Luke Pearson

Dear Friends,

Today’s Daily Office Reading from the first letter of Peter reminds me of one of John Donne’s holy sonnets, "Death Be Not Proud.” 

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee 

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; 

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow 

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. 

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, 

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, 

And soonest our best men with thee do go, 

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. 

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, 

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, 

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well 

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? 

One short sleep past, we wake eternally 

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die. 

In this morning’s reading, Peter tells us to praise God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter invites us to rejoice in God’s magnificent wonders and mercy with every fiber of our being. We are called to sing songs of celebration, not only with our lips, but in our hearts.

Although, how can we celebrate today? The world is filled with pain, suffering and injustice. We all face different struggles within our daily lives that can at times consume us. There are burdens that cling to our spirits, and fears that can drag us down like quicksand. Peter does not shy away from these difficult realities in this reading, instead he implores us to face them head on. He acknowledges the unique forms of darkness that shadows our lives as he states, “In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials.”

My friends have faith that no matter what trials you are currently facing, there is hope. God chose to be one of us, so that he could suffer death for all of us. Our Savior is about to be born, so that he can cast away the shadows of the world through his resurrection. Jesus came into a world that was filled with difficult times similar to ours. He did not shy away from a world filled with despair, poverty, hopelessness and death. Through God’s love we are no longer slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate people. Death and sin will no longer have the final say.

In a few days, a baby will be born to conquer death and guide us on the path toward salvation. We pleaded for deliverance and God heard our cry. By grace we are awakened into a new life anchored by love. That love will become alive and will continue to live within and among us, now and always. Christ calls for us to celebrate the miracles to come with courageous hearts. It is Jesus who will say, “Follow me” and teach us how to walk faithfully beside him. Although we are all linked to the bitterness of this life, we are united together as the Body of Christ. During this Advent season, let us unite and sing with joy in preparation for the coming of the Messiah, so that we can one day wake eternally.  

Best,

Luke