The rehearsal party for a wedding, but something strange happens, the party just goes on and on and on, the wedding never arrives, eventually people just wear out, or lose interest, they fall asleep or they wander away…
A pep rally the day before the big game, but something strange happens, the rally just goes on and on and on, and the game never happens, the cheer leaders and the crowd all lose their voices from trying to keep pepped up for too long, eventually all goes quiet as people wear out, they wander off…the cheer leaders keep trying to keep people excited and looking forward but they just can’t keep peoples attention and energy level up forever.
An election season that never ends, political rallies that go on and on, the election day never arrives, the streamers and confetti fade and grow tattered, the posters ware out and fall to the floors, the people grow tired, and wander off… the candidates keep trying to keep people excited, keeping their eyes on the prize, but instead of cheering and booing they hear snoring in the bleachers. They grow hoarse trying to keep everyone awake.
It is late at night.
She has the front porch lights on, the front hall lights are on as well.
She sits there waiting.
A young man, a teenager sits there by the phone.
Waiting, agonizing for that certain someone to call back.
Christmas Eve, the children sneak out of bed, wanting to see Santa Claus, their eyes grow heavy as they wait for their mysterious visitor…
The table is set, the house is clean, the spare bed is made, the front walk is swept, it is autumn the leaves are falling so they keep running out every few minutes to keep the walk way clear. Guests are coming over. They have prepared. They look forward. They wait eagerly to invite in and welcome, to share their home. The lights are on, the candles are lit. Amazing aromas arise from the kitchen. Their mouths water, anticipating, waiting, waiting…
The bridesmaids wait for the arrival of the groom so that the wedding celebration can begin. It grows late, then very late. Some are prepared with enough oil to keep the lamps burning until late in the night, anticipating the arrival of the important guest, others are not prepared. They have to find more oil, their lamps burn out, they leave to find more, when they return they have missed the arrival of their guest, they have failed as hosts, the party started without them, they are locked out.
Parables of urgency, stories of anticipation and waiting and waiting, watching and watching trying to stay awake for fear of missing something wonderful.
We are an impatient people, grown spoiled by the deceptions of immediate gratification.
It is hard to hear stories of waiting up for a guest who may show up at any time.
It is hard to imagine being the kind of host who is eager and attentive, prepared, anticipating and quick to welcome, always shining a light out into the dark so home can be found easily by those lost in the night.
Parables of urgency.
Stories of anticipation, watching and waiting.
They tell us what it is like to belong to Jesus.
We are those who are prepared to welcome the guest, we anticipate, we watch, we invite, because if we miss the opportunity to welcome the visitor into our lives we miss everything that is worth anything.
We are those who wait up, struggling to stay awake, urgent not to miss our visitor, shining light out into the night.
This is our home.
This place, this gathering of families and friends and strangers, this parish is your home. We are each personally responsible to see that the midnight oil is burned to welcome the guest.
Pay attention, stay awake, shine out the welcome light.
If we don’t, we miss out big time.
If this isn’t your home, then whose home is it?
Who is the host?
Burn the midnight oil, shine the welcome light.
Be urgent to give hospitality, welcome each other into one another’s lives, seek out the stranger, the forgotten, the misplaced, reach out.
Because this is what God is like, this is what God does, and God wishes to be welcomed in the same way.
We are the hosts of the Kingdom of God.
We are responsible for seeing that all are invited, that all can see the way, that all are eagerly welcomed.
We are those who stay up late with the lights on, waiting, desperately trying to stay awake afraid to miss out on someone wonderful.
As we welcome so are we welcomed, as we do not welcome so are we not welcomed.
In Christ God is burning the midnight oil to welcome us into the very heart of the life of God, that welcoming light must shine through us or it dies out.
We have been gloriously welcomed and anticipated by God, we are those who share that welcome, who share that anticipation, watching as God watches, wakeful as God is wakeful, shining into the night as God shines into the night, burning the midnight oil.