Getting on the Bus

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

- Luke 2:10 (King James Version)

Fear not!

Advent is a season of waiting, and this year, we’ve had more waiting than usual, because Advent was the longest it can mathematically be - with a full fourth week of Advent. Next year, it’ll be the shortest it can possibily be - it’ll be the fourth Sunday of Advent on the morning of Sunday the 24th, but Christmas Eve arrives that very evening! No matter how long Advent lasts, however, Christmas always arrives, doesn’t it? It arrives whether we’re ready or not.

This week has not gone at all like I expected. I suppose a priest getting sick with covid would be worst during Holy Week, but Christmas is a close second. There are services all week I will not be able to lead, a long list of housebound parishioners that I will not be able to visit, not to mention a tree in my living room that stands undecorated and a bag of gifts unwrapped and unshipped - tasks that were going to happen last weekend.

So this year, I am getting to learn in yet another way that I just need to place my trust in God and get on the bus. Like how Mary had no idea how she was going to make it as an unmarried pregnant woman, but she said yes and got on the bus anyway. How Joseph had no idea how he was going to manage a pregnant fiancé, but after an encounter with an angel, he got on the bus. How John the Baptist was not 100% sure whether Jesus was really the One, but after connecting with him, he stayed on the bus. And how the shepherds, confused by what they were seeing and hearing in the sky one dark, mysterious night, decided they’d better get on the bus and go check this thing out.

The tricky part is that we don’t always recognize the bus because we’d assumed we’d go in the car. I mean, it’s so convenient and comfortable the drive ourselves. The bus might just take us out into the wilderness, or into a scary situation, or through an uncomfortable change, or into the thick of a difficult encounter, or maybe even into bed for a while to rest. We might not have chosen the itinerary the bus presents to us, but it’s the door that God is opening for us. And in the end, we just need to remember to Fear Not. For God is with us. God has been with us. God will be with us. So here we go.

I will miss being among you during worship this week, but it’s not ok for me to serve you communion while still testing positive for covid. I’m grateful to Derek for taking the reins for the Blue Christmas and Longest Night services, to my colleague, the Rev. Hank Junkin, for leading our Christmas Eve service, and to Bishop Rob for being with St. James on Christmas morning. I’ll be with you on Facebook! And I’ll have a good chunk of time to recover because Mike Metell and David Gilliam have the Christmas Lessons and Carols service well in hand for Jan 1. I’m so grateful for the support of my colleagues, family, friends and parishioners as I embark on this bus ride to Covid recovery, and I am particularly grateful for you prayers.

Here’s a prayer we prayed a lot during the height of the pandemic from page 461 in the prayer book, and it sure works for me right now::

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring
forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I
am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still,
help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it
patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly.
Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit
of Jesus. Amen.