Reflection for The Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen – Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent
For almost 400 years, from 1549 until 1978, the collect for the Second Sunday of Advent began as follows:
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them…
By putting this prayer near the beginning of the church year, Thomas Cranmer was emphasizing the importance of Scripture. As Christians, the story of our lives is to be understood as part of the larger narrative of the Bible.
Thus, when we hear the revised collect for the Second Sunday of Advent, we must remember to interpret this prayer through the story of the Bible:
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins…
We must remember that “sin” and “repentance” are theological concepts. They can only be understood with reference to God.
Sin and repentance are not psychological concepts.
Sin is not guilt. Repentance is not a feeling.
Our feelings do not determine our forgiveness. God does.
This means is we should not be afraid to take an honest look at ourselves and the myriad ways we fall short of the life that God wants for us. We should not be afraid to “go there.”
For as we know from the Biblical narrative, God has already given us the gift of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. We just need to open our hearts to receive him.