Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light–for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:6-14, NRSV)
You may be wondering how I chose the scriptures for the devotionals that I’m writing. Well, I just googled “daily Advent scriptures” and the ones I’ve been using are suggested by the Catholic Church because of their themes of waiting, preparation, light in the darkness, and the promised Messiah.
If it were left up to me, I wouldn’t have chosen today’s reading as one of the bunch. Who wants to think about sin during Advent and Christmas? And yet sin is an important theme of this season.
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. O Come, O Come Emmanuel. O Little Town of Bethlehem. Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Joy to the World. What do these hymns all have in common? Yes, they’re Advent/Christmas carols, but more specifically they all give voice to the sinfulness of humanity in their lyrics.
It’s as if the hymn writers knew that, in order for us to understand the message of Christmas, we have to understand why humanity needed a Savior to come.
In our scripture lesson above, Paul is encouraging followers of Jesus not to be deceived by those who would suggest that we should think lightly of sin. Those who have seen the Light should live as children of light. This means seeking to do what is pleasing in the sight of God and seeking to avoid what is not pleasing to God (sin).
May God grant us the grace to let the Light of Christ expose our sinfulness and give us the desire to walk as children of Light.
