As we begin the season of advent and the new liturgical year, I think it is important to stop and think about what the season itself means.
2000 years ago, humanity received a gift that only God could give - and one that no one expected or quite understood. To this day, the gift of forgiveness God gave us is still being understood. Fully understanding this gift requires that we fully trust in God and his Son, Jesus, our Redeemer.
Two things to think of this advent season:
Jesus is not the King the Jewish people wanted 2000 years ago, but was the King not only the Jews but ALL people needed.
Advent is the celebration of hope to come - the story of God’s never ending mercy
Jesus is not the King the Jewish people wanted 2000 years ago, but was the King not only the Jews but ALL people needed.
There is important historical context that many Christians today miss - and that is that the Jews in Jesus’ time were oppressed by many, and had been for thousands of years. Starting early in the Old Testament, up until Jesus’ time and beyond - the Jewish people constantly had to flee oppression or risk consequences. Consequences that Jesus would face 33 years after his birth.
Because of this political context, Jews two thousand years ago expected the Messiah to be one who would bring great political power, to save the people from their oppressors. They expected him to save the Jews from others on Earth, to provide salvation in many cases in a physical context, militarily, and politically, to yield the Jews power and victory. This expectation is what many in Jesus’ time struggled with when they experienced news of his coming and his miracles - many misunderstood the context of his coming, and the beauty of God’s ultimate gift.
God’s sent his only Son to live amongst us, to suffer and experience the joys and sorrows of this life on Earth, to ultimately die and redeem us of our Original Sin, and our sins to come. God’s gift to us was forgiveness, not only for the Jews in the day, but for all who believed in Jesus, the ultimate sign of believing in God’s mercy. The gift was not to bring great military might or to conquer others by force.
Advent is the celebration of hope to come - the story of God’s never ending mercy
It is important to celebrate the hope of things to come, rather than solely dwelling on what happened the past. Jesus’ coming is one that continues to bring hope well after his birth and death 2000 years ago. His coming represented a new age of God’s covenant for all, an inclusion of all into His kingdom in heaven. God has repeatedly offered and shown his mercy to his people through the Old Testament prior to Jesus’ first coming. He continues in justice and fairness by not only saving the Jews, but Gentiles and all people who believe in Him. This is God’s invitation to be one with Him, through the sacraments to receive His grace, through communion in the kingdom here on Earth with one another, and through the personal relationship each of us have with His Son.
The story is unending mercy, should we choose to allow it to enter our lives. Let us all find ways to allow God’s mercy into our hearts, and allow our hearts to show mercy to others as God has shown to us. This is what Jesus meant in his Greatest commandment to love God with all our hearts, minds, soul, and strength, and to love others as ourselves.
The hope to come, is in each year that we celebrate Advent by reflecting on God’s love for us through his Son, as well as our professed faith that Jesus will come again to redeem us all and bring us all who believe, to be one with God forever.
Jesus comes again each and every time we celebrate the Eucharist, with his true presence in the Body and Blood of Christ, each time we extend a loving hand to others, and each time we actively choose to let Jesus enter our heart, mind, soul, and strength. By participating in daily life with Him, we allow Jesus to come again in the small ways.
How will you take these things to prepare for Jesus’ coming this Advent?
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