God's Dream for us

On Sunday at church, Park Slope United Methodist Church in Brooklyn NY (http://www.parkslopeumc.org), our pastor, Rev. Herb Miller talked about the usual things of Advent - the waiting, the darkness.  But he said these things in new ways that touched my heart.    Now, what I am writing here is not the same as his sermon.  It is some filtered version that I heard in my seat on the left hand side - leaning on the corner of the pew next to the radiators pumping out delicious heat.   It is, of course, the part that I wanted to hear - or hopefully, needed to hear.

Staying Awake

I feel that as a society, Americans are acting like Peter in Gethsemane.  We are too sleepy to turn our hearts toward God, and when the time calls for action, we slice the ear off the first enemy we see.   

I am deeply distressed by the depth of the political divide in our country, by the seeming insurmountable play to emotions in our media, by the refusal to see any wisdom in an opponent's view, by the self-satisfied desire to belittle who we disagree with.  These are the signs of souls that are asleep. How do we stay awake to the world and the Holy Spirit?