As far as I know, I will not be preaching any sermons during Advent this year. But that has not kept me from thinking about the challenges that are being faced by preachers this season. The unique confluence of history and scripture present challenges for preachers that are more intense than anytime in my career as a minister.

Advent always begins with the texts of the prophets and Isaiah is the featured prophet of Advent. In the revised common lectionary, Isaiah is the dominant Hebrew text. Texts from Isaiah are read all four Sundays of Advent in Year A, and three of the four Sundays in Year B. In year C other prophets are featured, but Isaiah 12:2-6 is read as the song on the third Sunday. In congregations where all of the lectionary texts are read, Isaiah is read every Advent, including the first three weeks of Advent this year. Sunday’s reading is from chapter 64, verses 1 - 9. The text speaks of the people of God as clay in the hands of a potter: “Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (64:8) It also contains a blanket communal confession: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (64:6) Further, it speaks of a sense of despair at the conditions faced by Israel in the time of the prophet: “There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.” (64:7)

The job of a preacher in interpreting Biblical texts is to enable worshipers to see connections between the historic texts of our people and the events of their lives in the world today. There is no mistaking Isaiah’s blunt criticism of Israel over its historic behavior. Isaiah goes on, chapter after chapter with harsh criticism of the ways in which Israel had drawn away from its calling from God, made deals with the political superpowers of the region, and was facing imminent threat. The book of Isaiah as it appears in our Bible, however, spans many generations of prophetic thinking. Chapter 64 comes from the third section of the book, which reminds Israel of the promises of God as it experienced exile and the beginnings of return from that exile.

A good preacher helps people to see the situation in biblical times as well as the contemporary situation and promotes understanding of the similarities and differences. It is the contemporary situation that provides a challenge to preachers that exceeds any that existed during my time of ministry.

I don’t have to remind you of the contemporary situation in Israel, but a thoughtful preacher cannot ignore it in addressing a congregation today. On October 7 of this year the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas, led a series of coordinated terror attacks against Israel. The attacks began on a Sabbath and a Jewish holiday and are referred to some as the Simchat Torah Massacre and others as Black Saturday. In a single day at least 859 Israeli civilians and 348 Israeli soldiers and police officers were killed. 250 civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages including about 30 children. Since that day the total death toll has risen to include 1,200 Israelis, including 368 soldiers, 10 security agents and 59 police officers. At least 5,132 Israelis have been wounded. The attacks were aimed at civilians. Over 100 civilians, including children, were massacred at a single kibbutz.

The government of Israel has responded forcefully. The Gaza Health Ministry reports 14,000 Palestinian casualties, including 5,000 children with thousands missing. The war that has followed the terror attacks is the bloodiest in the history of Gaza, exceeding the combined death toll of all of the Intifadas.

The casualties have not been limited to Israel and Palestine. Citizens of 38 other countries are among the war dead, with citizens of an additional four countries among the missing. Although exact numbers are difficult to discern among the confusion of war, with at least 33 citizens of the United States among the dead and another 13 missing, some of which may have been kidnapped by the terrorists.

In the midst of the tragedy and horror of war, it is difficult to speak with clarity. In my opinion it would be presumptive and arrogant for a preacher to take sides in the conflict. There are no winners in war. Innocents have been killed by both sides. As I write a fragile truce is holding and some of the hostages have been released. Promises of the release of additional hostages and prisoners continue.

The preaching challenge remains. How are we to be faithful to the historic prophet and the traditional words of our faith in the face of a contemporary war where innocents have been targeted. To read Isaiah’s criticism of Israel as judgement on the contemporary government of Israel is wrong. To assume that the actions of the government of Israel reflect the faith and ethics of individual citizens is wrong. To judge people based on their religious affiliation is wrong. However, in my judgment, ignoring the texts is also a mistake.

Were I preaching, I would go beyond the texts offered by the lectionary to additional texts of the prophet. I would remind worshipers of Isaiah’s promises of an end of warfare and a return of peace with justice. I would encourage people to refrain from taking sides and applying labels to innocent people on both sides of the conflict who have been swept up in war. I would remind people of the sacrifice of aid workers and journalists who have been killed in trying to bring comfort and accurately witness to the events of these troubled days. I would join with the prophet in a cry for justice and a prayer for peace.

It is not an easy task. I do not envy the preachers who honestly wrestle with what to say. Neither do I excuse those who fail to speak to the reality of these times in their Advent preaching. These are difficult days and our people deserve leaders who have the courage to tackle difficult subjects.