Advent 3

The First Wednesday of Advent, December 3, 2008

Isaiah 2:1-11

In days to come the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be set over all other mountains, lifted high above the hills.  All the nations shall come streaming to it, and many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us climb up on to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths.”  For instruction issues from Zion, and out of Jerusalem comes the word of the LORD…nation shall not lift sword against nation nor ever again be trained for war. 

I lived 25 years in the Texas hill country, a beautifully rugged land of limestone cliffs, creeks, and live oak-covered hills—and mansions sprouting among the hills.  One morning as I drove to work in the dark, I noticed the lights of a vehicle wending its way up a long driveway, to a new mansion atop a hill.  It was far from the interstate, and I could only see the lights of the house and car, but it brought to mind the prophecies of all nations coming to Zion, to God’s holy mountain. 

But the most vivid reminder, one that swelled my heart for a week of mornings, occurred in Columbus, Ohio in June of 2006, at General Convention of the Episcopal Church, USA.  The first order of business, every day, was Eucharist in the airplane hangar-sized auditorium.  Every morning as I walked from the hotel to the auditorium for worship, I saw thousands of Episcopalians streaming to worship.  There were those who, like me, came from the hotel attached to the conference center, those coming from other hotels, entering on my left, and those from still other sections of the city, entering opposite me, 50 yards away.  It took my breath away to see so many people united in a desire to worship, streaming to the altar. 

In a few weeks all the Christian world will stream toward places of worship, united in welcoming, yet again, the baby Jesus. 

May we rejoice in that unity of spirit; but then may we continue to pray for the time when all people will stream to God’s holy hill, and there will be no more animosity toward one another, no more sword or M-16 lifted toward another human being, no more business of war, only a people who love the Prince of Peace.