“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country….” — Luke 1.39
Happy Sunday, Middle!
I kind of love, in the middle of a season of anticipation, this verse of haste.
In today’s pericope, Mary was making haste to get to her cousin.
Is there anything in your Advent season that causes haste?
What or who is important enough to you to cause you to hurry while we wait?
Something left unsaid?
Something meaningful to do?
Something you love enough for that?
I’m going to tell you about something that happened last night, but you’ve GOT TO KEEP IT BETWEEN US.
Last night during the first act of the show I’m in, a fire extinguisher fell off the wall and kind of, well, exploded. The basement dressing rooms filled with smoke. Backstage dissolved into chaos! Singers and dancers poured up to the backstage green room, coughing and tearing up. Backstage crew donned masks and raced downstairs to rescue costumes. Meanwhile, the audience continued to watch an uninterrupted orchestra feature. One of the lead singers raced around to ask everyone if they were okay before dashing to the stage to deliver a very cool, calm, and collected “The Christmas Song.” As we contemplated whether we could run through the haze to the other side of the stage, the backstage fire alarms began to sound.
Meanwhile, the audience applauded and a Christmas mouse, a penguin, and a Christmas pickle (yes, you read that right) waited in wings for their cue to join the host onstage.
“Should we stop the show? Are we stopping the show?” Someone asked.
The executive producer raced downstairs, phone glued to his ear.
Beloved, the show continued on. We all made our entrances and (most of our) costume changes. One of the singers passed a note to the conductor, unnoticed by the audience.
In fact, if you’d been in the audience last night, you wouldn’t have noticed a thing from your seat. By intermission, all was well. What looked like a well-oiled machine on the outside worked itself out on the inside too, thanks to a bunch of people who jumped into action so others wouldn’t miss a beat.
It felt strange to continue on, waiting in the wings for our next cue while others ran around. But had we all stopped and jumped into action, cues would’ve been missed and the show would have come to a screeching halt. The show was able to go on because everyone who loved it did what they were supposed to do. We all paid close attention both to those in charge and to what was happening onstage. Some knew their role was in haste. Others knew they needed to wait and be told what’s next.
This Advent season, we too can look for where we are waiting and where things are moving with great haste. Last night reminded me that just because we are waiting doesn’t mean that we are still. Things can change very quickly. The important thing is to pay attention so you can play your role in the midst of it.
See you at church,
ps— we are making a resource list! What books have you read that you think everyone should read? Reply to let me know OR drop them in Circle in the event!