Now there was a set of Scriptural Readings about as chilling as they get!

Do you remember the old Pre-Lent - those Gesima Sundays as we used to call them - Prayer Book revision eliminated them. We have them no more. And we never had any kind of defined pre-Advent - but we have Sundays preceding Advent that do lead us toward, and into, Advent with all of its themes. So here we are this morning, in something like a little pre-Advent.

Today's Lessons are what is called Apocalyptic - all of them having to do with "the Apocalypse", the Biblical predictions of the last days, the End of the World. Given the general state of the world, we may well be worried that's its on its way and fast. At dinner this week, a parishioner sadly asked: "Where will it all end?" I kindly reassured her as best I could, that, according to the Bible, "It's only going to get worse." And these Lessons are letting us know, loudly.

I am almost looking forward to Advent when John the Baptist will roar onto the scene screaming at the religious leaders - "You brood of vipers - you make your people twice as fit for Hell as you are yourself!" Doesn't take much to cheer me up.

But there is actually, genuinely a difference - a difference between today's message and John the Baptist's Message, harsh as that is.

Both talk about awful things in store, terrible consequences that will befall us. But there is a big difference. One, the apocalyptic voice that we hear today predicts: "This will happen. These awful things will occur." The other, the prophetic voice that we will start to hear in Advent says: "This will happen, these awful things will occur. Unless ... " And that makes for a big difference.

John the Baptist promised better times, if we would prepare, prepare in the wilderness the Way of the Lord, the wonderful saving Lord who was coming into the world. Today's Lessons detail in gruesome strokes that very Wilderness, the one we want to avoid, the one we can prepare to leave, get out of, and turn away from to approach the light and the love and the glory of Christmas and the Christ Child and the salvation brought by the Lord of our Lives.

And all too often, for too many of us, we will have none of it,

The prophet never predicts that "this will happen regardless", he maintains "this will happen, unless". For the apocalyptic writer, disaster is certain to come. For the prophet it is likely, it is probable, it is well-nigh unavoidable ... unless.

Prophets are not really popular people. You would think the apocalyptic doomsayer would be even less popular, but he's not, he's all the rage. People adore apocalyptic. And dislike prophecy.

Although prophecy is a better, more positive, thing than apocalyptic, we resist it more. It is so easy to get people chatting about what's wrong with - well, everything. So easy to get people to agree that this, that, or the other thing is dreadful and likely to get worse. It is much harder to get serious consideration of what we might do to change, how things can be made better, made right.

Prophecy, with its insistence that you can actually do something about all of this, and are expected to try, is more intimidating and far less welcome than even today's seemingly most unwelcome Lessons But you see, prophets don't let us throw up our hands and be done with it, and that, though desperate, is easier, really. Prophets insist that things can be turned around, and for the better - all we need to do is to look at ourselves and change what needs to be changed, and worry less about the whole, huge world, and more about just changing ourselves, and that may well end up being enough. With enough of that going on, and all around us, then it might all well change for the better.

Apocalyptic lets us off the hook, prophecy will not. Don't worry too much about today's chilling Lessons, they are hopeless, and so we are not responsible. Let us instead look seriously and solemnly toward prophecy - and how it insists we can change, insists we can do something, and then urges us to try. Prophecy is not lightweight advice or sweet pleasantry. But it always assumes there is chance, a chance for you and for me.

Apocalyptic asks for discouraged, demoralized agreement. Prophecy asks for reassessment and repentance. And change. Apocalyptic is a prediction, and a grim one. Prophecy is a warning, and a serious one. Don't brush it off, don't dismiss it. Here is something you all can work toward, says the prophet, get to it and it will get better. Unlike the apocalyptic that we hear today, the prophecy we more often hear in Church and from our Bible has one unequaled asset - Hope. And a chance. And that is enough.