Patient expectation brings joy. James spoke of the patient prophets who suffered greatly proclaiming the life-giving message of justice and mercy. They gave up their own comfort to proclaim the message.

John the Baptist does likewise. From prison he asks, “Are you the one, Jesus?” Are you God’s moment in time drawing all creation into one voice: God’s justice and peace? Are you our Hope?

Jesus doesn’t respond with yes or no, but by listing the patient works of God’s Presence in his ministry for all but especially for the very least. He responds that he is faithfully revealing compassion and mercy. He is more concerned about the works than about making a name for himself.

This Advent we eagerly anticipate full communion with all of creation—in joy. Our hope is in God’s action holding everything together in love. This union is not in the future, it is now. But we only see glimpses of it since our minds and our bodies are distracted. We cling to what we feel is so important. But the truest reality is God’s presence in mercy. The things we obsessively value, consistently disappoint us time and time again, as worry and fear creep into the place where deep trust instead should dwell. We are sorely tempted to invest in what does not last.

We cling to our physical life and comfort. We substitute the gift of life for the Giver of life, and we suffer because we have invested in that which does not bring joy—maybe happiness, but happiness often sets us up for trouble. To live faithfully is to follow Jesus in his ministry to the least and the suffering, to care for the needs of others as much as we care for ourselves.

In the season of Advent, we do well to wait patiently because the moment of our full acceptance of God’s mercy has not yet come. Advent hope never disappoints. God is at work. Love is at work. The power of mercy is at work. The universe is unfolding in the peace of God. We simply cannot stop it. Isn’t that great news? Human action is powerless to thwart the goodness of God.

This is our Advent discipline: Wait for the mercy of God in Christ’s love being revealed among us and all of creation. May we give our often misguided minds and passion for self over to the joyful mystery of God’s healing peace. Joy is rising all around us. Thanks be to God. Amen.