The closing words of the Prophet Zephaniah to a people in exile in a strange land reflect the Advent message of hope: “At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:20).

In contrast the words of the Gospel reading today reflect the Advent message of judgement “Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Luke 3:10).

Hundreds of examples could be given from both Old and New Testaments where hope and judgement stand in close proximity. The Good News of Christ proclaims the hope of lives transformed, fresh starts, forgiveness, resurrection and life eternal. But that same Good News reminds us that choices have to be made, a way of life chosen, and a way of life rejected – and that as the Gospel of St. John puts it “This is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

Hope and judgement stand together as two of the great Advent themes, and they need not be set over against one another, for it is in holding them together that we delve a little more deeply into the mystery of God’s purposes.

Hope that is divorced from any concept of judgement is mere optimism – “It will all work out alright in the end”. The sad thing is that it doesn’t most of the time.

We are at the moment witnessing the unravelling of Peace Processes in both the Middle East and Northern Ireland. Each has been sustained by a real sense of optimism.

In Northern Ireland where the killing has almost stopped, there was a prevailing optimism that seemed to believe that though there were many obstacles, on the whole the movement was forwards and positive. We may ask whether there was sufficient sense of judgement for this optimism to be termed as a genuine hope. The lack of real engagement with some crucial issues on both sides of the political divide has led to the total polarisation of people that was revealed in the recent elections. The failure of the middle ground to grasp what really mattered to people – in other words to be discerning and to face what was seriously wrong – has set the process dangerously off course for the peoples of this whole island.

In relation to the Middle East, I share with you a personal testimony that I heard last week. A Christian and a Muslim from Norway who were working together on interfaith relations decided to go to Jerusalem and together to visit each other’s Holy Places. It proved interesting to them each and also very disturbing. At one level they could share, at another they were deeply disturbed by the depth of each other’s feelings that they simply could not share. The Muslim actually found it harder to understand the Christian’s intensity of feeling and the Christian recognised this. It is this intensity of feeling that underlies all feelings in the Middle East, and none more than between Jew and Arab. Any process that does not go very deep indeed cannot bring any hope to that troubled region. Hope cannot be found until realistic judgements are made.

Of course there are those who live by judgement – who always have the high moral ground in their own eyes. Hasty judgement without hope is perhaps the most futile of all attitudes. Such is beloved of the extremist, be that extremist political or religious. On the other hand the middle ground fails when it neglects to realise that hard choices often have to be made. We are warned against judging others without facing judgement upon ourselves, but we are never told that hard decisions are to be avoided. Choices have to be made, and very critical decisions have to be faced.

In Jesus, we see the refusal to be sucked into harsh condemnations, in for example the incident of the woman taken in adultery being stoned by her accusers. But in Jesus, likewise we see the determination to lead people to make hard choices when the rich young ruler was called upon to give away all that he possessed.

God offers us hope in the midst of a very confusing world, and meaning in situations that seem utterly meaningless. But such hope is not an “easy fix” to every mess that we get ourselves into, nor is it so neutral and liberal that we can go on in our own way for ever. Hope for this life and hope beyond this life is bound up with the affirmation that God is both judge and redeemer, and that the Christ who came to this earth for our salvation, will one day come again as judge of the living and the dead.

Such an affirmation gives value to our actions, and to the judgements that we make. There is no absolute in this life other than the way of the Almighty – the way that speaks of judgement and of compassion, the way that alone gives hope and meaning.

This is the way that was made flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. God’s way is clothed in hope in the person of Jesus, for this way is seen in love and forgiveness. God’s way is clothed in hope in Jesus for in him is revealed a new way of living, a way that is close to the mind of God, who is judge of all. God’s way is revealed in our

lives by the Holy Spirit bringing renewal through the scorching flame that purges and the living water that nourishes new life.

Life transformed so that it is caught up into hope that is eternal is life that is bound up in Christ. This binding begins in Baptism, but is an ongoing conversion, a way of discipleship, of service, of love, and of adoration. It is a way in which the Holy Spirit makes us more and more aware that God’s judgement must be received in our lives, so that on this journey we come to be more like the one whom we serve. Hope reflects the fact that we matter very much to God, but judgement reflects the fact that because we matter to God, God is concerned how we live our lives in this world.

John the Baptist came with a message of Judgement, but in that he pointed beyond in hope to the one who is both Saviour and Judge of all, as he proclaimed “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming……He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16).