Theological Friday: Reflections for the 2nd Sunday in Advent

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for the Second Sunday in Advent:

Baruch 5:1-9 or Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79 (in place of the Psalm); Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6

Reflections:

Who do we listen to?
     Pop stars? Movie starts? Economists? Political pundits? Those who have come from the desert? Those to eat strange things, and dress bizarrely? And do we as a culture tend to listen to men more than women?

What does it take to be an expert?
     Eduction? Money? Experience?
          Experience at what?

The Desert, the Mountain Top, and the Sea are all places where theophanies take place. In the biblical world view, if one wanted a direct experience of God, of the Divine, of the Source of all, one went to the wilderness. Maybe it is why we need wildernesses today. Wildernesses remind us that we are not in control and that God can never be domesticated.

Here are three sea examples:

H.W. (Bill) Tilman

H.W. (Bill) Tilman climbed mountains (Himalayas) and then went to sea to climb mountains. (Does he count twice then: the sea and the mountain experiences?) Most of these climbs were done in the high latitudes (either south or north) with a small crew on a series of British pilot cutters, the most famous one being MISCHIEF.

Moitessier during the Long Way

Bernard Moitessier was the first to sail from Papeete, Tahiti to Alicante, Spain non-stop by way of Cape Horn with his wife, Francoise. Later, he became the only (as far as I know) person to sail 1 1/2 times around the world via the great capes, alone, and with out stopping: Leaving Plymouth, England and eventually arriving in Papeete, Tahiti.

Capi Blanchet

M. Wylie "Capi" Blanchet is another example who traveled into the British Columbia, Canada wilderness as a single mother with her 5 children aboard their 25 foot motorboat CAPRICE starting in the 1920's. Their adventures are wonderfully told in The Curve of Time. To my thinking, Capi's accomplishments are just as wonderful as these other two's.












Did anyone every listen to what these folks coming from the wilderness might have to say? Perhaps momentarily. Moitesier caught the public's imagination, only to be soon forgotten, but mainly for his refusal to finish the race. All three wrote and as authors kept an audience, but manly in their specialty area (sailing, cruising, mountaineering).

There is a wildness about John.
Is that what causes people to listen to him? Something about the inner fire that burns so fiercely catches the public's attention?
Or is it that he, himself, is listening?

Who do we listen, too?

Where is the Spirit calling us?

Blessed Be

Joel