Excerpts From: The Messenger |
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In the desert prepare the way for the Lord,make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
Isaiah 40:1-11
Reading the first forty chapters of Isaiah, the overwhelming impression one gets is one of judgement and punishment for Israel due to their rejection of the one true God. But with the beginning of chapter 40, the tone changes.
With careful investigation, one discovers four voices in these eleven verses. First, the prophet reports what he hears God saying. Comfort is a plural imperative repeated for emphasis. This proclaimed comfort is based on the divine decision that the people have suffered enough: the years of disciplinary judgement are over, the price for the sins of the past has been paid. Warfare is ended. Sins are forgiven.
A second voice announces that a celebration parade must be organized to meet the coming king. Nature itself is to be transformed as this royal procession passes through even the desert.
As if to confirm the certainty of these things, a third voice assures us that God’s word is forever trustworthy. Unlike the brief life span of human beings, God’s word is eternal. The plans and purposes of the nations will not prevail, even though all seems to the contrary. Lastly, there is a clarion call for Judah to carry this message of the king’s coming to others. Jerusalem is to be herald and evangelist of God’s coming. This king comes with might and strength to rule, but he also comes with great tenderness like a shepherd.
To a desolate and despondent community, the good news is that you have been chosen by God. You have a date with destiny. John the Baptist was to pick up this theme, but with an instructive proviso that the appropriate way to prepare for the coming of the Lord is to repent.
And so, during this Advent season as we celebrate the new relationship between God and his people, may that be mirrored in our renewed relationships with spouses, children, family and those near and dear to us. This past Sunday, St. Ansgar’s Lutheran Congregation on Grand Boulevard invited two other congregations that worship in the building to join us as we celebrated the founding of St. Ansgar as a congregation some 78 years ago. The spirit of worship was inspiring, the singing was out of this world, and the fellowship there after was great and up lifting
.It gave us all a foretaste of heaven, Korean Presbyterians, Caribbean 7th Day Church of God, and Lutherans worshiping the One true God and Saviour. So this busiest time of year calls each and everyone of us to draw close to others, above all to God, who became flesh and lived with us. His busiest time of the year! May we speak tenderly to each other amidst all the rush of the season and transform the shopping days till Christmas into the true spirit Advent of Christ.
Speak to our hearts during this season of grace, as you spoke to your prophets and saints. Remind us again of the journey you call us to make and the work you would have us do. We are your servants, O Lord. Speak to us in this holy season and turn our eyes to watch for your coming.
O Emmanuel, Jesus Christ, desire of every nation, Savior of all peoples, come and dwell among us.
Your friend and pastor,
Pastor Samuel K King-Kabu.
Pastor@st-ansgars-montreal.ca
I set out in the grey, misty and rainy morning from the B&B in Jonquière, where I had arrived the day before, by train from Montreal. In the centre of the old section of Jonquière is a small, rocky hilltop, from which one can look out over the whole valley. A bike path leads along the small river through town, coming to an end at a small dam, below which the tiny river drops out of sight into the vast gorge of the Saguenay. Smoke and steam rise from beyond the edge of the gorge, from big paper mills, which remain out of sight.
A steep drop along the road out of town brought me to the turbulent waters of the Saguenay River at the bottom of the steep gorge, just below a massive dam. Once I had climbed back up the far side, to the crest of the dam, I could see the calm water of the Saguenay stretching on as a narrow ribbon, crowded on both sides by steep hills. Alas, the highway left the river at this point. Once past the town of Shipshaw, I decided to leave the main road and continue towards my destination of Alma along the secondary farm roads, which appeared to offer a shorter path. They were definitely quieter and more scenic, even offered me views of the Saguenay River with only slight detours. Despite what the map showed, however, none of these roads really went through. By the time my road had degenerated into a rough, dirt track, and a sharp rock had given me a flat tire, I decided it was time to abandon that plan. I climbed slowly back up to the main road, which brought me into Alma within an hour or so.
It was pouring rain when I got to Alma, a picturesque but very hilly town. Two massive outlets from Lac-Saint-Jean pass by Alma. The bridge into town passes high over a deep gorge through which the larger outlet, controlled just upriver by yet another massive dam, passes. The 'smaller' outlet passes right through the middle of town, along a giant spillway filled with wild, foaming rapids.
Setting out in the morning on day three of my bike ride, I soon climbed onto the highlands above the dam to see the calm waters of the bay they call 'La Grande Décharge'. I still could not see the lake. It was only when I reached the village of Taillon that I had my first, panoramic view of the lake. It stretched off into the distance like a vast, inland sea. Off in the direction I had come, I could see the distant smoke rising from the factories of Alma. Directly across the lake, I could dimly make out the far shore, and the mountains behind.
The 'veloroute des bluets' bike trail leaves the road at Taillon, to enter the provincial park of the same name. I crossed over a small footbridge and found myself at the beach and park headquarters. The beach was, of course, totally deserted on such a chilly, overcast May afternoon. There were many other cyclists however, following the gravel trail as it ran alongside the water, just inside the trees from the narrow beach. I passed many beaver dams, and saw the steel structures that installed under all the - 6 - bridges, to keep beavers from building there. It was chilly. All the cyclists were dressed like me: heavy sweater, scarf, gloves, earband and goggles.
The trail comes out of the park at Sainte-Monique, 'kilometre 0' of the 'veloroute'. A stretch of bike trail follows a wooden right-of-way, built out along the shoreline of the Peribonka river. Then one climbs into town and crosses a special 'bike bridge' over the river, just above the point where its rough waters calm and join those of the lake.
Bicycles rejoin the highway to follow right along the north shore of the Peribonka River. I passed by the home of 'Maria Chapdelaine', a famous name in Quebec literature. I passed by the first of many blueberry fields, only just then pushing their brownish shoots up through the soil. At last I came to the town of Peribonka, a tiny waterfront town with a marina and riverside boardwalk. It was here that I would spend the night.
(The story will be continued in subsequent editions of the Messenger. Accounts of earlier bike rides can be found at http://rogerkenner.ca/Bike/Bike.html)
Roger Kenner
Six year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor.He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove and he didn't know how the stove worked!. Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.
Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process! That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend, or we can't stand our job, or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to "make pancakes" for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried...I was thinking. .. and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that need rekindling or three words needing to be said, sometimes, "I love you" can heal & bless!
Remind every one of your friends that you love them. Even if you think they don't love back, you would be amazed at what those three little words, a smile, and a reminder like this can do. Just in case I haven't told you lately... I LOVE YA!!! Please pass some of this love on to others....suppose one morning you were called to God; do all your friends know you love them?
(contribution by Linda Tae)
Advent, a Latin word meaning ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’ refers to our Lord’s arrival at his birth, his coming brings us hope in the midst of distress. God has wrapped up forgiveness as a gift in the Christ Child to us.
As we celebrate this marvelous occasion, it is imperative to know that Advent is a chance to see that Christ is already living among us, not only in the love we share but even in our struggle to forgive and to serve one another. Advent also reminds us that we are part of God’s church, a people waiting for the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of the kingdom.
Advent reminds us that whatever joys or sorrows we might be experiencing, our lives are changing, growing to greater unity with Christ as we live out our Christian life.
Advent also reminds us that we are part of God’s church, a people waiting for the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of the kingdom.
The first Sunday in Advent this year is Nov. 27th.
Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner
& Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2005/11/09
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal