“Beware, keep
alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” Amen.
 |
| The Prophet Isaiah by Tiepolo, 1729 |
Today, we begin
the season of Advent, the first season of the Church year. The Church marks the
seasons in a way that helps us reflect on God’s involvement in our lives. This
first season is an odd time:
1. It is a season
of preparation for the birth of Christ. You can say that takes lots of time
because we dig deep into storage to find the right decorations for the home.
There is a certain type of music and lots of shopping. Advent is one of the top
economic seasons of the year. I missed the opportunity to shop on Black Friday,
but I bet some of you were there. Hopefully, you didn’t bring your pepper spray.
We wear certain
things during the season in preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birthday.
Some wear certain shades of green and red, possibly with a snowflake or two.
There are even special hats that a few especially spirited people wear. There
is also food and drink that represent the season: cookies in the shape of Rudolph
and covered with sprinkles and creamy eggnog with a shot or two of liquor.
With all of these outward trappings, it would seem that the Advent season
is a time to warm our hearts with joy and love and, of course, gifts.
