St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
November 28, 2021
Year C: The First Sunday of Advent
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-9
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36
Quiet Time
Well, last Sunday we had quite the celebration of our new ministry together!
Thanks to the talent and hard work of so many parishioners and our staff, the church and grounds looked beautiful, the music was beyond excellent, and it was so good to finally have at least some fellowship in the hall – the chance to enjoy each other’s company, not to mention those delicious cupcakes, each bearing the seal of our church – such a classic St. Thomas’ touch.
And it was great to have our bishop here with us.
And my dad was here, as well as a few good friends from New Jersey.
And it was especially wonderful to see so many parishioners at both services, including more than a few I had not met before, and an encouraging number of children and youth, too.
And let’s not forget all those Thanksgiving dinner bags – over 180 of them – so much overflowing generosity from our parish and preschool to our neighbors in need!
Yes, it was quite a day.
Everyone seemed overjoyed to celebrate the official start of our work together – and, maybe more than that, everyone just seemed excited to be together again.
And, as for me, I think I know how St. Paul felt when he wrote these words to the Thessalonians:
“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before God because of you?”
St. Thomas’, how can I thank God enough for all of you?
How can I thank God enough for this holy and amazing place?
Of course, I do have an advantage over Paul, because he was far away from his beloved Thessalonians, but you and I get to be together on a regular basis!
But, you know, as great as last Sunday was, I do have a few regrets.
Not everyone was here – some parishioners were out of town – and my mother couldn’t be here, though I’m glad to say that Sue and I and both of my parents celebrated a beautiful Thanksgiving together in the rectory.
Another regret is that since we were busy celebrating our new ministry together, we did not get to commemorate the last Sunday of the church year: the Feast of Christ the King – although Wanda and the quartet did give us a glorious rendition of Crown him with many crowns.
So, if you don’t mind, today I want to spend a few minutes talking about Christ the King.
Unlike most of the rest of the church calendar, which is pretty ancient, the Feast of Christ the King is relatively new, dating to only 1925.
Back in the 1920’s the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church recognized that Christians – lots of Christians – were putting their ultimate trust in the “kings” of the world.
There were strongmen taking charge of countries, elevating themselves to the place of God, and demanding absolute loyalty from “their” people.
And, in a search for salvation, or at least solutions to their very real problems, growing numbers of people were putting their faith in ideologies and political and economic systems – the “isms” - including nationalism, fascism, communism, and capitalism.
So, in response these distressing and destructive developments, the Catholic Church, and soon after, Anglicans like us and Lutherans and other churches, adopted the new Feast of Christ the King.
This relatively new addition to the calendar is a pointed reminder that our king is not a political or military leader.
Our king is not an ideology or a system.
Our king is Christ the King.
A century ago, one of the Christian leaders concerned about Christians following kings other than Christ was our own homegrown Episcopal saint, Samuel Shoemaker.
You may remember I talked a little bit about Shoemaker on All Saints’ Sunday.
He was baptized at St. Thomas’, grew up in Greenspring Valley, celebrated his first Holy Communion as a priest right here in our church, and is buried in our graveyard, just outside the church door.
Back in the middle part of the last century, Sam Shoemaker was perhaps the best-known Episcopal priest in the land, writing a couple of dozen books, broadcasting on the radio, and releasing his sermons on records.
Today he is best remembered for providing the spiritual foundations for AA, and all the other Twelve Step groups that have followed.
As I’ve been learning more about Shoemaker, I’ve become convinced that he has a lot to say to our own time today, when, let’s face it, many Christians are again – or still – placing their ultimate faith in “kings” other than Christ.
Throughout his preaching and writing, Shoemaker plotted a course for us to follow back to Christ – it was this path that AA’s founders borrowed to help people achieve and maintain sobriety.
And one of Shoemaker’s bedrock principles and practices was what he called Quiet Time.
For Shoemaker, Quiet Time was so important that he capitalized it.
Quiet Time.
Shoemaker repeatedly urged people to practice Quiet Time, ideally in the morning before the start of the business and busyness of the day.
Shoemaker taught that there are three main parts to Quiet Time.
First, is Bible study – to spend some time with a passage of scripture, to attentively read and ponder God’s Word.
The second part of Quiet Time is prayer – to open our heart to God – to let God know what God already knows: our needs, our hopes, our fears, our regrets.
And the third is the quietest and, for Shoemaker, the most important part of Quiet Time – to simply listen for guidance from God.
You know, the “kings” of the world are usually noisy, clamoring for our attention, aiming to drown us in words and slogans, numbing us into submission.
But Christ is a different kind of king, a quiet king.
That’s why for Shoemaker, “listening became the dominant note” during Quiet Time.
A hundred years ago, people were busy just like many of us are busy today.
A hundred years ago, people were distracted by demands on our attention and weighed down by worry and grief, just like many of us are distracted and weighed down today.
But Shoemaker insisted that Quiet Time was essential.
And, by the way, AA borrowed Quiet Time from Shoemaker, and, in fact, during AA’s early days, Quiet Time was seen as even more important for recovering alcoholics than attending the meetings that are the best-known part of the program.
Quiet Time.
And now here we are today - the start of a new church year – the First Sunday of Advent.
In an effort to draw our attention to this holy season, we’ve made a few changes to our service, including switching our liturgical color to blue, the color often associated with hope and with the Virgin Mary, the young woman whose faith and courage will be at the heart of the Advent story.
And there’s our beautiful wreath, its candles reminding us that Advent is an all-too-quick season of just four Sundays – with the third Sunday represented by a rose candle, signaling that Christmas joy will soon be here.
Today and over the next few weeks, we will prepare for the birth of Christ the King, our king who was born not in a grand palace but quietly, in an out-of the-way and barely adequate place, recognized by almost no one.
And, as we heard loud and clear in today’s gospel lesson, during Advent we will also prepare for our king’s return on the Last Day.
With all the commotion and distractions of the world, I know it’s not easy, but Advent is meant to give us a few weeks of Quiet Time.
It’s an important opportunity, so let’s not miss it.
During these Advent days, let’s set aside even just a few extra moments for study, prayer, and, most of all, listening.
This quiet Advent, let’s once again place our faith and trust in Christ the King.
And, if we do that, Jesus assures us that there is really nothing to fear from the inevitable troubles and tribulations of life – nothing to fear from the false kings of the world.
So, as a new year begins, together, let’s pray for a holy Advent - and for some much-needed Quiet Time.
Amen.
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