Advent 2021
Advent has come to be my favorite season. Most of us understand Advent to be represented by calendars counting us down to Christmas. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical Christian calendar, where we mark the period of waiting for Jesus’ arrival. It begins four Sundays before Christmas (not always the same date) and during Advent we reflect on what it means to wait. It means an arrival, and in the greater Church we anticipate the birth of Christ and the miracle that will bring, while also reflecting on the darkness before his arrival. It happens during the part of the year where the days are already short and keep getting shorter, so it is celebrated with candles representing different themes to each liturgical tradition. Growing up my church celebrated Advent by having the 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School class participate in the church service. I eagerly volunteered my family because I loved lighting the purple and pink candles and the ceremony in all represented. As a young kid, I do not think I understood the significance of it all, nor did I realize just how important this season would come to be in my life. The world has been in a season of Advent for nearly two years, waiting for this pandemic to resolve and to see what will be next. Personally, I have been in my own Advent season on and off for the last several years. The grief over losing my brother has unlocked grief I have long repressed. I have been starting to explore the darkness of my own past lately, allowing the things that once haunted me to be brought into the light. It has been hard and exhausting, but ultimately freeing and necessary. My personal journey exploring the darkness is only just getting started. This Advent season, I look forward to slowing down and listening. I am looking forward to experiencing the darkness, knowing light is just around the corner.