I like to begin the Advent season with the question: What wants to be born in me now? Birth entails darkness, waiting and quiet time. What are the gifts to be found in darkness and in waiting?
In my part of the world, Advent comes in a time of darkness. While I sometimes complain about that, there are gifts as well. Think of the darkness of the womb that, in time, produces a precious new life. Or the darkness of the ground in which a seed is planted, from which a green and growing shoot will appear. Or the darkness in a cocoon from which will emerge a beautiful butterfly that can soar among the flowers. In those images we understand the nurturing and nourishing aspect of darkness. These images cause me to reflect on the penitential side of my Advent journey, too. Of what do I need to let go? What do I need to shed? What needs changing in my life so that I can bring more of God’s light into the world?
This message is excerpted from the 2011 Women of the ELCA resource “ A Different Kind of Journey: Advent as a Walk not a Sprint ,” written by Sonia Solomonson. All are welcome to attend a Blue Christmas service via Zoom, December 21 at 7 p.m. (CST).
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