a new year begins...

A new church year, that is. I'm so excited! Advent is here!

I know, it's odd that I have had such anticipation for THE liturgical season of anticipation. But I love Advent. I love how well the early church glommed on to the winter solstice traditions already in place. (Yes, friends, December 25 isn't actually Jesus' birthday.) How they used the darkest time of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere) and made it into a metaphor for light and how the darkness did not overcome it.

I can embrace the themes of hope, joy, love, and peace. I get that.

Advent has never been embraced by the general public, mercifully, like Christmas has. We don't want to wait. Our preparations are for our homes, our shopping lists, our greeting cards... but when was the last time you prepared your heart for Christmas?

Annually, the old argument comes to life from those who adamantly state that we should say of course say"Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays." This is His Season, isn't it? I would suggest that with all the shopping and buying and Santa and reindeer, simply saying, "Merry Christmas" does not automatically bring Jesus into the picture. I have probably agreed with WalMart management only once, and that's when they said they would focus on Christmas as a winter holiday. Shopping has zero to do with Christmas.

Maybe that's why I enjoy Advent. One cannot go out and buy it. It must be experienced. And that's a daunting thing. That means we really do have to open our hearts to realize that Jesus was born to teenagers who were unwed and homeless. This means that we really do need to think about God's unconditional love there for every one, people we love, people we agree with, people who get under our skin, people we cannot stand...even each of us. Some of us don't want to even open ourselves to let God love us. Advent and Christmas push us to do just that.

I know. Holiday cocktail parties and putting a little extra into the Salvation Army Kettle feels much better than opening my heart to God. What if God doesn't like me?

This week, it's about hope. What is your heart hoping for? My guess is that your heart is hoping for something you can't buy.

"Love floods us with hope." ~ Jareb Teague