A lot of us aren’t too patient when it comes to Advent. We want to celebrate Christmas now. After all, Christmas decorations have been up in the malls for weeks now. Why not deck the halls, wrap some presents, and sing some carols?
Advent is a season of waiting. We wait, not only for our annual celebration of Jesus’ birth but also for his second coming, for the ushering in of the reign of God. We watch for the signs of the second coming, not only the signals that tell us that change is near but also for the breaking in of the reign of God here on earth, the visible signs of God’s presence among us.
Advent is not a time for idle waiting, watching, and wondering. No, Advent is a time for active preparation. We realign ourselves with God. We focus more intently on prayer, devotion, service. We are learning our lines, rehearsing our moves, practicing the interactions, so that when Christ comes again, we will be ready to live fully into the reign of God.
May your Advent days be filled with patience in good measure, that you can avoid the distractions of consumerism and holiday hoopla and focus more intently on prayer, devotion, and service.
This message is an excerpt from a Women of the ELCA blog by Linda Post Bushkofsky. Today, on International Day of People with Disabilities, we remember Francis Xavier, missionary to Asia, who died in 1552.
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