Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent in Christian churches. In that tradition, Advent is the beginning of the preparation for the birth of Jesus, a time of waiting, a time of reflection about the miracle to come.
I like the symbolism and the metaphor -- it reminds me to open my heart to what is waiting to happen next, both externally but also deep inside of me. I once read a book that suggested that we periodically ask ourselves three questions: What is it too soon for? What is it too late for? What is it the right time for?
I just finished reading "Leaving Church" by Barbara Brown Taylor this weekend. I recommend it highly. It is the story of her move from parish ministry to teaching and writing. She writes that "the call to serve God is first and last the call to be fully human." I resonated to her desire to move more deeply into ministry in the world beyond the doors of a particular congregation. She asks "What if the church's job were to move people out of the door instead of trying to keep them in, by convincing them that God needed them more in the world than in the church?"
Advent. What is waiting to happen in your life? What miracle might emerge if you began to prepare for it today?
1 comment:
Dr. Haffner: I heard you on public radio several months ago. So I got onto your web site. This advent reflection is excellent for me. The questions help me reflect, pray and meditate. . . . .something that doesn't always come easy for me.
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