I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me. . . how I long for all of you with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:3-8
This beautiful text for the second Sunday in Advent conveys a message of love for the people of Philippi. It is a message of active love, what this looks and lives like. He offers an intimate whisper in an “I know you and love you so well” tone. Paul’s prayer is for those he knows well, and I believe this whisper of a prayer reverberates for us today, too.
I hear many Pauline themes that we will see throughout this letter – and that we simply need in our lives.
– Joy and hope for others to have joy
– Gratitude for sharing, especially sharing in the gospel
– And the dearness of these people to him
Verse 9 goes on to say: “And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best. . .” Paul wants his friends to know about agape love and to increase their sharing of such love. Sharing such love produces knowledge and understanding that produces a clear sense of who we are called to be in Christ Jesus, the one who taught us such love. Love practiced in community sets off a chain of events that lead to more love.
What the world needs now, is love, sweet love. I have felt this deeply during Charge Conference season; we are eager, almost begging, for love to beget love. We are pushing back against hate, anxiety, anger, and other ways the world threatens to close in on us. As we move into the Advent season, as we watch and wait, may love strongly abound! While we wait for Love to come to earth, moving into the neighborhood, may our ability to give and receive such love know no time constrictions, no boundaries!
An old advent hymn reminds us of such in “Lift Up Your Head Ye Mighty Gates!” May these words resonate in our hearts this day:
Fling wide the portals of your heart;
make it a temple, set apart
from earthly use for heaven’s employ,
adorned with prayer and love and joy.Redeemer, come, with us abide;
our hearts to thee we open wide;
let us, thy inner presence feel;
thy grace and love in us reveal.
May it be so. May Christ’s presence be made tangible and love be made visible in us. Amen.
Peace,
Tara