Advent: A Window on Our Lives
The four weeks leading up to Christmas are traditionally known as Advent (from a Latin word meaning ‘coming’). Advent is a time of waiting, hoping and preparation. At Advent we imagine what it was like for the people of God waiting for the Messiah. At Advent we prepare for Jesus’ promised return, when he’ll make all things new. An experience helped me see that Advent also reflects the whole of our lives.
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A Time of Preparation
I once wrote a book about recovering from broken dreams. It tells the story of my wife Merryn and me spending a decade trying to start a family without success. To our surprise an American TV producer read the book, and a few months ago sent a film crew over to make a documentary on us.
The weeks leading up to the filming were intense. There was so much to prepare—like locations, caterers, clothes. Merryn is a private person and the thought of telling our story to camera made her understandably anxious. It all added up to some sleepless nights.
The finished documentary premiered in American last month and I’m glad to report it’s beautiful—particularly the closing scene, which centres on a dinner party. You see a silky tablecloth drop gently onto the table. You see cutlery set at each place. You see the guests arrive, you see food and laughter. You see that life can go on after a broken dream.
Counting Down the Days
In the Church calendar, the weeks leading up to Christmas are called Advent. For Christians, Advent is a time of waiting and preparation. We remember the people of God waiting for their Saviour. We remember Mary waiting to give birth to her child. And we prepare ourselves for Jesus’ return, when we believe he’ll change things forever.
Advent is a bit like our experience preparing for that film. As Christmas Day approaches we’re thinking about locations and catering—where to spend the Day, what to cook, which gifts to buy. It can be a time of sleepless nights too—as we worry about the Christmas table being a place of arguments rather than laughter.
I’d say Advent is also a reflection of our broader lives too. Jesus said he had to leave this life so he could prepare a place for us in the next. And the first thing scripture says he’ll do when he returns is throw us a dinner party. After all the stress and tears and broken dreams of our lives, we’ll be invited to take our seat at a table full of joy.
First shared on BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought segment
