Advent 2008

Advent for us is more involved this year than last year, when the observance sputtered and died just out of the driveway.

This year, M and I are getting up a little earlier in the morning to read and contemplate scripture for the Advent season. No lightning bolts this year either, but I'm glad we're doing it.

This year, Circle is focusing more on Christ coming to the city (Philadelphia if you're local), rather than coming to Earth or humanity or you in particular.

The picture is from a Flickr set. Our friend, Ben, took pictures of lil' Mary and Joseph in various photogenic locales around the city. (Note that "photogenic" does not necessarily equal "pretty".)

In our small group this week, we talked about how celebrating Advent, especially for a bunch of American Protestants, isn't in our traditional bag of tricks. Some of us are wrestling with making it feel/seem meaningful.

Especially after last year's experience, the best comment I have about the whole thing so far -- God is not your monkey. He wants to give you good things, and he cares very much, but he doesn't flip when you clap. Sometimes you show up and you pray and ask and cry and flail, and God does not seem to do anything.

That doesn't mean he's not doing anything -- which can be frustrating and suspicious. Those feelings, they are also part of the waiting.

I suspect we'll be plenty happy when Jesus does come back. Even if you're not a Christ follower, when the living embodiment of mercy and just plain give-a-damn shows up and says, "Okay, that's a wrap, everybody!", that's going to be a good day. Until then, it's not time yet. I don't know why. I wish I did. Oh God, I wish I did. I want to know why more than I want to know when.

Instead, I get to wait with everybody else. There's no musical number at the end of Advent telling you it's winding up. We might blow right on through Christmas and New Year's and next Arbor Day, and still not get a sense of doneness. Advent is the time we make a point to remember that we're waiting, not a signal to stop waiting.