December 6, 2018
by Brian Walsh
[ A
homily preached at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church, New Toronto, on December 2,
2018. The texts were Jeremiah
33.14-16, Luke 21.25-36]
There is nothing ‘festive’ about Advent.
At
least not if you are listening to Jesus this morning.
We
read the gospel of Luke today
not as a warm up to Christmas,
nor as a way to get into the ‘spirit’ of the season,
and certainly not as a way to ‘lighten up’
as the days get shorter and darker.
not as a warm up to Christmas,
nor as a way to get into the ‘spirit’ of the season,
and certainly not as a way to ‘lighten up’
as the days get shorter and darker.
Not
for Jesus.
In
this gospel reading everything is going to hell.
Jesus paints a scene of cosmic collapse,
and everything – literally everything! – is falling apart.
Jesus paints a scene of cosmic collapse,
and everything – literally everything! – is falling apart.
There
are portents in the sky,
paralyzing distress and confusion amongst the nations,
and even the sea seems to be totally out of control
with rising sea levels and devastating tsunamis.
paralyzing distress and confusion amongst the nations,
and even the sea seems to be totally out of control
with rising sea levels and devastating tsunamis.
No
wonder people are fainting from fear,
no wonder people are overcome with anxiety,
no wonder hope seems to evaporate
in the heat of foreboding panic.
no wonder people are overcome with anxiety,
no wonder hope seems to evaporate
in the heat of foreboding panic.
Doesn’t
this feel as if it could have been written yesterday?
While
Jesus is actually using this kind of apocalyptic language
to foretell the destruction of Jerusalem
and desecration of the Temple by the Romans in AD70,
doesn’t all of this have a strikingly contemporary feel to it?
to foretell the destruction of Jerusalem
and desecration of the Temple by the Romans in AD70,
doesn’t all of this have a strikingly contemporary feel to it?
I
mean, in the light of recent political, economic
and environmental developments
is it any surprise that we are seeing,
an alarming rise in anxiety levels
in our own lives, our families and throughout our culture?
and environmental developments
is it any surprise that we are seeing,
an alarming rise in anxiety levels
in our own lives, our families and throughout our culture?
Therapists
have even begun to talk
about political and ecological anxiety.
about political and ecological anxiety.
You
see, there is a direct parallel between
the surge of right wing populism
in the United States, Ontario and throughout the world,
and the rise of deep anxiety
amongst so many people these days,
especially young adults.
the surge of right wing populism
in the United States, Ontario and throughout the world,
and the rise of deep anxiety
amongst so many people these days,
especially young adults.
No
wonder there has been an intensified curiosity in
the rise of fascism, totalitarianism and ethno-nationalism.
the rise of fascism, totalitarianism and ethno-nationalism.
As
we watch the dissolution of human rights,
the emboldening of in-your-face racism,
the dismantling of civil society,
the demolition of democratic structures,
the erosion of international cooperation and treaties,
together with the loss of neighbourliness, citizenship,
and a shared commitment to the common good,
doesn’t a dispiriting sense of political anxiety
seem like the appropriate response?
the emboldening of in-your-face racism,
the dismantling of civil society,
the demolition of democratic structures,
the erosion of international cooperation and treaties,
together with the loss of neighbourliness, citizenship,
and a shared commitment to the common good,
doesn’t a dispiriting sense of political anxiety
seem like the appropriate response?
So
also with eco-anxiety.
From
the recent expert reports on climate change,
to the Anthropocene exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario,
it is becoming devastatingly clear that we have moved
from talking about climate change to climate crisis.
to the Anthropocene exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario,
it is becoming devastatingly clear that we have moved
from talking about climate change to climate crisis.
And
the timelines are shorter and more urgent
than most of us have anticipated or can bear to imagine.
than most of us have anticipated or can bear to imagine.
In
ten years we will begin to see crop failures,
an acceleration in severe weather events,
ever more dangerously extreme heat waves,
together with economic collapse
and an even more desperate movement of refugees
seeking food, security and a future in other countries.
an acceleration in severe weather events,
ever more dangerously extreme heat waves,
together with economic collapse
and an even more desperate movement of refugees
seeking food, security and a future in other countries.
No
wonder my students are asking about whether it is
responsible to have children, given this kind of future.
responsible to have children, given this kind of future.
No
wonder therapists are facing more and more clients
presenting with all the symptoms of a debilitating eco-anxiety.
presenting with all the symptoms of a debilitating eco-anxiety.
And
… no wonder we are experiencing an epidemic of addiction
in our city, our province, our culture.
in our city, our province, our culture.
Is
it any wonder that Jesus says:
“Don’t let your hearts be weighed down with dissipation,
drunkenness and the worries of this life.”
“Don’t let your hearts be weighed down with dissipation,
drunkenness and the worries of this life.”
Jesus
knew what he was talking about.
When
it is all falling apart,
hearts are indeed weighed down,
burdened with worry and a paralyzing anxiety.
hearts are indeed weighed down,
burdened with worry and a paralyzing anxiety.
No
wonder that we seek to distract ourselves
through an addictive consumption.
through an addictive consumption.
No
wonder the malls are full of people
seeking consumer therapy, trying to fill the void,
or at least ignore the collapse all around us.
seeking consumer therapy, trying to fill the void,
or at least ignore the collapse all around us.
No
wonder that we are an addictive culture,
trying to numb the anxiety through alcohol,
or escape our pain through substance abuse.
Undoubtedly the opioide crisis is born
of a culture of fear and depression.
trying to numb the anxiety through alcohol,
or escape our pain through substance abuse.
Undoubtedly the opioide crisis is born
of a culture of fear and depression.
Or
maybe it is even worse.
In
a conversation with a well-respected Christian psychotherapist
I was saying that it seemed that we were facing something of
an epidemic of depression in our times.
But she shook her head,
“Not depression, Brian, but despair.
We are in an epidemic of despair.”
I was saying that it seemed that we were facing something of
an epidemic of depression in our times.
But she shook her head,
“Not depression, Brian, but despair.
We are in an epidemic of despair.”
Happy
New Year.
Welcome
to Advent. . .
Read more at http://empireremixed.com/2018/12/06/advent-in-the-midst-of-collapse/?fbclid=IwAR0nvFKVlyXCUwilAI-u5Egq60IaDjnr--rhC4ZLuIYQs78Ovc0FjiWF6Qg
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