Some Thoughts about Advent from the Rev. Andrea LaSonde Anastos
The new liturgical year began November 29, with the First Sunday of Advent...the season of the church year that many worshipers would vote “Least Likely to Be Missed.” There’s a lot of resentment out there about Advent and about the purpose of Advent which, in case you have forgotten, is about attentive waiting.
Would the world as we know it come to an end if we were to celebrate Christmas during the 12 days of Christmas, and Advent during Advent? The short answer is probably, Yes.
Yes, and that fear is what drives many of us to fight so fiercely to avoid Advent with its attentive waiting for something so much bigger than “the birthday of Jesus.” Advent is not about a baby in a manger; it is about all that scandalous, subversive stuff that Jesus taught like caring for the least and forgiving our enemies, like being servants rather than power-brokers, like creating that realm of justice and peace we are always talking about. Creating it right here, right now so that Christ can come again to administer God’s commonwealth.
You know, I would love to chat with you and eventually come to the same conclusion... that it would be wonderful if the world as we know it were to end this year. However, I find the topic "the end of the world as we know it" a scary and unsettling thing. I know as Christians we are supposed to be excited about it... but I am not and I do not think I am alone. It is supposed to be a time of great wars, violence, suffering and death... as well as a happy time when Christ comes to earth again. I am excited about Christ coming to earth again, but the rest of it scares me. I have a hard time getting excited about the bad parts. Am I misunderstanding something? Perhaps you understand something that I do not.
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