Advent, a second look

Advent

It was a few weeks before Christmas 2021, and like many churches, the one I attend shared a video depicting events leading up to and including Jesus' birth.When it was at the place where the angel visited Mary, I leaned over to our pastor and whispered: "Wouldn't it be great to show this part again in March? That's when the angel would have visited Mary and told her that she had been chosen to carry the Son of God."

For nine months she waited and looked forward to the arrival of the Promised One. 

I've been thinking about that pretty often. About how the Jews had been mindful of and looking forward to the coming of the Promised One, the Messiah, Emmanuel for years. As a matter of fact the anticipation of His arrival dates back to before there was a Jewish nation, to the Garden of Eden, when, after Adam and Eve chose sin, God promised that One would come to crush Satan. 

Somewhere in that mix I also considered how Easter fits into Advent because that celebration and Christmas go hand in hand in my mind. One without the other takes away the value of both. And Easter in our calendar year (January to December) comes before Christmas. In the middle of that musing I realized while Mary was waiting for the birth of Jesus, the truth of His death was already in play. I wondered why we focus on Advent for 4 the four weeks leading up to Christmas.

Recently I looked up the definition of Advent, because, well, knowing the definition of a word matters if you are going to use it correctly. I knew it would point to tradition but my understanding was expanded as I read something new to me.

 (thank you Google and Oxford Languages)

advent:

the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

okay, I understand that, have heard it used, small a, for many things

Advent:

the first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.

yep, capital A sets it apart as something I celebrated for the first time in 2021

Advent, CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY:

the coming or second coming of Christ.

WHAT? 

Did you see that? 

If you read in a hurry you may have missed it.

The coming 

or THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST!!!!

YES! That resonates. It explains why my heart has been drawn to celebrating Advent all year round. Every day that God gives me breath, much as the Jewish nation did before the birth of Jesus, I want to be living in anticipation of His coming. Again. 

John 14:1-7

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.”
“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”