Reason for the season: Making time for Advent
JANESVILLE — Advent is a season of thoughtful reflection and preparation—that takes place at the craziest time of year.
Between parties and holiday pageants, shopping and family obligations, Advent tends to get pushed to the side or given a slight, guilt-ridden acknowledgment.
Happily, it doesn’t take a lot of effort for believers to refocus their attention on the season. That refocusing comes with obvious spiritual benefits and some practical side effects.
Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas, and this year the first Sunday of Advent is Nov. 30.
Harried season, peaceful season
Local ministers understand the holiday crush of duties just like we do. For them, end of the year chores include planning for special holiday services, programs and studies.
“It is hard to get ready for Christmas,” said the Rev. Bruce Jones of First Presbyterian Church, Janesville.
His church is preparing to dedicate an enormous remodeling project; he’s working on the annual report and getting new church leaders ready to assume their roles. And he must keep his mind focused on Advent.
Other church leaders also noted that the spiritual and fiscal sides of their job require a frenzy of work in November and December.
Not that they’re complaining.
“I like Advent a lot,” said the Rev. Steven Ekblad of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Janesville. “I think it’s an under appreciated season of the church year.”
During Lent, the spiritual obligations seem clear. So what are believers supposed to be doing during Advent?
Repenting, renewing and rejoicing
“It’s really a time of preparation for God’s gift of the baby Jesus and preparing ourselves for Christ’s promised return,” said the Rev. Mark Gilbert, associate pastor at Cargill United Methodist Church, Janesville.
Ekblad agreed, adding, “It’s not just looking backward to the birth of Christ, it’s looking forward, too.”
For believers, Advent should be a time for a “how-am-I-doing?” review.
“What are those things that God has called us to be doing with our lives?” Gilbert said.
If you’re not certain about the answer to that question, go back to the biblical basics: Christ’s instructions included loving ourselves, loving our neighbors and loving God with all our “heart, soul, mind and strength.”
Or, to make it even easier, ask yourself, “What are the ways I show my love and relationship to God? How do I show that to the people around me?”
Even the Sunday readings during Advent talk about renewal.
“We’re reading from the texts about John the Baptist,” Ekblad said. “He’s preaching to people about repentance, about turning away from sin, about re-evaluating their lives.”
However, renewal does require taking a step back from life—or at least listening and seeing with new eyes and ears.
At First Presbyterian, Jones read many of the traditional Advent texts before the season began as part of a Sunday school program. He’ll read them again during Advent.
“We’re looking at the text out of its context in the church year,” Jones said. “It’s given us a different way to look at a text that is so familiar.”
It’s a new way of listening to the message, and he hopes it gives people a chance to consider the way they listen for and hear—or don’t hear—what God is trying to tell them.
Yes, but …
That still leaves the question of finding time and commitment.
“There’s definitely a struggle between time and preparation,” Gilbert said.
For example, shooting for three hours a week of Advent devotional time might turn you into a resentful Christian.
“Sometimes even taking a small piece of time can help people slow down,” Gilbert said. “Instead of being a burden, it becomes a gift.”
It’s about making a unique, personal commitment, Jones said. The same formula won’t work for everyone.
Another idea: Refocus your attention on the sacred that’s already a part of your life: The lighting of Advent candles, listening attentively to the readings in church—instead of calculating the number of Christmas cookies you’ll have to make for the office party.
If you’re more disposed to action rather than reflection, find a cause to help with: Ring bells for the Salvation Army, start a food drive at work—pick something that will be a joyful imitation of Christ.
“Advent is the anticipation of God giving the gift of his son to us who are needy,” Ekblad said. “We, in turn, give to those who are needy, responding to the love of God.”
Jones encouraged people to read through both of the birth narratives in the Bible; they’re found in Matthew and Luke. In most churches, the Sunday readings only cover part of the story.
Dec 3, 2008 at 7:38 a.m.
