Hello...

It's been quite a week: the first Week of Advent and the first week of the new church year. The seemingly eternal pandemic rules and regulations changed from Lockdown to Tier 2, and sudenly we can eat scotch eggs in a pub. Which is good. Along with doughnuts and pizzas, I am rather fond of scotch eggs.

But even better this week has been the news of the vaccine. On Monday it was announced that in record quick time a Covid-19 vaccine is ready and those considered most vulnerable or at the forefront of health-care would be the first to receive this "shot in the arm".

What a gift! What a wonderful piece of good news. And now we prepare to get busy with the needles. Suddenly, from living in an endless round of R-rates and Tiers this or that or the other we can look forward to a new year of freedom...? I pray that we can, anyway.

The first week of Advent is when we are encouraged through our prayers and our worship to prepare for the coming of God as Jesus, and this second Sunday of Advent we recall the significance of John the Baptist, who was a prophet, and helps us to prepare some more for the coming of one "whose sandals laces we are not worthy to untie." John the Baptist reminds us that we cannot just show up. We need to be ready for our life with Christ.

The passage from Isaiah also makes it clear: the change that is to come is not material, not a jab in the physical arm, but spiritual. Whilst the days and years pass, whilst the grass withers and the flowers fade, the word of our God will stand forever: the word. We need to be ready for this. The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark opens with the echo of this passage.

> In the wilderness … prepare the way of the Lord.

How appropriate, in this time of Advent, we need to be prepared for Jesus, is the good news of a vaccine! We are prepared for the vaccine by rolling up our sleeve. All you need do is roll up your sleeve and wait for the "tiny scratch" as the nurse always says. Then, off you go and you are safe. I am not vulnerable so I'll be at the back of the queue. But, I am prepared and will remain prepared.

Question is, How do I prepare for Jesus? Do I roll up my arm for a tiny scratch and then wander out into the world, saved? Is it really that simple? We've have spent a year, since last Advent, in all kinds of uncertain times. Were we prepared for the year of 2020 this time last year? Who could have known?

Well, we had the year we had anyway, prepared or not. It seems that being prepared isn't about knowing what's going to happen, but being ready for the things you didn't expect.

So, are we ready? Not yet? How do we know?

We can be prepared for the year, vaccine like, through considering our prayer life, through fellowship and through love. In fact, love is the greatest vaccine (not, as the song goes, "Love is the drug", but close). We don’t need to roll up our sleeves, but we need to open our arms: in love. When we are filled with love, we can face the world, and find ways to face the darkness but not be overwhelmed by it. Our preparations are a matter of seeking out love.

John the Baptizer, tells us that whereas he was part of the preparation, and would baptize in water, Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit.” John was a disheveled type, in his camel’s hair clothes and his diet of locusts and wild honey. Nothing like scotch eggs.

He probably ponged a bit and would have a rather scary sight—a man of the wilderness—but he brought the message that washing away the badness leaves us open to the goodness: baptise in water and be ready to be filled the Holy Spirit, a divine shot in the arm.

Jesus, the Christ, is coming and the preparations are to be made for when he comes: he will baptize with the Holy Spirit. We need to open our arms to that wonder.

The Gospel last Sunday ended with, "Be Vigilant!", which I read as don't fret about the tiny scratch. That will pass. See past it.

When we open our arms to love, we can see past the smelliness of the world. When we see past the smelliness, we can welcome God in Christ. What matters is that, when we know that Jesus has arrived in our lives, when we show love, we can face the future with faith and hope.

Being prepared is about seeking love, waiting, ready. Be ready for what the year to come can bring, filled with the vaccine of love.

Amen