Reflection I: Advent

As I was praying and pondering over what to share in this first reflection, the themes of Advent kept coming to mind. According to britannica.com, the word "Advent" originated from the Latin adventus, which means "coming". In the West, it starts on the Sunday closest to November 30th and is a period of anticipating the celebration of Christ's birth (or Christmas).

John 1:1-18 is one of my favorite passages about the arrival of the incarnate Christ. I'd encourage you to set aside some time read all 18 verses, but here's a taste of this chapter:

"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...So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son."

- John 1: 4-5, 14 (New Living Translation)

There's so much to unpack concerning this subject. We can imagine what it must have been like for the Jewish people to live under Roman oppression in the years leading up to Jesus' birth. We can muse over the current state of the world, and pray for His Light to pierce the darkness surrounding us. We can even anticipate the second coming of our Lord. But however we choose to view Advent, I believe our goal during this time of year (and during any time of year) should be to grow hungrier for more of Jesus.

This doesn't have to look legalistic or hyper-spiritual. It can be as simple as acknowledging our brokenness, loneliness, and anger. It can look like recognizing your inability to restore a relationship with a family member, and saying "Wow, Jesus. I need you. I need Your Light to flood this darkness." Once the cruelest achings of our souls have been laid bare before Him, we can look forward to the hope of Christmas, and know that the Messiah is coming to make all things new. In fact, He has already come. He is Emmanuel, God with us, and is healing and moving in our circumstances even as we pray.

I know this is a lot to think about. But hopefully it makes sense, and I'm praying it encourages you. Have a wonderful week! :)