During Advent many readings are taken from Isaiah because of his portrait of what “the day of the Lord” will be like when God comes and makes all things new. On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people. The gospels during Lent almost serve as a counterpoint since at the coming of Jesus the same old troubles don’t magically disappear. Instead, Jesus challenges us to become the change we envision. He summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. At a receont lecture on the meaning of Advent the scholar suggested that according to the Bible we should not pray for something to happen unless we are willing to do something to make it happen. All too often we limit ourselves to praying because we feel incapable of solving the problem. We don’t have so solve the problem just be part of the solution — accompany someone who is grieving, bring a meal to someone who is sick, make time for someone who feels lost, volunteer to help with a cause, welcome someone who is new.
