Dear people of Grace,

Last week we transitioned into a new liturgical season: Advent. Adventcomes from the Latin, adventus, or coming. It is a season of anticipation, of expectantly waiting for the coming of Christ. We wait, not just for Christmas, but for the second coming of Christ. Therefore, we should do more than just wait: we should prepare.

Advent is a penitential season. Penitence implies sorrow at our own sinfulness. It is a state of being which acknowledges that we do not conform to the good and perfect creatures which God intended for us to be. Advent is penitential because we must recognize that, when Christ comes again, it will be as King and Judge.

I find discussions of sinfulness to be one of the most difficult I have as a pastor, because our attitude towards sin is forged, often unconsciously, by psychological factors such as our families of origin, childhood religious background and early adult life experiences. These attitudes are deeply entrenched and hard to change. I find that many people with whom I talk lie somewhere in one of two camps.

Some talk about sinfulness in a very generalized way: “We are all sinful,” they say. “We all inherit original sin and a fallen nature and there’s not really anything we can do about this. Sinfulness, falling short, is an inescapable part of our lives so I try not to dwell on it when I make a mistake. God loves us – if I have faith I’ll be alright.”

Then there is the other extreme: “I am a sinful human being and I fail daily. I seem to be trapped in a cycle of sin which I cannot escape. I am fearful of God’s judgment because when I look back on my life I know that I have done more bad things than good.”

On the face of it, the former position seems like the better to hold. It emphasizes God’s love rather than being burdened by over scrupulosity and fear of judgment. But I caution that both positions contain truth, and both are spiritually unhealthy.

It is a mistake to hold only a generalized awareness of sin without appreciating our own personal contribution to the sins of the world, and our responsibility to deal with the consequences of our sin. This is both damaging to ourselves and to our community. However, it is also wrong to focus only on our faults, to be hopeless, to become so focused on our unworthiness that we miss the fact that God knows our inclination towards sin, and yet chooses to save us anyway, inspite of ourselves.

A more balanced approach to our sinfulness, our falling short, comes through acknowledging that sin is not just the problem, but is also part of the solution. As Jesuit priest and author Richard Rohr advises, “the goal is actually not the perfect avoidance of all sin, which is not possible anyway (1John 1.8-9, Romans 5.12), but the struggle itself, and the encounter and wisdom that comes from it” (Breathing Under Water, p.31).By wrestling with our sins, we come to a more profound awareness of who we are as children of God.

Through efforts to understand our inclination towards sinful behavior, we reduce its power overus. Rohr continues, “As any good therapist will tell you, you cannot heal what you do not acknowledge, and what you do not consciously acknowledge will remain in control of you from within, festering, and destroying you and those around you” (p. 39). We do not face these sins alone, however. It is God who wills us to change, and Jesus who holds us through even the hardest of times and places. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me” (Ps. 23.4).

As we enter this new season of Advent, as we await the coming Christ, I encourage us to take time to fearlessly examine our lives, to face the darker parts of our characters, safe in the knowledge that God is with us.

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psa. 32.5)

Blessing and peace,
Deacon Nick