Conflicting Advent Messages

I’m in the middle of sermon writing, so we’ll skip the scripture focus for today. I’ve been thinking a little bit about the complicated function of advent theologically in the church year. It wears a lot of hats!

Advent is designed to give a time of preparation for Christmas. Like Lent, it was originally a time of fasting, a darker time, one of preparation and introspection as humans considered their own sinfulness and the world’s brokenness before Celebrating God’s enduring forgiveness and mercy in light of Jesus’ coming.

The lectionary texts focus on the expectations in the Jewish world that a messiah would come-a redeemer sent by God who would lead the Jewish people into a glorious future, and Christians have from the beginning connected these prophecies with Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection.

Advent is also a time to remember Jesus’ promise to come again in glory at some point in the future, when the world might be changed, a time to reflect on the already/not yet that we live in now, remembering that Gods’ work is not done, and our world continues to fall short of the glory of God.

In conjunction with this, of course, there is the actual preparation for Christmas-the biggest party of most people’s year, when family gets together, traditions are lived out, and we try to jam a whole year’s worth of joy into a week and a half. There is the shopping, the tree trimming, the cooking, the planning, and all of this energy, emotion, and passion means that we very much feel the anticipation that is part of the theology of this time of year, but that the ‘not yet’ part of already/not yet is a little off key.

I always wrestle with just how to handle this pastorally. My first advent in Saint Louis I actually leaned toward the dark side of things, acknowledging our sense that God is not always present, and that we are actively yearning for new beginnings. Last advent, I was in Kansas.

This year, I’m trying to focus on the more joyful parts of advent-celebrating what we have, the grace, love, and hope that are the reason we celebrate the season, while still acknowledging the imperfections of the world.

Where are you this Advent season? Are you anticipating with hope or fear? Are you feeling the darkness of this world’s continued distance from our hopes and dreams? Or are you feeling thankful for God’s work in the world and your lives, the blessings of family, friends, and an upcoming holiday?

Grace and peace,
Samuel