The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
St. Mark’s Advent and Christmas Guide teaches that Advent is a time to remember that we live between the two major comings of Jesus in history, “that we must live by faith in Christ as we await his return,” and that “we are given to each other in the community of the church to encourage each other…”
Psalm 122 is one of this week’s Advent readings, and does a splendid job of displaying what it means to be a community that encourages one another.
It demonstrates the communal nature of worship: “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord,” and it is “our feet” that are standing within the gates of Jerusalem to participate in worship.
It describes Jerusalem, the worshipping community, as a body that is firmly bound together to give thanks to the Lord. It reminds us that we are under the Lord, who judges his city for their blessing, as the chief of the house of David.
It calls us, the city, the church, to pray for one another: to pray for peace and security amongst those who love the body.
Finally, it calls us to real, brotherly fellowship: “For my brothers and companion’s sake, I will say, ‘Peace be within you!’”, while at the same time exhorting us to seek each other’s good. And to do so for the glory of God!
So while our focus during Advent is the coming of the Lord, we aren’t to forget for whom he is coming: that brother or sister or child in front of you or behind you or to your side. Not only are we to pray for them, but to seek their peace and to love worshipping with them, because they, too, give thanks to the Lord!