Advent - Week One

Advent begins, and it feels familiar.

Comfortable. Traditions renewed.

Familiar garland. Familiar lights.

Familiar songs. Familiar food.

Every year, a sacred season

begins as autumn fades

and winter peeks around into

shortening, darkening days.

Advent begins, and prophets call, “Swords

into shovels! Spears into billhooks!”

And the words flicker into our ears

like a single candle lit against

the oncoming darkness of our hopes and fears.

Every year, the expectations of our

deepest and truest selves

are met, exceeded, extended, transcended

beyond earthly standards and big box shelves

into the music of God,

made known in humility, fragility, infinite capability

and hope.

There is a song in the air, and that song is called hope.

We wait for you, long-expected Jesus. We prepare for your arrival with familiar sights and smells and flavors and sounds. Familiar ... and yet new every year. There is a song in the air, both familiar and new, a song that is and was and ever shall be, Amen.