The Flashmob Advent by Barb Buckham

This morning’s reflection comes from Barb Buckham, who lives with her husband, Rich, in the Bartimaeus Cohousing community in Bremerton, WA.  And just for a lighter moment at the end of this second week of Advent I thought that I would start with this flash mob Sound of Music rendition at Antwerp Central Station in Belgium

A FLASHMOB ADVENT

One of the things that has delighted me this Advent is watching these “flash mob” phenomena on facebook and youtube. They are happening everywhere around the world and in every setting; in shopping malls, outdoor plazas, grocery stores, train station in Belgium, etc.  I don’t know who started this but it’s a great idea.  I see in them a metaphor of the Kingdom of God.  When you least expect it, when you’re shopping, or buying a train ticket, or eating lunch in a food court, suddenly a song breaks out all around you with gifted singers doing the Messiah (my favorite) or some other fun song or dance.  You can see the waves of delight and joy ripple over the crowds as they watch what’s happening.  Something is crashing into their busy rut and they stop and smile. Sometimes jaws drop.  It reminds me that the Kingdom of God is really, really close.  In fact it just might break out at any odd moment when we’re chopping onions or sitting in traffic.  It’s that sense of anticipation that Advent brings.  Come to think of it that was quite a “flash mob” when Jesus was born, with the chorus of angels in the sky and all. If you haven’t seen any, just type in “flash mob” on youtube and you’ll find dozens.

I usually find it hard to “feel” close to Jesus when I have my quiet time.  I struggle with my thoughts rambling off to something coming up in the day.  But I do feel him come at odd moments when I least expect it.  Something makes me feel alive and expectant because I know God is here, in a friend’s smile, in planning a Christmas skit, in hearing a song on the radio, in making dinner for 25 on a relaxing day.  And, like a flash mob, I really can’t predict or certainly not control it.  I like what Carlo Carretto says in The God Who Comes:

His coming is bound to his promise, not to our works or virtue.  We have not earned the meeting with God because we have served him faithfully in our brethren, or because we have heaped up such a pile of virtue as to shine before Heaven.

God is thrust onward by his love, not attracted by our beauty.  He comes even in moments when we have done everything wrong, when we have done nothing. . . when we have sinned.

I love Christmas and everything leading up to it.  But I love more that Jesus is just out of the corner of my eye and at any time his Kingdom could break in and we could be dancing and singing and celebrating with him.  That’s one flash mob I’m going to be part of.

And in case you missed here is my favourite flashmob event of all the Opera Company of Philadelphia singing the Hallelujah Chorus in Macys