Sermon for the third Sunday in Advent
The one you love
stands on the edge of an abyss,
over the edge,
utter darkness,
oblivion,
nothingness,
annihilation.
The one you love
cries out
cursing existence,
cursing pain,
cursing you,
cursing life.
And then
the one you love
walks off the edge of the abyss.
And yet,
in one movement of instinct
you dive
and grab your loved one's arm
holding tight,
preventing descent
into non-existence.
You have saved
the one you love.
But your loved one
cries in agony,
repeating the curses
rejecting your love
rejecting your life.
Do you let go?
[PAUSE]
Surely it's selfish of you
to hold on.
Just because you love
doesn't mean
you should force
someone to accept
your love
by stopping them
from making their choice.
But you will
prevent your child
from sticking wet fingers
in an electric socket
even if
your child really wants to do it.
And live
is the will
for the complete happiness
of the other.
And someone who exists
is happier
than someone who doesn't.
Ah,
but then a voice from the pit
says,
"someone who exists
is unhappier
than someone who doesn't."
But unhappiness,
is like darkness,
like evil,
like a hole.
That which does not exist
cannot possess
any happiness
just like it cannot possess light
nor can it possess
any good.
Your loved one exists
and is happier now
than a plunge into the darkness
would achieve.
Happy memories
still remain,
memories of love,
of excitement,
joy and fun,
these still remain.
By holding on,
your loved one
is happier
even if they are kicking
and screaming
and swearing at you
to let go.
They still have something
to remind them
of the ecstasy
of living.
It is your love
that causes their pain
but without your love
they would not be happy
in any respect.
[PAUSE]
You are God's loved one.
Just like everyone else.
Just like the saints.
Just like your family.
Just like the man over the road.
Just like the Muslim family
down the street.
Just like Richard Dawkins.
Just like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Just like Bonhoeffer and Hitler.
Every human being
is God's loved one.
And God holds on.
Some of us reject Him
and try to scrub out
His image from us.
Some of us
will prefer the idol
that we have made
and pretend is God.
And when we see ourselves
reflected against Christ
and choose to depart
from His presence
thinking that
we can jump into the abyss,
God holds on.
God holds on
in perfect love,
holds on trying to give
the true happiness
that is being rejected
giving His grace
which is ignored
or spat upon.
For some,
this is Hell,
but Hell isn't filled
with everything unpleasant.
If anything,
Hell is life as we know it
but without any
awareness of God
without awareness
of His light,
His love,
His warmth,
His riches,
His kindness,
His joy in living.
God gives those
who hate Him
what they want -
Life staring into the nothingness
that is the absence of God.
For where God is not
there is only nothing,
and it is into that nothing
that the haters of God leap
and God holds on.
But God holds on
for Eternity
because the life
of the loved one
He is holding onto
is eternal too
and cannot change,
for change
requires Time
and there is no time in eternity.
And no matter
how much
we kick and scream,
God holds on.
God always holds on.
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