Advent is beckoning us to prepare ourselves for the coming
of Christ. It is both a reenactment of
the historical incarnation of Christ as well as a time of spiritual preparation
for the birthing of Christ consciousness and the promised-but-not-yet-scheduled
second coming of Christ. It is a
penitential season like Lent. Though Advent
is shorter, the timing of it in our secular calendar, characterized by intense
activity and materialism, makes it harder for us to observe the disciplines of
penitence such as fasting, prayer, waiting and meditation. It takes greater
intention on our part to fully appropriate and appreciate the gift of this
season.
This year as we observe Advent and celebrate Christmas, our
country is undergoing a severe post-election trauma and associated anxiety over
the uncertainty as to how the new administration will carry out its manifesto,
communicated over and over during the campaign. Minority communities and people
of color feel vulnerable as they are called usurpers because of who and what
they are. Rather than seeing them as
contributing to our society, making our union strong and adding color and
texture to the rich tapestry of our society, they are made to think of
themselves as a drain to our country.
They feel that this election invalidated their existence and repudiated
their claims. This election has
sanctioned a wide swath of our population, the so-called ‘other’, made up of various
minority communities, as targets for hate and scapegoating. Yet, this Advent we are recalling God’s
incarnation among us as an ‘other’, a vulnerable baby born out of wedlock of a peasant
young girl living in Palestine, an occupied territory of the Roman Empire.
One of the post-election results is the call for deeper
listening and engagement within and between our communities as we deal with our
emotions and passions. On Friday following the election at The Theology on Tap Meet Up I lead, I had an opportunity to meet
with a group of people, the majority of whom voted differently. We listened to
each other deeply and we understood why we voted the way we did. We need to
hear each other out. Elections tend to categorize people in binary terms, as
black or white ignoring the gray area or continuum between the opposites. Life is more nuanced. I hope this Advent,
perhaps we can sit down and engage with each other and share with each other
our hopes and dreams and what makes us tick.
I look forward to this season of Advent and its call for our
preparation, our waiting on God. I trust
all of us will avail the opportunity to attend the Advent worship services and fully
fathom the depth of what this season offers us and thus make our celebration of
Christmas truly a transformative experience.
May this Advent help us hear God speaking to us in our worship, in our
listening to each other and the nature around us.
Have a blessed Advent!
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