"The Christmas Blues"

What does the season of Advent mean to you?

Nov 29 2015 Advent 1 Readings:   Psalm 25   Luke 21: 25-36

It seems to me that no matter how hard we try, every year at the beginning of Advent we become preoccupied with pre-programed Christmas traditions and the stress of keeping them up.  Many have forget what the season of Advent is really all about.   We get doing, doing, and doing, often out of some form of obligation to church, family or community.  These activities often cloud out our reflective critical thinking about what Advent and Christmas is all about.  Does this sound familiar to you?   

Did you know that Advent is actually the beginning of the New Year for the Christian Church.   It is the first season of the liturgical year for Christians.  First there is Advent, then Christmas, Ordinary Time or as some demonization’s refer to it as a Time after Epiphany, then Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time  or as some refer it as a Time after Pentecost.    Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve and as many do not know, includes the four preceding Sundays? 

The general meaning of the word Advent means, the appearance or arrival of a notable person, thing or event?    

The four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve were originally meant for preparation. It was never meant to be a season of rushing around like chickens with our heads cut off, trying once again, to get it all in. The holiday shopping, the push to attend or put on the events and the festivities that have become our traditions.  Many North Americans have bought into the new commercial shopping craze called “BLACK FRIDAY”.  Did anyone here see the shoppers beating each other up over a sale item on the TV last week?  How crazy is that.   Often for many, it has become a time to lose our good sense do doing, spending, and indulging.   Many work themselves into a frenzy trying to keep up the seasonal traditions of family, community, church and gift giving.   Does any of this sound familiar to you?

 Two elderly gentlemen are strolling, one shares.  "Live for the moment is my motto.  You’ll never know when your time is up".  "You could step out into the street tomorrow and WHAM, you get hit by a cement truck!  You'd be sorry then, if you didn't fill your bucket list.   That's what I say - live for the moment."  What about you,    "What's your motto?"  His friend replies:  "My motto is, if you’re going to step out into the street, you had better first look both ways.”  Critical reflective thinking during our moments of Advent just might be a good thing to do forks.  

You know I think that is what happens too many at Christmas time, it is as though we have the blinders on and don’t see it coming.  The aftermath I mean, of what is being created by some of our mindless doings. 

I think that living for the moment is not a bad thing to do but not if you are so busy that you are not present to the moments taking time to assess and reflect on what is really important in your life.   Living without checks and balances being conscious and present to the moments I mean, can cause a great deal of grief in a person’s life.     In order to be present during Advent, may I suggest that would include, some form of scriptural readings, discernment and reflection upon your experiences of Christmases past along with looking to a future that is filled with hope.

Remembering that our hope does not exist in past events, or in the things we already know or have.  Our Hope is reserved for things that are hidden, unknown or unseen and for those who have hope, their lives can be transformed and changed so as to experience something new.  

Christmas for many is still all about the past, because most of us live Christmas through our past experiences.  Christmas hope therefor cannot even be preparing for the child that has already come, because as I have already stated hope cannot be found in past or in something we already know.  Advent “Hope” is for what then?   Our Hope here, is reserved for the second coming of Christ as you heard in the reading from Luke this morning.  Luke 21: 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.    

May I suggest that the first Sunday in advent is a time to reflect on and re-evaluate the way in which we have responded to Christmases past?   To dis-guard the sentimental false hopes we have built up around this time of year.   But it is also meant to be a time when we look with hope to our future, a time for transformation and change?   It was never meant to be a shopping party folks.   I would also like to suggest to you that many of us have lost the reality and true meaning of Christmas over the years.  Many have traded it in for a mixture of secular and Christian traditions.  The commercialization of the season has stolen away its meaning for many Christians and their church gatherings.  The Advent season was not meant to be a repeat of Christmases past as many of our traditions demand, but to re-evaluate what has become meaningless, mundane and extravagant.  The season leading up to Christmas Eve is often over flowing with excessive food, money and doing. Often we run the risk of burn out because we think we have to keep on keeping up with the many traditions of family, community and church, much of which is written in concrete obligations, things we feel we must do. 

Mary, Joseph, and Jesus would probably be appalled at what we have done with this loving intimate and transforming moment in our history.   But behold our hope does not lay in a manger some 2000 years ago either, it lay in the transforming unseen risen Christ who is to come again.  For the promise is, that He will continue to come again and again until every knee shall bow and ever tongue will confesses that Jesus is Lord or all.   

The Season of Advent is not meant as a time to relive the events of Christmases past, but to be present to the really of the risen Christ who will come again just as the scriptures have promised.  Our hope also lay in a Kingdom free from violence, war, material wealth, power and control over its people for personal gain.  Christs’ kingdom will be a kingdom ruled by the unconditional love of God.   The very image in which we were created.  My challenge for you during the season of Advent is this:  begin reading and reflecting on being present to Advent with the hope that his spirit will transform and change you this season.  Let us pray.