Advent through Christmas -- 2007
Thursday, December 13, Second Week in Advent
“High Flight”
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earh
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.
John Gillespie Magee was born in 1922 in Shanghai. His father was a U. S. citizen and his mother was British. They were serving as missionaries in China.
In 1939, John won a scholarship to Yale. However, after completing his freshman year there, he wanted to do his part to resist the Nazi threat. In 1940, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, was trained as a pilot, and in 1941 was sent for combat duty in England.
During a flight one day in late summer, he scribbled “High Flight” on the back of an envelope, and later sent a copy to his parents.
On December 11, 1941, his Spitfire collided with another plane and the 19-year old pilot crashed to his death. He was buried two days later.
“And while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.”
We are approaching the halfway mark of Advent. Take an internal look at your Advent and Christmas plans. How are you progressing?
Advent through Christmas -- 2007
Thursday, December 13, Second Week in Advent
Jesus said. “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11-15
Jesus talks about John the Baptist. But John isn’t there to hear him because, at the moment he is in Herod’s prison.
John’s crime was to criticize Herod for marrying his brother’s wife. John will pay the full price for this when, late one night, an executioner is sent from Herod’s birthday banquet to cut off John’s head.
There have been many prophets in Israel’s history. Jesus says that John is the greatest of all because he was privileged to see the fulfillment of what the prophets had proclaimed – the Kingdom of God present in a new way in Jesus.
We live in the time after Jesus – the final stages of God’s plan. It may be a long stage (perhaps millions of years,) but it is the final stage. We need to remind ourselves of how different creation is because Jesus is now part of it.
All that remains is for the human race gradually to live the way we were created to live – in peace, love, forgiveness. That’s how the kingdom of God comes about. (That’s also why it might take a few million years.)
So…because of the coming of Christ, the reign of God is present in a new way, and I am to help make it more present. That has some implications for the way I live my life today.
What are those implications for me?
Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
