Advent lessons confessions
Advent is a season full of lessons. Rather like New Year’s resolutions (I gave up years ago), Advent seems to bring with it the desire to do better, the hope of a more focused season and, sadly, the disappointment of Christmas coming and going yet again without having achieved the desired spiritual focus and impact.
This year has been no exception. I planned to celebrate a meaningful Advent season. Truly. Yet, despite my best intentions, Advent arrived to find me completely unprepared. I awoke one day to discover (thanks to a Tweet from a more diligent observer) that the first Sunday of Advent had arrived and I was not ready. The rest of the Advent season has been no better.
All of this brings me to the point of this article, that of Advent Lessons Confessions for the 2009 season. I think this season has taught me at least three important lessons despite my failures – or, perhaps, because of my failures.
Lesson 1
I never manage to achieve the spiritual plane that I want to achieve. I do not mean this lightly. I desire it – yet still I fail. Some seasons are better than other seasons, it is true, but each season brings fresh recognition that I cannot arrive at the spiritual place at which I would like to arrive. This recognition, initially depressing, has brought me to the point of thanking God for his grace. I simply cannot measure up to my own goals and standards during the Advent season – yet God continues to draw me into this despite my repeated failures.
Could this be one of the lessons of Advent? God loved us even while we were still weak, failures at drawing near to God, unable to reconcile ourselves or to bridge the gulf between ourselves and God. The Apostle Paul described this scenario perfectly when he wrote, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5.6 OSB). Advent, through my own repeated failure each season, forces me to recognize grace. I cannot make it on my own and, therefore, I am completely dependent on God’s grace which he so richly gifts upon us.
Lesson 2
This life is marked by longing. We long for so many things – some essential and appropriate, some unnecessary and inappropriate. We, as humans, live in a state of chronic longing, seeking for that which we do not find and, too often, do not even realize exists. We long for God, but settle for any cheap thing to temporarily plug the vacuum and sedate the discomfort. We know what it is, when we are honest with ourselves, to live with unfulfilled longing and desire.
Advent is anticipation. The two words are almost synonymous. Advent reminds us that we long for Jesus’ return. We long for the day when all is put right in this world, when all of creation no longer groans in anticipation of restoration and renewal, when we can spend eternity with the one who loved us even while we were yet weak and alienated. Advent reminds us that we are yet strangers and pilgrims in this world which is but our temporary home as was our King, Jesus, who also suffered, experienced loss and disappointment, and longed for the Father.
Could this be one of the lessons of Advent? This world as we know it now is not our permanent home. We currently live in a world that is largely alienated from and at war with the rightful king, Jesus. We should long for the day of Jesus’ appearing, the day when the kingdom of God comes in fullness upon this earth. It is appropriate to long for the day when we can talk with God face to face as did our first parents before the great rebellion. Advent recognizes anticipation and allows us to focus our attention on the one for whom we truly long rather than the idols which we so often use as cheap substitutes.
Lesson 3
I grew up with rich traditions surrounding each Christmas season. Christmas always brought tremendous anticipation of reunion with loved ones not seen for many months, church services and Christmas programs and, in our home, always a Christmas Eve birthday party for Jesus lest we forget the reason for the season. The birth of the King has always been at the center of the season in my theology. However, even with a solid theological understanding of the season, it is easy to lose the spiritual significance of a holy day in the midst of extensive cultural traditions.
Recent years have brought changes that disrupt and threaten many of the cultural traditions that I so fondly remember. To be honest, holidays are depressing reminders that life often brings pain and disappointment – particularly once viewed through the lens of broken families. Cultural traditions become impossible to maintain when children no longer share a home with both biological parents. The mobile nature of our American society often results in families being separated by many miles during the holidays. These circumstances disrupt and threaten to destroy cultural traditions for many families.
As my experience of a culturally traditional Christmas continues to disappoint, I find that I appreciate Advent all the more. Cultural and family traditions are wonderful things that bind people together around shared experiences. There is a good reason why the holidays bring nostalgic memories for so many. Cultural and family traditions also allow children to step into a larger story that precedes them and will potentially be passed along to their own children as well. This sense of place in a family and a community is important and should not be underestimated. This is one key reason why children of broken homes exhibit adjustment problems that their peers may not. Cultural and family traditions are good things and are even commanded by God on occasion in the Scriptures. However, cultural and family traditions also have a habit of eventually bringing disappointment.
Could this be one of the lessons of Advent? Our holiday traditions will always disappoint us eventually. No matter how rich and meaningful, our own traditions will eventually disappoint. Family members move away, die, or are otherwise unable to attend holiday traditions. Children grow up and adopt new traditions that are at odds with existing traditions. Whatever the reason, traditions eventually disappoint, and we have all experienced this crisis.
Advent calls us into something much greater than a Christmas celebration with family and friends. Advent reminds us that we are waiting for the return of our King and his restoration of all things. Advent reminds us that the Christmas story, the scandalous tale of God becoming one of us, is actually so very much larger than our own family or cultural traditions. Advent reminds us that we are called into a much larger family, with much richer and older traditions, and into a story much larger than ourselves. Advent reminds us that it is alright to be disappointed because there is one who will never disappoint.
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