2nd Advent: Trust in God

This past week, as I do at least once per year, I meet with teens being formed for confirmation and answer their questions. And there are always some questions that are fairly easy to answer; chocolate: and some more difficult. One of those questions from this past week: How do we know God is real? How do we build our connection with God?

One of the most important hallmarks in human life is when we learn to walk. It is amazing to watch how children take those steps and watch parents encourage, support and affirm. To learn to walk takes a lot of Trust! The baby has to learn to trust in those wobbly chubby legs and to trust that Mom and Dad will be there. And we know mostly this takes a little time. The child will fall; sometimes innocently on the behind, other times with a bit more drama.

This trust will form us for the rest of our lives. If we do not find trust in our parents, then more than likely trust will be difficult for us in the rest of our lives.

How do we know God is real? How do we build our connection with God? It comes to Trust.  Trust means we take a risk. Trust means to give up a measure of control, or what we think is control. Trust means hope; that there is Goodness that is present and will be made present.

Not always easy.

We go back to Genesis. God tells Adam and Eve, TRUST ME! They do not, and chaos ensues. Yet, even then God remains with Adam and Eve, guiding them and humanity, wanting us to Trust that God remains present, God remains faithful. The prophets, like Baruch, summon Israel again and again to the covenant, to Trust that God is at work. God asks for that trust.

John the Baptist, in one sense the last of the Prophets, calls for this too. Announcing that the epitome, the highpoint of God’s Trust is coming: Jesus!

We often say we trust God, but you know, our actions don’t follow our words. We too get tempted to not trust, just like Adam and Eve. We take too many matters into our own hands.

One of the most clear ways is when we fall, when we sin. We say God forgives. This is a hallmark of our Christian faith, Yet too often I hear people expecting punishment and vengeance. How can God forgive me? Why would God forgive me? And for that matter why would God forgive you!!!! People will punish themselves, and people will certainly easily punish others.  

Yet, clearly God gave us the great sign of forgiveness, the Resurrection. God did not punish us for that great crime. God will not punish us for anything else. Trust in this.

Think back to children walking. When the child falls, parents do not punish the child (good parents anyway). They lift them up. They encourage them. They get them started on the process again. This is God!

Advent, this wonderful season, is not about thinking about our sinfulness. Christmas celebrates God’s faithfulness to us. We celebrate God’s presence among us, in the most surprising and humble of ways. We celebrate God’s own trust in us.

Advent, we can take the time to reflect back. Look at our lives prophetically, become aware of how God has lifted us up, despite our best efforts to remain fallen down. Remember that even after Adam and Eve had to leave paradise as a consequence of their actions, God gave them real clothes. God wanted them cared for. God never abandoned them, nor us.

Reflect back on moments when everything seemed kind of hopeless: a relationship was about ready to end and the forgiveness came through, healing happened.
Love seemed so far away, loneliness loomed large; and with one kind gesture, one simple act of kindness, a new friend was found.  An act of generosity changed the life of someone, or ourselves.  Being humble opened up a new path to resolve a problem.

We Catholics, we Trust that baptism makes a change in our very soul. We Trust that by making a commitment in front of the Altar, we join ourselves to someone for our lives.  We trust that the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ, without seeing anything change in the appearance.

We engender trust in our rituals. Trust in God really does bring life.  It takes a few wobbly steps though, and maybe a landing on our bums on occasion, but in the end; to be swept up into those arms and feel that security...that is life.

That is worth celebrating.

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