WAITING IS TOO EASY

Waiting for the mail carrier, waiting for the truth to be told, waiting for peace to take the throne, waiting for winter snow, waiting for spring, waiting for churches to be filled to capacity, and just waiting. The present demands to know what’s next. We move forward and stand still, waiting at the same time.

Unofficial town criers, self-proclaimed prophets announce, “Repent. The end of the world is coming.” Well, this street corner oracle is right on both points. We surely need to repent for our wrongdoings, and yes, everything has an ending until that final end. But there’s another breed of soothsayers who require our attention. They are the ones who have a lot to say and make pronouncements that just don’t ring true and make us uncomfortable.

Jesus is pretty emphatic. Do not run after false prophets. Distractions and red herring fishing expeditions are not the fishing trips Jesus promised: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Although the Kingdom cannot be observed, we are to behold the Kingdom among us. This puzzle requires an alternate vision. After all, Paul has told us that the seen is transitory, the unseen eternal. And in our Creed, we believe there is an invisible creation. We sing out to look beyond the bread we eat and beyond our prejudices and false notions.

Every day, we can experience the spirit of what is to come: in the joy of friendship and communion with everyone we meet.

We can’t keep looking over our shoulders and waiting for that heavenly Kingdom’s finale to come. We will trip and stumble, looking for the ‘when.’

Better to look where we’re walking.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, You are the vine, and we are the branches. We may be broken, but we are still on the vine. May we blossom and bear fruit for others. Amen.