by Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware
Advent is a peculiar season, one that might only be known by those who attend liturgical churches that closely follow the Christian calendar. Some people put up Christmas decorations and trees before Thanksgiving, while others plan multiple shopping trips for Black Friday, which, to some, seems to be the official signal that Christmas is on.
But the church calendar has another little season sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas that is actually the beginning of the liturgical year. It’s called Advent. And it’s just that; a season between. A waiting period. A time to perfect waiting. A time of preparation. A time to stop and ponder. A time to meditate. And like the season of Lent that precedes Easter, it is a time to consider the sacrifices of Jesus before the celebration of his resurrection.
Advent is observed for the four Sundays preceding Christmas. In addition to the regular actions that characterize corporate worship, like preaching and teaching, an Advent wreath is displayed in full view of congregants. One of the four candles is lit each week with a scriptural reading to illuminate the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. A white candle is in the middle and represents Christ and all he brings to the world. Advent is a time to embrace the entire life of Christ before celebrating his earthly birth. It’s a time to focus on his second coming — he lived, ministered, died, was raised from the dead, and will come again.
Rev. William Bailey, senior pastor of Christian Love Baptist Church in Baltimore, is making their Advent worship a time for family. “We’re having different family members of our congregation read the advent lesson, light the candles, and then the entire congregation will sing the hymn, “Rejoice, Rejoice Emmanuel.”
A season as unknown as Advent lends itself to the interpretation of the worshiper. A season so small easily lends itself to the assignment of a theme or a purpose, such as justice.
Justice fighter and theologian Blythe Scott puts it this way: “We must live with a “holy discontent” — a burning in our hearts because we have a vision from Christ that there is something BETTER He desires for us and our world. A holy discontent that causes us to look at our cities and weep when we see pain or injustice, as Christ did when he looked over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41).
We are called to feel the pain of any of our brothers and sisters who are suffering, who are living under any type ofinjustice. We are called to feel sickened, to weep, to fight, as Christ did.”
Christians are always called upon to show forth the life of Christ, to be examples of the beloved community, and to be salt and light within that community.
Scott quotes A.W. Tozer, “A scared world needs a fearless church,” which is especially apropos in this post-election America. “In this time of Advent, we are called to show the world that Christ has come near. Advent reminds us that one day He will return again, once and for all, and will make all things new. But until then, we are to be his hands and feet, a foretelling of this reality, furthering His vision of renewal as much as we can while we are on this earth. In this time of Advent, we can show the world a glimpse of heaven – a glimpse of true peace and justice. We can bring Light into the darkness.”
WomanPreach!, an organization established to help women do just that; to help women determine what God sounds like in their throats, is offering reflections on Advent hymns as a way of capturing the time before Jesus’ birth for this year.
Dr. Tony McNeill, Jeffrey Allen Murdock, Rev. Dr. Lisa Allen-McLaurin, Rev. Dr. Alisha Lola Jones, and Rev. Kendal Brown write about hope, peace, joy, love, and Christmas Eve, respectively.
Rev Raquel Gill, a WomanPreach 2022 Advent theme writer, ended her passage expounding on Paul Tillich’s premise, accept that you are accepted.
“Accept the fact that God called you. Accept the fact that God chooses you. Accept the fact that God loves you. Accept the fact that God made you significant just as you are! This holiday season, may you find your significance in the God who created you, the Savior who came to liberate you, and the communities that seek to affirm you.”