Prolepsis

The word prolepsis means living in anticipation of an event before it happens.  Christmas is a proleptic event because weeks and weeks before it occurs people get excited and live their lives as if the event is in some way already here.  When we know that something big is going to happen, our lives are effected for good and for bad,  by the coming event, a trip to a fun place, graduation, surgery, moving, retirement, a grandchild, and many other such anticipations.

Do you remember the old commercial where the singer sang the song, “Anticipation” as the ketchup came out of the bottle so slowly, incrementally and enticingly?  Prolepsis, there it is.

The three monotheisms are all proleptic religions.  Their traditions believe history has a purpose and is going somewhere. Their preachers teach, despite what what you see with your eyes, you ought anticipate a time when God will come soon, defeat the power of evil and bring peace to the world.  Jews, Christians and Muslims wait in anticipation for the coming of this event. All three are communities waiting in anticipation and hope.

Of course, not all their believers believe that there is actually going to be such an event.  We live in a time of much justified doubt and skepticism.  But this teaching that history is important means what you do every day, in every way, to help any neighbor is vital to working with God in this world.  We are, after all, God's partners, working to repair the world.  I am convinced, to the extent we each act like “a mensch” (a person of character) in our everyday lives, we move history towards rather than away from God.

As Christmas and Chanukah approach, we would do well to remember these three communities, Jews, Christians and Muslims, certainly divided by many beliefs and traditions which ought not be minimized. These communities, at their best, are ultimately united by their commitment to care for the neighbor.  They are not optimists or pessimists.  They are realistic yearners hoping against hope that soon, very soon, God will yet be God. Meanwhile, there is a neighbor bleeding that needs your help.  In the midst of our prolepsis,  a restful and peaceful holiday to all.