Third Wednesday of Advent

Fools say in their hearts, "There is
          no God."
    They are corrupt, they commit
          abominable acts;
    there is no one who does. good.
God looks down from heaven on
          humnakind
    to see if there are any who are
          wise,
    who seek after God.
        Psalm 53:1-2

In our technologically-driven world with its IMs, iphonepads, 24/7 instant news, it is easy to assume there is no God.  After all, where is the evidence.  The poverty numbers keep increasing, more and more people die violent deaths, war is still the answer to settling disputes, food pantries are running out of food, soup kitchens are throwing more stones into the pot.  Is there anyone, anywhere, who does good anymore?

We would hope, as we should pray, that God would look down and find us doing good, especially in this season of goodness.  This is what we are called to do, this is why God became flesh, this is what Jesus challenges us to do.  After all
   how will the world know that its mourners will be comforted,
      if we don't wrap them in shawls of compassion;
   how will we show that peacemakers are the children of God,
      if we hurl other names at them;
   how will folks know that the pure in heart will indeed see God,
      if God isn't even reflected in us;
   how will those who hunger and thirst for righteousness be fed,
      if we are not willing to feed them with justice's hope;
   how will people know that there is a God,
      that there is not just one person,
      but countless throngs of folks willing to do good,
      if we are not willing to love, to care, to heal, to forgive?

(c) 2011  Thom M. Shuman