Advent: Towards Hope
Growing up in a small Lutheran church in Iowa I was familiar with the idea of the seasons of the Church. Which I typically just took to mean that the colors of vestments and items in the sanctuary changed for some reason. It was part of a liturgical structure I never quite understood and like many quickly moved away from it.
Strangely enough, some thing about it stuck within me as I was able to recognize over the years as I was drawn to certain elements, such as the benediction and confessions found in other traditions. As luck would have it, I've found myself currently serving at a church with a very strong liturgical structure which embraces among other things the Church calendar.
I've also watched over the years, more and more communities drawn into these ancient rhythms and patterns of the Church. It's been great to see them exploring more than just Christmas and Easter but also the depth of the seasons of Lent and more recently Advent.
Advent, as you no doubt will hear a lot, is a season of great anticipation of what's the come. It is the beginning of the Church calendar, one that starts not at the birth of the Savior but with the lead up. The waiting. The unknown.
'It doesn't start with December 25th...'
Oh Advent.
When I started at my current church, the rector hinted how it was actually appropriate hold off on the typical lead up to Christmas that the larger culture has embraced. He and some of those at the church actually wait until Christmas day to put out all the decorations. This seemed so strange to me.
The reason it seemed so strange for me was that the idea of waiting, of this expectation was for just one day. Engrained in me from a young age was the excitement of the gifts and celebration that only lasted a short time. What many have forgotten or like me were never told was that:
'It's not one day... it's 12 days!'
What?!? So the 12 days of Christmas referred not to the 12 days leading up to Christmas but rather the 12 days of the actual Christmas season between Advent and Epiphany, which starts on Christmas day? Yep.
Doesn't that more sense? If we are actually talking about celebrating the Creator of everything taking of flesh and choosing to dwell with His creation - why should it just be a morning of gifts to our family members, ugly sweaters, and a meal? Why should it feel awkward to wish someone a Merry Christmas after the 25th?
What if we took Advent to it's next natural step? What if we held off decorating and 'pre-gaming' for Christmas as long as we could? Wouldn't the excitement build? And build? And build? Would we actually enjoy the continuous looping of Christmas music rather than feel like we are trapped on a never ending It's a Small World ride at Disney?
Could we learn the posture of anticipation this season as we await the coming of Messiah?I hope so.In closing, to continue to quote Brian Zahnd, regardless of how you and yours choose to celebrate it, may this Advent season be a time...
To orient our lives in the direction of hope. To move in that direction with some patience.
Grace and Peace to you.