me to open my heart for a deeper relationship with Christ. It prepares me for those moments when I am called upon to witness to my faith. Today I invite you today to watch and listen and wait and be prepared to notice something new.

Note for all sermons: The text published here and what was actually preached from the pulpit may vary considerably. Think of this version as the published draft.