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I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Psalm 122:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 1:1
"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 118:24
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And he shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5
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Rector's Study
COMING SOON
Imagine my surprise. In the midst of what had been an unusually hectic schedule, feeling like there is no way I will ever catch up with myself, a spirit of calm descended upon me, overshadowing the cares and concerns that were producing so much anxiety within me. And I heard a loud voice from the throne of heaven saying, "Behold, I am coming soon."
Before anyone begins to either dismiss me as a lunatic or become overly excited about my supernatural mysticism, I should probably tell you that I really heard the voice. But it was not anything out of the ordinary. I heard the heavenly voice, I encountered the supernatural , in the reading of Holy Scripture. The verses of the book of Revelation appointed for Morning Prayer this morning were from the 22nd chapter. Twice within the passage the Alpha and the Omega, he who is beginning and end, is quoted declaring "I am coming soon." Words of warning are given, "the time is near." And those who hear this voice, those who have ears to hear, are told. "Worship God."
The season if the Coming is upon us. Advent and Christmas and the Feast of the Epiphany focus our prayerful attention on the Coming One. Today I am deeply aware that his coming is not merely something enacted. Our seasonal observance is more than the performance of ritual and the keeping of traditions. In and through the present moment, Jesus, the Son of God and son of Mary, he "who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead," approaches us each and all. I wonder how many of us are attuned to he nearness?
Right now I am keenly aware that a primary way we can perceive the coming of our Lord is through our encounter with Holy Scripture. So many of us are distracted by the controversies in the church in our day. We are absorbed in the stresses of our daily demands and responsibilities. We are frustrated in our inability to discern what the uncertain future will bring. "Our help is in the Name of the Lord." Wouldn't we all desire to receive this help? Wouldn't we all long to rejoice in Christ's coming?
God's help is offered in the words of scripture. Christ's coming is announced in Holy Writ. For you good, I want to offer each of you this seasonal encouragement. Read the Bible this Advent. Pray Morning or Evening Prayer, or simply read one of the passages of the New Testament appointed for each day of the season (BCP 937). I am convinced that by doing so, our Loving Lord will speak to you from the very throne of heaven.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Timothy P. Perkins  , SSC
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