Christmas Doldrums

December 15, 2019

Hope Lutheran Church

Rev. Mary Erickson

Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11

Christmas Doldrums

Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” The John the Baptist we meet today is a far cry from the John we encountered on the banks of the Jordan River.

• This John is in chains.

o That John roamed as free as the wild animals.

• This John is powerless against the Roman Empire.

o That John proclaimed the coming of God’s new reign.

John had been so bold and sure! He preached with powerful earnest. He had proclaimed with a rare fervor. John had spoken with a fire. Repent! He’s coming!

And then at Jesus’ baptism, he’d pointed Jesus out. This one! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John knew! He knew with certain declaration!

But now, John’s vision wavers. He’s yearning for some direction, some sign that his actions were not mistaken. He had been so certain, but now he’s not so sure. Is Jesus the one? Is he the promised Messiah? Is he, indeed, the fulfillment of the long-awaited Messiah? Or must Israel still wait for his arrival? Shall they wait for another?

We think of Thomas as the Bible’s figurehead of doubt. But John doubts, too.

Things look differently from behind bars. Prison has taken the wind out of John’s sails. He’s in the doldrums.

The doldrums occur in certain regions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. There are areas around the equator where the prevailing winds can come to a complete standstill. The ocean becomes as glassy as a mirror. These calm periods can extend for days or even weeks. In the era of sail powered ships, the doldrums put a stop to any progress at sea.

We say a person can get the doldrums, too. Their emotions lead them to a place where they just can’t do anything. They’re stuck. They’re inactive and suffer from a mild depression.

John has the doldrums. The wind is out of his sails. His prison sentence has left him stagnant.

We think of this holiday season as being one of the most joyful times of the year. But many people find themselves suffering in the doldrums just like John. Our mood can be anywhere from a Blue Christmas with Elvis to all-out Grinchiness.

All the busyness of the holiday season can take the wind out of our sails. We’re easily distracted by our enormous to-do list. These special details are meant to enhance our celebration. But they can easily morph into a daunting list of chores: Bake the cookies, write out the Christmas cards, mail gifts to distant family, prep for the big family feast, help with the Christmas concert at the elementary school. The meaningful traditions lose their significance and just become exasperating.

The Christmas season is especially difficult for people who have suffered a loss. Celebrations remind us of who is no longer there. Their absence leaves a painful and empty hole. For the lonely, the newly divorced, this season of togetherness can leave them feeling isolated. The doldrums creep in and leave us dead in the water.

And then there is doubt. Christmas doubt, plain and simple. Right along with John we wonder, “Are you really the one who is to come? Or shall we look elsewhere for ultimate meaning and significance?” Even as we light the third candle of Advent, the darkness of doubt can overshadow the soul.

Doubt is just part of faith. It’s just there. If there is faith, then there is doubt. It’s just part of the enchilada! And doubt has its benefits. It keeps faith invigorated. Doubt acts like a kind of whetstone. If our faith had no doubt to rub against, it would lose its sharp edge. Its brilliance would dull.

The Desert Fathers in the early church understood that spiritual ennui was actually a sign that the Holy Spirit was astir. The crusty old faith is crumbling apart. We’re sloughing it off. And from the center, a new, tender, green shoot is emerging. But it won’t germinate, it won’t reveal itself so long as the hard seed shell encases it. The old ways must die, they must break up. Then the Spirit can breathe in something new, something that you’ve been yearning after for a very long time. Doubt can be our friend.

The doldrums. John was in the thick of them. How John addresses them is noteworthy: he goes to Jesus. His doldrums don’t drive him further from Jesus. John doesn’t back off from Jesus. He doesn’t distance himself even farther away from Jesus. No, when he feels this stagnation, he moves in! John sends a message to Jesus. He addresses his question directly.