And So It Begins

When I was a child in the 1950's and 60's there was no Advent. Well, there was no Advent season of the Christian year in the white bread, rather featureless Protestantism of Southern Ontario, There was no time of preparation for the coming of the Promised One, at least in my recollection. The liturgical year became part of my consciousness at seminary in the late 70's. During my years of ministry lots of people were bemused and even angry that we didn't get our Christmas on sufficiently during those Advent weeks.

There was certainly no Advent calendar in my childhood, the day by day reflection on the awakening to Christ's coming as an infant and the "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" of his second Advent. Our children did grow up with an Advent calendar, a wooden 3D version with compartments and flaps with little treats for each day. We did attempt to include Christ in our anticipation but the sweets made a bigger impression.



I notice that now there are lots of Advent calendars although few of them have any religious content. Advent has become secularized and commercialized, the way Christmas has. I must admit that the wine and chocolate calendars are wildly appealing! It's hard to imagine that many of the people who have Advent calendars could describe what the word Advent means from a Christian context.



This is a reality of our time, but it doesn't have to be define our preparation for the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. As artist, pastor, and poet Jan Richardson suggests, we can choose our Advent door.