Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

Lectionary: 177

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way."

Several years ago, like nearly everyone else, I followed the tragicomedy of Jim and Tammy Bakker. I had never watched their TV show but could not ignore the breathless daily coverage of their downfall. I remember especially an account -- it might not have been true -- that Mr. Bakker had collapsed in court under the weight of accusations and the certainty of his approaching conviction and imprisonment. The well-dressed preacher fell to the floor, curled into a fetal position, and began to suck his thumb. 

I felt compassion for the fellow. As foolish as he was, clearly an unworthy minister of the Gospel and an embarrassing colleague in my profession, I had to feel pity for the human being who'd brought this predicament upon himself. 

I think of that story, and of Isaiah 40 -- which we often hear during Advent -- when I hear Jesus say, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd...." 

Isaiah had announced, 

Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service has ended,
that her guilt is expiated,
That she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.

and,

Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
leading the ewes with care.

It's not as if we deserve God's pity, or we have atoned for our sins. If the Jewish exiles in Babylon had received double for all their sins, it was because they'd been so cruelly treated by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians. Their suffering was worse than the Lord had intended. But that didn't atone for their sins either. 

It was simply that her service was ended; her guilt, expiated; and God had pity on his people. His heart was moved to compassion by their plight. 

Advent calls us to open our ears to the message, and our hearts to the Messenger. We have suffered much under God's punishing hand; and perhaps we have been willing to atone for our sins. But our best efforts could never be enough. The history of our foolish behavior in God's sight, ignoring both his compassion and his law, condemns us to an eternity of grief. Have we not murdered the Son of God who came to save us? 

But the Lord has pity on his people; his heart is moved for us. It is time for us to sit down on the grass like docile sheep, and be fed with the Body and Blood of Our Lord.