God’s coming to us in just a little while – Isa 29:17-24; Matt 9:27-31

Friday of the first week of Advent; Holy Cross Parish.

In the science museum in New York, there’s a spiral walkway you can walk along, which must be about 100 yards long.  Along the wall is a timeline of depictions of the history of the universe: stars are created, galaxies spin themselves into existence, planets cool, life emerges.  The whole thing is incredibly beautiful, but what can’t fail but catch your eye is a single human hair.  At the end of walkway is a human hair, stuck vertically at the end of the timeline.  On this 100 yard time line of the universe’s history, human history takes up a hair’s width sliver at the end.

So, when Isaiah says “just a little while,” that’s the kind of time frame we’re talking in.  In the context of the rich creative magnificence God wrought, it’s just a little while.  To truly appreciate God’s grandeur, the strength of his love, the power of his mercy… is to see our wait (millennia so far!) as just a little while.  Just a little while until the mountains of Lebanon will become a lush orchard, fulfilling our hunger.  Just a little while until justice and peace shall reign.  Just a little while until the deaf hear and the blind see.  Just a little while until the glory of God that the heavens are proclaiming rings clear in everyone’s ears and shines bright into every eye and we respond in the only way we can: with wonder, love and praise.  Just a little while until we have no shame because the clanking of our sin is drowned out by the roar of God’s mercy.  Just a little while until we see truly: a world bathed in grace, being redeemed, beloved of God. 

And Jesus came that we might see.  It’s not just those two blind men who received that gift.  That would be too small.  Jesus came that we might see the fullness of the Godhead in a homeless man.  Jesus came that we might see what love looks like.  Jesus came to enkindle the gift of faith, and faith sees what’s coming, what’s already in-breaking, and is strengthened to prepare the way for what will be here, in just a little while.