advent ..

raised in a predominantly anglican ( think episcopal ) country
and making the very radical move to a small fundamentalist church
   the first such in that country
rebellion against the mainstream anglican and catholic and whoever
was my upbringing ..

we were castigated as it was ..
to rebel against the castigation was .. natural almost

it's the ol' response-driven christianity thingy
we end up defining ourselves
   drawing our lines in the sand
based on our response to attack
   or perceived attack
whether from without or from within christianity itself ..
many denominations have been formed and defined like that

so that some historic mainline things
   like the christian calendar and the seasons there
      except for christmas and easter
were sidelined ..
and there was good reason for some of it too ..
... . .. .     .

brings me to Advent ..

Latin ' adventus ' is the translation of the Greek word ' parousia ', commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.
( see wiki )
good stuff , methinks

a season of
          darkness
  cold
                       death ..

but also of anticipation ..
it is a time of waiting in expectation
for the day is coming
glorious day ..
Immanu-el is born

selah ..~
...  .  .  . . . .    .

advent represents another opportunity for solemnity and sobriety ..

" opportunity "  ?  you say

opportunity ..
coloured purple by the churches that observe ..
as winter bites
thoughts of the fallenness of our Earth systems
the massive abuses
   on humanity
   on our environment
the seemingly irresistible rush towards wealth
   at the expense of the majority
the imbalance of the material and the spiritual
the media and the politics of subversion and propaganda
   imprisoning generation after generation of children
   behind the bars of musthave
raising me-me's
at the dire cost of compassion
and of humanity ..

a wise man said
" Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice.
It is the protection of a fundamental human right,
the right to dignity and a decent life.
While poverty persists, there is no true freedom. ”
   Mandela

that's kinda some of the reasoning behind
the ' opportunity for solemnity and sobriety '
a break from the normalcy of our twisted worldview
to reflect on what really matters ..
.. .      .

but
there's a new day comin'
i can see it  !
light on the horizon
   ever so faint
dawn ..
day is on the way
warmth
the thaw
green
i can see it
it's almost here ..

Immanu-el
God
with us ..
think about that ..

selah ..~

he's coming

he came

he lived among us
he showed us the lightway
lit the path by living out God in this very same world ..
he exampled for us

and he's coming back
again
one more time
to finish what he started
that grand mission of reconciliation
coloured blue

that's the upswing of Advent
there's the balance ..
glorious release
liberation
the great Undoing of the Satan
the putting-down of all authority and power everywhere in the universe
and bringing it all under the authority of God
that God may be all in all

reconciliation ..

selah ..~

for now
we do Advent

we weep with those who weep
and mourn with the mourners
we wrap our arms around the weak
embracing their weaknesses
   as our own
pulling them in
compassioning ..

and softly taking their face and turning it
redirecting their gaze towards that eastern sky
from whence cometh the Lord
the king
in power and glory
to redeem this earth
turn it back towards home

thy will be done on this Earth even as it is done in Heaven

there's hope for ya
that's something you can get your teeth into
bite down
savour the taste
sweet prospect of settingthingsright ..

reconciliation

Advent ..

think on it

shalom