The Advent Season

Well the Advent season has arrived as it always does after our gorging on the bounty of Thanksgiving. After all that it takes a good deal of self control and personal discipline to keep our minds focused on this very important period of the Christian season. Now, in today's society, we are besieged with the pressures of advertising and other secular distractions that would cloud our devotions in this joyous season. With in our communities we live with other Christian churches that do not keep the Advent season as a time of spiritual preparation to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. These good people are more caught up in the celebration of Christmas than the devotions of Christmas. Rather let us keep Advent in the true spirit that which it was meant to be observed , as a period of devotion in the life of one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

With quite joy we again travel in our mind and scripture readings to that cold December night when a innocent babe was born. Nothing pretentious as a kingly procession announcing his birth amid the clanging of cymbals and the blare of horns. Rather the quite sweet songs of heavenly host declaring to the people of the earth that a Saviour had been born. Can we yet imagine of the fright that those humble shepherds felt as this heavenly declaration was made unto them and all mankind.

We are called in Advent to look deep into our hearts as we ponder the miracle of God’s coming into our world as a man. We are told that as we read the first collect of the season where we are called to “cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which our Lord Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility….” This is a season where more than ever the Lord becomes the really central figure in our lives and causes us to once again offer ourselves anew to his love which he so freely gives to us. That love to Him returned as we, here on earth, wait quietly for his eventual return, doing all those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Therefore in this period of preparation let us continue to pray for the all conditions of mankind, the further establishment of His church here on earth and peace among nations. As Christians let us love others more, provide for the needy and care for the homeless. I remember the statement of a old Ag professor so many years ago. “If there is one hungry person on this earth we have no surplus of crops rather a serious problem with its distribution.” This holds true to the needy of all mankind. If they are in need we fail our Christian duty. Let us, as a church body, serve in our communities participating in the various programs that need our help.

As the Sundays of Advent come upon us let each of us prepare to celebrate the coming of the Prince of Piece and God of Love who came among us then and will come again in that glorious day for all mankind.

Shalom