The Season of Advent

You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why…you know the rest. Of course, even this quaint Christmas tradition isn’t original. Yes, even Advent, that most obscure season of the Christian year, has been co-opted and distorted to focus on our own desires and pleasure. This non-Christian tradition tells us to be good because we’ll get more of the stuff we want.

The season of Advent, however, encourages us to re-focus our attention and energy in the weeks leading up to Christmas. In our Advent worship and personal devotions, we get real about the possibility of death, of God’s judgment, of heaven and hell. We become uncomfortably familiar with John the Baptist and his wild ways, but also his promise of liberation, justice, and pure joy for all those who welcome the Messiah into their lives. We journey closely with Mary and Joseph to try to walk in their shoes to appreciate the gift of saying yes to God.

All of this rightly prepares us to encounter the profound mystery and joy of the incarnation. What the birth of Jesus promises is complete freedom from our fears and our sinful ways. Christmas brings hope and assurance that God is making the world whole and calling us to share in that work.

So, let’s make sure to tend to our spiritual preparation during this Advent season. Let’s make sure to keep our focus primarily on God’s redeeming work in Jesus. We will journey, Sunday by Sunday, together. We will build our crèche, light our Advent wreath, get to know John the Baptist and the Holy Family, and bring ourselves to a glorious celebration of the birth of Jesus in a few weeks!

Peace,
James+