'Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour down righteousness', words from the plainsong chant sung at the beginning of Advent.  A heartfelt plea expressing the desire of believers throughout the ages that somehow God is going to act .  He is going to intervene in human history and put everything right.  Christians believe He has already intervened, He has come in person, in the Incarnation, the birth of his own dear son, Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas.  Yet nothing seems to have changed despite that event some 2,000 years ago, same old, same old!  Jesus came and Jesus went, of course the Church believes He is still with us and during Advent we also remind ourselves He is going to come again, which is why are still asking the skies to pour down righteousness.  This time there will be no more second chances - his righteousness will show each of us in our true character before God and we will be judged-the baby Jesus come of age and then some!

What would Jesus do? proclaimed the protest banner of 'Occupy London' , outside St. Paul's, what indeed if that second coming was Now!

Well I am sure he would certainly denounce the bankers, recently described as 'wealth gorgers' and the politicians too who are doing their best to hold up that tottering old lady 'Capitalism' who at the moment seems on her very last legs.  Maybe he would tell our modem day 'temple' money changers in the city that they should be paying the running coats of St. Paul's, so there need be no ‘voluntary’ admission  charges to enter 'my father's house' and no snack bars in the crypt either!

I am also fairly confident that he would want to show his support for the protestors with some words of approval, maybe another sermon on the mount, times change, people don't! After all he was a bit of a revolutionary when he came last time round which is why words aren't enough for him.  Brothers and sisters, actions speak louder than words, a tented camp and sharing cans is one thing but what about some practical service of the really poor and downtrodden, the homeless and outcast in London and all our big cities?  Don’t forget while you are singing and dancing there are those in whom all hope has been crushed and who don’t even have a tent to call their own!  And if you have to move on then follow me, come and wash a few feet and meet the gang at ‘Crisis at Christmas’ and by the way I do hope you will bring with you that money donated by well wishers, after all aren’t they the victims of the system you are protesting about?  You may think your protest has fallen on deaf ears but we can all do something that makes a difference.  Which reminds me, despite your protest there has been a remarkable silence from the city; perhaps those with the seriously big bonuses are too busy sunning themselves in warmer climes or maybe they just don’t care!

Of course what Jesus would do or say is pure speculation on my part but most of us believers know in our hearts how he feels about our world, after all when he came first time round he did teach us quite a bit!

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, remember Christmas 2011 is only one day in that seemingly never ending story, human history, a story that will one day reach its ultimate conclusion, than we shall all know, in one dazzlingly brilliant moment what it’s all been about and why life has been like it has.  Meanwhile the Church watches and waits, in this season of Advent we basically say ‘Bring it on!’, ‘Maranatha’, ‘Come Lord Jesus’, the one born as a babe in Bethlehem and the one who will come again in power and who says ‘beside me there is no saviour’.

May God bless you and yours, this Christmas.

Your friend and priest
 

Father Keith


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