The First Sunday in Advent 2008

Advent is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, in other words, the period immediately before Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western Christian year and commences on Advent Sunday.

Advent starts on the 4th Sunday before December 25; in other words, the Sunday between November 27 and December 3 inclusive.

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Christ.

It was not meant to be a festive season. It originally was a pre-Christmas version of Lent. Getting ready for His coming requires an inward looking that hustle and bustle don't allow. Or maybe they do when we really don't want to think about His coming. Many pastors of more traditional-oriented churches will tell stories about how their members would complain about the solemn nature of so much of the pre-Christmas music.

Add to that the scripture lessons like today's that speak of the 2nd Coming and people will raise quite a holy ruckus about how we need to be celebrating Christmas.

Now I have to admit that I love Christmas music. I am often accused of listening to it in September (Not true. I wait until November.) And perhaps in times of negative news and depressing options a Christmas music option may actually be appropriate.

But in the church we are always to be looking beyond the 1st Coming- as cute and cuddly as it may appear in our modern interpretations. We also need to keep our lives open to the ongoing work of God in Jesus that only began in the first Christmas. So for me, in the midst of the carols on my iPod and on the radio, I will still need to be reminded that keeping my soul focused on Jesus is important. Far more so than what passes for our secular celebration of the season.

That's Advent. I am glad we still have it. It is essential to my soul.