To be honest, it's hard for me to think about Advent as season of "calm and bright." It's always been anything but for me.
Growing up in a rectory, it seemed as though Advent brought a flurry of new activity, visitors, special services, multiple occasions to acolyte and sing, pageants, and all of the seasonal activities that consume endless hours of the day during this important time of church year. As a husband, father, and busy professional (especially this time of year) the madness and busyness of the season has increased exponentially, making it nearly impossible to think of calm and bright.
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| The Barnds family |
However, I know this season of Advent is central to my (and our) faith life and requires us to take a deep breath and use the season to create calm and bright within our lives and soul even though we think it is impossible for there to be such. Advent teaches us the need to create the conditions within our lives for calm and bright to exist. The season requires self-examination, discipline, anticipation, and hope.
As I've thought about the discipline needed to create the conditions for calm and bright in my own life during this Advent, I've developed a list of the Four P's for Advent: Preparation, Patience, Prayer and Possibilities.
Preparation: Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas, but it is also a time for self-examination. I think preparation during Advent is captured best in the lyric from the great Christmas hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem, "But in this world of sin, where meek souls receive him still, the dear Christ enters in." This season enables us to prepare our own soul for our dear Christ to enter in.
Patience: Patience is the most difficult of the P's because of the rush to get to Christmas that we all face resulting from the commercialization of the holiday or the craziness that accompanies the season. However, patience is needed and as my father would say, Christmas "comes in due season." Our impatience to get there short-changes the celebration of the Christmas season itself, which we must remember lasts from Christmas to the Epiphany. Advent requires patience so we are not exhausted and "tired of it all" when the time comes to celebrate the birth of our Christ.
Prayer: Advent is a time during which a renewal of a disciplined prayer life can become a priority for us. One of the things I value about St. Paul is the Advent devotional effort, which enables each of to renew our commitment to prayer through the daily devotional delivered to our computer or hand-held device. Prayer and the discipline of prayer is something that often wanes, but Advent offers the chance be disciplined. Our brothers and sisters at St. Paul, through their daily devotional offerings, provide the vehicle.
Possibilities: Advent is a time when we should all imagine the possibilities that come with a new church year and the hope of Christ's birth. Advent is a chance to consider a New Year's resolution, an opportunity for us to think about all that is possible with Christ in our life.
Kent grew up the son of an Episcopal priest and is executive vice president of Augustana College. He and Jennie are parents to Martha, Sophie, and Ben.
