Advent is a complex season of ironies – Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love are contrary to how the world operates.
Advent is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus; yet it’s also a penitential season in which we examine and prepare ourselves for his promised return. During Advent we remember the first witnesses to God’s incarnation; yet it’s also a time for acknowledging that Christ is born anew in our midst, and that we, too, bear witness to the miracle. Advent is the time of year when the sun sinks to the lowest point on the horizon; yet in such darkness, we give thanks for the birth of the One who is the Light of the World.
The ironies continue. Advent is a period for emphasizing future hope that demands committed discipleship here and now. The very placement of the season is ironic—and strangely appropriate. Coming at the end of the calendar year, Advent marks the beginning of the church’s liturgical cycle. The birth narratives, found in the gospels, became part of the gospel tradition after the passion stories had taken root at the church’s heart. The same way as Christmas was added to the liturgical calendar long after Easter and Holy Week were firmly established. The thought – Christians had first to confess Christ crucified and risen before they could understand the significance of Jesus’ humble birth.
There are additional reasons why Advent, and the Christmas celebration which is its culmination, is a challenging season for Christians. The stories of Jesus’ birth are so well-known that they can easily become clichés, obscuring the awesome message that God has taken human form as a child.
As we worship God during this special time, may we proclaim Emmanuel in a society unattuned to intimations of the eternal.
Shalom, Paul