The Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.- John 1: 4-5 (NLT)
Advent means “coming” in Latin. And these coming weeks are meant to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for the arrival of God-with-Us, Jesus Christ. We will put up Nativity scenes in the church, our homes, and on front lawns to tell the ancient story of Jesus’ birth. We will sing songs like, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” and read scriptures. And we will light the Advent candles to remind us that the Light of the World has come into our midst. But have we gotten so familiar with our traditions that we have lost the wonder of the essence of this season?
The Franciscan friar Richard Rohr believes that “The physical world is the doorway to the spiritual world,”* and the spiritual world is much larger than this one. Maybe the physical traditions that we carry on are a doorway to the spiritual world and the wonder we seek? And maybe when we light the candle of hope, peace, joy, love, and Christ, the light helps us see more clearly. For Jesus’ life helps us see our lives more clearly.
Our invitation to Advent starts here, now- and thank God, because being here, now can sometimes feel complicated and hard, busy and sad. But what gives us HOPE in this Advent season is the reminder that the gift of our lives is a doorway to a much larger reality. And Jesus is the Light that shows us the way.
May we rest in the peace that the darkness can never extinguish the light
that has been given to us. Amen.
*Fr, Richard Rohr, OFM, “The Mystery of Incarnation,” Center for Action and Contemplation, 1-27-17