Advent Week 2 Epistle Reading

"Judgement Day" by Fra. Angelico

Each week of Advent has a reading from the Hebrew Bible, the Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles. This is the reading from the Epistles, according to the Revised Common Lectionary.

2 Peter 3:8-15a
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

When I read the whole chapter in 2 Peter, I was struck by Peter’s exhorations to his readers.  “People will scoff!  They will say nothing has changed in the world!”  And that is certainly true… if what we are looking for is perfection now.  But our God is this mysterious melding of justice and mercy.  He is waiting patiently, working with those who seek him and try to live in his will.  There will someday come a time when judgement comes and fire burns away sin.  But we will not know when that is, and it isn’t our job to seek that knowledge.

Our job is to live holy and godly lives.  To look forward to the full presence of his kingdom, and help God in any way we can.  And to be patient with the weaknesses of this world.  Every day the Holy Lord waits is a day he is demonstrating his deep love for us.

Advent is a time of waiting.  But Peter tells us it isn’t a time to hide and wait.  It’s a time to work and wait.