Caring for Neighbor as Advent/Christmas Worship

So here we are about to enter the Advent/ Christmas season doing church virtually, online, streaming rather than in person. Yes, I understand that this disruption of church tradition is disappointing. But it causes me to question…”What are the fundamental aspects of being a Christian…a Jesus follower.” As I read the gospel in which I see the modeling of Christ for how we are to conduct ourselves in the world, I read no call to have elaborate services celebrating his birth, or arrival of Magi from the East. There is no provision for lighting a series of candles over a four week period. Now for sure, I love the Church Calendar. Yes, I do find it helpful toward bringing order to the church and how we can find creative ways to worship. But the church calendar comes to us from tradition rather than anything Jesus taught. If we replace the teachings and modeling of Jesus as found in the Gospels with tradition-based “feel-good” moments of Christmas and even Easter, we reach toward a sort of idolatry that is actually self-serving rather than neighbor-serving. Jesus taught compassion and healing, not how to decorate a tree. Jesus taught a sincerity of, rather than a showmanship of, prayer and charity. Jesus taught surrender of one’s will for God and neighbor, not how to demand familiar customs as a way of making a political statement. These next few weeks, let’s not focus on the disruption of our familiar patterns of worship. Let’s realize the truth…that being a Christian, calling Jesus Lord and meaning it invites us to love our neighbors, pray for our enemies, heal the lame, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. This year we have the opportunity to preserve the health of our neighbors by merely limiting our physical contact with them. Allow me to insinuate Luke 16: 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."  I believe our humble actions of neighbor-care will satisfy God as worship far more than well-planned and orchestrated Advent and Christmas Eve extravaganzas.