Happy New Year!
Today is the first day of Advent, the period leading up to Christmas, and the start of the Christian calendar. It is a period of waiting, waiting with Israel for the Messiah, reading the prophecies of his arrival, waiting with the world for Messiah's return, watching and praying.
This is a period for those who follow the coming Christ to stand out by sitting down, by not joining in the rush and hurry and endless activity. This is the time when we remember that we are not the ones we have been waiting for, that our hope is in God, that our night is dark but dawn is coming.
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6 comments:
Am preparing my sermon on Mark 13:31-37 as we type.
Ironic that the season of Advent is perhaps the busiest of all seasons... with Christmas shopping, Christmas parties etc.
May it no be so.
A typo in calendar I can overlook, but the link's busted too - fyi.
Great cause for pause - thankyou!
Thanks Anthony. Both now fixed.
Justin - yes, it's a challenge to work out how to stand (or sit) against that. Any ideas?
I find the biggest challenge created by the busyness leading up to Christmas is my own distracted-ness... the busier I get the less I can pay attention to what matters. I succumb - not as much to the "tyranny of the urgent" but the "tyranny of the trivial"
Living intentionally is what I am after... this advent I have LESS excuses than I've had for a decade,so thanks for the reminder to 'sit' for part of the Advent season.
Byron -- Not sure at the moment. Unlike our brother Geoff, this Advent could be my busiest yet! But I quoted mentioned your challenge in my sermon. I hope you don't mind.
gbroughto -- I have the parish of Glebe in my prayers, friend.
On the impotence of the liturgical year.
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