There was an opinion essay in the news during the summer months; it was written by a fellow who was surprised to find himself among the group known as “nones.”  “Nones” are those with no church affiliation.  These are not necessarily people with no religious beliefs; rather, they are people who choose not to participate in organized religion. 

The author of the essay had been actively involved in his local church congregation as a child and adolescent.  He drifted away from practice as a young adult because he was uncomfortable with the religious and political opinions of some of his fellow congregation members.  From his newly acquired perspective looking at the church experience from the outside, he observed that there is “a church-size hole in American life” comprised of people like himself who are sympathetic to religious belief but discouraged by the attitudes of some church members. 

The author concluded the essay by expressing a wish that he would find a church community where he was comfortable because he wanted to pass that comforting experience on to his young daughter. 

I can sympathize with the author’s discomfort with the diversity of opinion one finds in a church congregation.  Catholic congregations, for example, are like Noah’s Ark, with the exception that there is only one representative of every species of animal; no two Catholics seem to be able to agree about anything. 

There is, however, a noticeable flaw in the author’s logic.  He lamented the fact that he could not find a congregation that was sufficiently welcoming of diversity, but his lament was the result of encountering too much diversity in the congregations he attempted to join.  It didn’t appear that the author was really looking for diversity; rather, it appeared that he was looking for validation of his personal opinions. 

I suggest that the congregations he found so disappointing are precisely the sort of groups he should join and that the congregation members whom he found so off-putting are precisely the sort of people with whom he should associate.  This suggestion is based on the Scripture readings for this Sunday’s liturgy. 

The Scripture readings for the first Sunday of Advent were chosen as illustrations of the necessity to be ready to encounter God in the events of daily life.  This is the primary theme of Advent.  To outward appearances, Advent is preparation to commemorate the birth of the Savior, but such preparation intends to redirect our attention from past events to the future unrealized event of Jesus’ return in glory.  Hence, the theme of preparation is less about celebrating what has already occurred and more about anticipating what we hope to occur. 

The theme of preparation is adequately addressed throughout Advent.  There remains, however, something important for each of us to discern, namely, the individual expression that such preparation should take in our lives.  What, precisely, does it mean to be prepared for the Lord’s return?  The generalized responses: faithfulness, hopefulness, and attentiveness to God’s will need to be expressed in individual actions and attitudes.  This, I think, is where one can see the positive value of disappointing church congregations and off-putting congregation members. 

It is a central belief in Catholicism that all people are equal in God’s sight.  This does not mean, however, that all people are identical.  Some members of my congregation wish that Soviet rule in eastern Europe had been a little more repressive and inhumane; this wish is based on a nostalgic longing for the clear delineation between enemies and allies provided by the Cold War.  Other members of my congregation anticipate a time when Catholicism evolves into a form of Unitarian Universalism but with Sacraments.  Some members of my congregation wish for a return to the enchantment of the Tridentine Liturgy, while others wish for ad hoc worship free of ritual and rules.   

Long ago, I realized that the degree of diversity present in the Church is normal and irremediable.  Advent’s theme of preparedness should, I think, require us to see the many quirky people and dysfunctional organizations in the world as opportunities to encounter the presence of God. There are at least two important ways this can happen. 

First, the dizzying diversity of our species is an obvious opportunity to put into practice Jesus’ teachings. If everyone on the planet existed solely in order to affirm your opinions and judgments, there would be no need for forgiveness. In the real world, however, there are ample opportunities to practice forgiveness and mercy. These repeated opportunities to forgive and be reconciled lead us to grow more fully in the image of Jesus. 

Second, there is a less obvious benefit to be found in people’s strange behavior and the uncomfortable unpredictability of social groups. The constant company of human diversity is a good reminder that there is no degree of perfection possible in this world. Surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals can allow for the delusion that the world is sufficient to itself; avoiding the fantasy of universal agreement about values and beliefs allows one to see the fragility of life and the unreliability of the physical world. There is no more likely place to encounter God than in the humility of acknowledging the limitations of the world and of oneself. 

What does it mean to be prepared for the return of the Lord? It means to live faithfully in a fallen world with hope for oneself and for all.