Bloghardt's Reflector

That's Advent. Advent is make-ready for Jesus' coming time. Jesus is coming, so get the junk outta your life which will hinder His coming to you - the sins of thought, word, and deed that you do daily and much.

Now, don't learn from the kids to put the most angelic face on and try to convince God that you are better than you are. That's just trying to get the presents on your list. That might work with Santa and parents, but it doesn't work with God.

No, God knows what you all the evil you have done. He knows the good you tried to do and fail. He knows the good you did that was tainted by your sins.

Advent is the time to confess your sins. That's how you prepare for His coming: confess your sins to God and reveive His forgiveness. Get the filth and the stuff you think is worthy of holding before God out of the way. God is coming. Repent!

And here in the last Sunday in Advent with just a few days to go the Church gets herself into a preparing frenzy. Is He here yet? Can we start? Almost. Wait for it! Don't pop! He's almost here! It's almost Christmas.

You can catch the church's fever pitch from the Introit! That little psalm that we pray every Sunday when pastor is moving toward the altar is called the "Introit." It gives us an idea of the theme for the Sunday. The first words of the introit are rorate coeli in Latin. That means "rain down, oh heavens!"

Christmas is so close that the heavens are about to burst forth and pour down salvation on us! The church with a giant grin replies, "Bring it on! Bring Him on!"

"Let the the skies pour down the Righteous One." The Righteous One is the one who brings our salvation - From heaven above to earth shall He come to save His people - to save you and me - from our sins.

From heaven He comes, but on earth He will be born. High in the sky heaven talk doesn't save us - but the earth opening her womb - THAT brings forth salvation! Don't look up for your salvation - look on the earth in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

Right before our Gospel lesson, the angel Gabriel annouced to Mary, "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and you shall name Him Jesus."

You know the rest: the one born in your womb is the Son of God. Her Savior, my Savior, your Savior, the savior of the world would be born of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The angel told Mary something else - your cousin Elizabeth is pregnant with a child too in her old age. Nothing is impossible with God.

So, the Blessed Virgin hurried into the hill country to a city in Judah and entered the house of Zerariah and greeted her cousin. St. Luke records that when the words of Mary entered into the ears of Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb lept with joy. John the Baptist was the Baby.

Christmas came early to John the Baptist for Jesus came to John the Baptist. Since there was no tree to rock around, He leapt for joy in Elizabeth's womb.

Now it goes without saying - but I'll say it anyway - that any sort of talk that has babies not being alive in the womb or something to be slaughtered is just murderious. It's not very Christmas to say, but Abortion is murder. John was alive, He left in the womb.

But, back to Christmas talk. In Mary's womb, growing, and getting larger is the savior of the world. The Lord himself is in there. Kicking, nudging Mary's ribs, making it uncomfortable for her to sit too long, sleeping when she was awake and awake when she was asleep. You know, as little babies do. Getting bigger, growing, that's what He was doing.

When her greeting - the greeting of the mother of God, the mother of Elizabeth's Lord, reached the ears of his mother Elizabeth, what else is John the Baptist to do other than to have a holly jolly Christmas? He lept for joy! Christmas had come to him - even in Elizabeth's womb!

And so, today on this last Sunday before Christmas, John the Baptist from Elizabeth's womb points us to the Savior. Where is Jesus? He's in Mary's womb cooking.

Where's Jesus for you? In the Word! In Baptism! In Holy Communion! Christ comes to you this morning in His gifts. He opens heaven and comes to you in the Word in your ears, in the waters of your Baptism, and in His Body and Blood given for you to eat and drink for the remission of all your sins.

And when He comes, what else can you do than sing? He's almost here. It's almost time. Don't stop preparing. There is still time to make ready for His coming - still a bit of Advent left.

Soon the earth will upon up it's womb and bring forth salvation. Let the heavens open up and rain forth salvation! Soon, He will come to you in the Sacrament and put His salvation in your mouth. Soon salvation will be in the arms of the Virgin. Soon He will come again with glory to take you from this world of pain and suffering to be with Him forever.

It's not quite Christmas yet, but that doesn't mean that we can't start jingle belling and carolling. He's almost here. Cue the children for tonights' service, get the angels ready, and alert the shepherds! It's almost time.

Rorate Coeli! Let the heavens rain forth salvation! A merry and blessed end of Advent to you! In the name of Jesus. Amen.