Reality Check: This is an excerpt of a really good exploration of what Advent means or digs into for those who celebrate it from Working Preacher.org by Kara K. Root, Pastor, Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, MN. Yes, I am in the beginning stages of working on a sermon for this week and read this and wanted to pass it along.
Advent is absurd.
It's utterly absurd what we preachers do. We talk about a beautiful, peaceful world of wholeness and harmony, as though saying all of this makes any difference. As though Christmas really changes things. That God came near, God entered in, means everything is different! we declare. And sometimes we even believe it.
But if we're honest, we will say we're still waiting. Waiting for things to be made right. Waiting for wholeness. Waiting for hope. If we're really honest, we'll talk about the darkness and not just the light. And our people need to hear us doing this. Or else we are collaborators with the retailers and feel-good spirit peddlers of the season who turn Christmas into a temporary antidote to our pain.
Just because Christmas is coming doesn't mean cancer is leaving, or deployed children are returning home for good, or jobs suddenly appear and tensions between us disappear. The birth of Jesus doesn't erase the death of a child or the loss of a lifelong partner. And unless we say this aloud -- unless you and I announce that Advent embraces these realities, makes space for them and gives voice to them -- our people will feel more alone and isolated right now than any other time of year.
And this is where Advent's absurdity is a profound and blessed gift to us.
Friday Five: Essentials
1 hour ago
oh. You took my breath away with this. This voice screaming inside me. Where is all the honesty? Thank you for sticking your finger in the holes.
ReplyDeleteIndeed...and in my experience, it is the new life and hope that emergrs from those dark nights of ffear, worry, anxiety...dark nights that are actually like a womb, and the birth process is painful, difficult, but always leads to new life. Sometimes that new life is figuing out how to go on in the face of great loss, and the emerging awareness that God has been with is all along, in the pain, auffering, darkness.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna--I'm glad you and I agree. It was as if a new light had been turned on.
ReplyDeleteTerri--I think you are right and sounds like I could read your thoughts in a larger article--I need to go look on RevGals because there are always good thoughts about lectionary I have to preach next week...and especially good Advent retreats.