ADVENT WEEPING

The Preacher is sitting on the river bank with a young friend. He says to the young man, "Remember, Son: 'I complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet!'" "Heavy!" concludes the boy, who thinks for a moment and says, "Y'know, Preacher, I complained because I had no call waiting, until I met a man who had no cellular phone." The Preacher was speechless and could only think to himself, "I weep for the next generation." (Doug Marlette, Kudzu)

Those of us of the Preacher's generation, who have children and grandchildren of the cellular-phone generation, relate well to Marlette's cartoon commentary. Well, I do, anyway. And I especially do during this time of year when Christmas shopping is foremost on the minds of many, even my own mind. What do you get for children and grandchildren who really have everything they need – need, not want?

Like the Preacher, I not only often shake my head in wonderment and bewilderment for my children's, and especially for my grandchildren’s generations, I also weep for them. In more ways than I would like, the pre-Christmas season – which we call Advent – has become more a time for weeping than keeping.

Trying to keep a good Advent, trying to use the time to adequately prepare for the celebration of Christmas, often conflicts with the secular demands of pleasing loved ones with presents. The weeping is caused because you somehow suspect that what may please you will not please them. And it is not a selfish, poor-me weeping. I think it is a genuine concern for the next generation.

Perhaps it is also weeping caused by a genuine concern for my own generation. And while I lament and weep over what I perceive to be the selfishness of my children and their peers, I also must admit that my peers do not seem to possess ulterior motives of good.

My generation wanted to save the world. As I look around, as I observe the budget debates in Congress, what I see is the same self-serving actions I find in my children’s and grandchildren’s generation, I find in myself. "What's in it for me?" we all seem to be asking. And then I reflect on the Nativity Scene and wonder what would have happened had Jesus asked that same question. And I am thankful he did not.

No one of us is immune to looking out for Number One. It goes with the territory of being human. But when we never seem to get passed Number One, when Number Two is always a distant second thought, then there is truly reason to weep – and to be afraid. Revolutions have always begun and will always occur when the Number Twos get tired of playing second fiddle and being sacrificed for the benefit of the Number Ones.

Advent reminds us that Jesus came among us and sacrificed his life as an example of how we should live our lives – in loving service to others. My suspicion is that Jesus weeps for all of us, not just the next generation. Advent is a time to reflect on how each one of us might change that weeping to rejoicing.