Being rooted in Hope

his week we confirm three members of our Parish. For a long time confirmation was seen as a completion of baptism. As todays gospel reading describes the elements, you got the water when you were sprinkled as a child, and then the Holy Spirit when you “confirmed” the promises made on your behalf as an “adult”. Today baptism is understood as complete in and of itself. You don’t need anything else. So what is confirmation? Our church describes it as a sacramental action that offers an opportunity for a public and personal profession of faith; a commitment by individuals to a life of discipleship and ministry; and with the episcopal laying on of hands, a new reception of the Holy Spirit for this life. It also reminds us that we are part of the wider church, not just this parish.

While I was preaching about peace last Sunday, the Merivale Community was learning of the death of Lance Scullin. Lance was not a saint, but he was someone who cared deeply about his family and community, and worked hard for both. His loss is deeply felt by the whole community including the Whanau Aroha Childcare Community. They are a community in shock and grief. As part of our discipleship and ministry we hold them in our prayers

As we continue our journey through Advent, the theme for this week is hope.  Lance’s death and the grief experienced by the Merivale community reminds us this hope cannot be just a nice idea, it has to offer something to this pain.

In today’s readings we are offered some amazing images of hope, especially in Isaiah; images of both predator and prey lying together in peace. Given the events of this week this seems so distant. And yet we are called to be a people who live out of this hope despite the evidence.

In the reading from Matthew we are given the image of being re-rooted. My fruit-salad plant is in an outside pottery pot. Over the last year it has grown enormously. We discovered it had re-rooted itself out of the pot and under the house. Not great for the house, but awesome for the plant. Sadly for the plant it has been re-rooted back into the pot.

Advent is a time to ask ourselves what pots we are currently rooted in and how they help or hinder our life in God. It offers us a time to open ourselves to the possibility of being re-rooted out of those pots and into God’s peace, hope love and joy (the themes for Advent). The gospel reading we heard finishes with the images of winnowing forks, threshing floors, wheat being gathered into the granary, and the chaff being burned with unquenchable fire. This image is not about individuals being sorted out but aspects of each one of us. Within us is the capacity to be both predator and prey. Within us are roots that lead to attitudes and actions of peace, and attitudes and actions of conflict and violence. These need to be placed in the fire as chaff. Lance’s life was full of these contradictions. But he is remembered for his compassion and actions for peace. Some of his roots led him to hope big things for his family and community, and to live these hopes out despite the evidence.  Because of that his community deeply mourns. We are called to follow that example.

Like last week, I invite you to take time at the end of each day to reflect on and give thanks for ways God brought hope into your day. I also invite you to reflect on the roots in your life that allow you to respond to that hope and that leads you to live peace. How might you feed these roots? Finally I invite you to reflect on in what ways you need to be re-rooted, and to weed out the roots that cause you to lose hope and lead you to bring or add conflict in your day.