The shopping season is upon us. I want to get my haircut today, but I hate going out on busy days, period. It's not that far, so I'll probably go. And since I'm in a wedding tonight, I really should.
This Sunday, after Black Friday, is the first of the season of Advent. What is Advent? The word means "coming." In the Christian tradition it's the four Sundays before Christmas that anticipate the birth of Jesus. Emotionally speaking, it's the season of longing. The Church looks backward, at the present and toward the future, longing for something not yet fully realized.
We look back at the time before the Messiah, before Jesus was born. People were waiting for God's anointed, for a savior. For someone who would take them out of their situation.
We look around longing for the same thing, because though Christ has come, we see not all things have been set right.
We look forward, longing for the day when Christ will come again, when all things will come to completion. This is the joyful hope we endure.
Theologians refer to this time as the "already, but not yet." Christ has begun the work, but it's not done yet. We live in this tension of God's manifest presence and God's seeming absence.
My role as a worship leader is to take these ideas and communicate them through songs, prayers and the liturgy. It's proving difficult. I haven't figured this weekend out yet. I suppose I'm still waiting.
If I had to pick a favorite season, I'd pick Advent. It makes me aware of how much help we need. It uncovers humanitarian pride and screams, "We can't do this alone!" And with ancient saints I pray the same: "Maranatha."
Come, Lord.
3 comments:
I also love that Advent reminds us that we don't want to do it alone. When we stop listening to our screaming pride, we realize that going it alone is can be quite desolate.
As hard as it is to wait, I'll choose hopeful expecation over hopeless desolation.
Anders - Well said. The sermonette in chapel today addressed Advent. I forgot about the idea of active vs. passive waiting, which is a very cool way to think about it. And waiting with the hope of not doing it alone is definitely a good thing.
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