Sentiment and Nostalgia Won't Do

Advent Week 1

This week many Christians around the globe begin the process of participating in Advent. The English word “Advent” comes from the Latin word “Adventus” which means “coming.” In a way, it has a dual meaning that includes both remembrance and anticipation. Advent includes recalling the Incarnation, the first “arrival” of Christ as a suffering servant. But today, we think of Advent in terms of “anticipation” when Jesus returns as a conquering King.

This two-fold understanding of Advent leads to a two-fold emotive response:

Horror and Hope.

The tension of Advent is so real and it finds itself squeezing into our lives in the most unexpected ways. We look forward to a relaxing weekend that suddenly becomes complicated by a relationship crisis. Picking up a loved one’s phone call expecting to catch up like normal, only to find out you’ve lost yet another family member. The text from a close friend from a past season who you’ve lost touch with, only to finally catch up and find out their seemi…