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I haven't checked out this hoggish feedback forum in a while, so I will just ask Billnewbie where he "gets off" questioning MY morals???? Billnewbie's hypocrisy here reminds me of the old story that Mickey Rooney told on a local Baltimore radio station years ago. It seems that Mickey had been welcomed by hordes of fans of the "Andy Hardy" film series to a potluck dinner in the greater Baltimore area, but there was ONE sick soul in the crowd who chose to try to humiliate Mickey. The single (and I remind you, "single") consternator yelled out to Mickey..."Hey Mickey, who do ya like better, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, or Raquel Welch???". Mickey Rooney stood steadfast, his short height heightening the drama, and responded..."God help me, I enjoy pizza burgers, and I also love to imitate the sound of a marmoset infected with Mad Cow Disease...rrrrrrhhhhh....rrrrrrrhhhh....moooooo....mooooooo....moooorrrrrhhhhh....rrrrrhhhhmooooo!!!!". Billnewbie will be clueless I am sure, but I think everyone else who reads this post will get my point in retelling this classic story from Hollywood's Golden Years. There are great lessons to be learned from the early years of Hollywood, my friends. I still have faith in Janesville.
Nov 29, 2008 at 4:56 p.m.
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Imagine that, an atheist adopting Christian morals (as he perceives them). I suppose they have to adopt someone’s morals, why not Christians’.
As for those instructions on what the “horrid swine” should do, print ‘em up and send them to:
Wheekoodnt Karless
% Itdoont Meennuttin
P.O. Box 666
Uthinkwekarwhatuthink, WY 82666
Feel free to send it postage due.
Nov 29, 2008 at 3:34 p.m.
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Tis true, I missed "Fourthmeal at the border" last night. Yes, I suppose a Meximelt would have gone down nicely, but I was so sickened by the whorish consumerism that I had witnessed earlier that day I just went home and drank a bottle of homemade vodka and ate leftover homemade stew-stuff. And "Black Friday Hooliganism" is not only Christians, that is true. It is also lots of seculars who glom onto the Jesus train for 50 percent off socks. It is kind of like the Germans and Chinese who glom onto "MY" peoples' St. Patricks Day to get a good buzz going. How dare they, I say!! I am quite sure there were dirty Buddhists and Jews and Rastifarians stepping on the faces of their brethren as they perpetrated their piggish onslaught through the Clothing section of many famous retailers. I am not anti-Christian. Far from it. I am simply anti-religion. Get a clue. But as an atheist, it appears that I am thusly one of the only few that can comprehend the true meaning of Christmas, and live accordingly on a dastardly day like Black Friday. And that is a truly ironic statement in this world of horrid swine witnessed yesterday. Now wrap your crap, put it under your tree, and thank Jesus on the 25th. And keep all your receipts. Not even Jesus will help your greedy soul if you want to return a horrible gift on the 26th without one.
Nov 29, 2008 at 1:10 p.m.
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2:36 a.m.? Such anger. Testerrific must have hit the bars last night and missed his post bar Taco Bell stop.
Nov 29, 2008 at 12:41 p.m.
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Not all Christians shop on black Friday and not all shoppers on black Friday are Christians. I try to stay away from stores during the weekend after Thanksgiving and concentrate on putting up our family Christmas tree which includes a trip to cut it down. There are times when I consider shopping then only because money is so tight and I do buy gifts for my family and loved ones. I'm thinking testerrific would do well to remember the true meaning of Christmas himself :)
Nov 29, 2008 at 12:21 p.m.
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It looks like Testerrific has been shoveling out some of that "fourth guarantee" in life that he so cleverly cited about a month ago.
It seems to me that if one is going to complain about those filthy christian swine, then one ought not be a stranger to cleanliness (of the soul) as Testerrific appears to be in his frequently discourteous posts.
I wonder if he has ever heard of the secularization of Christmas? I guess that detail doesn't fit the point of view he so zealously propounds.
Nov 29, 2008 at 2:36 a.m.
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Yes, thank you for printing this article about the true meaning of Christmas. I am sure there will be plenty of other responses on this message board as soon as everyone gets home from punching strangers in the face to get the last X-Box on the shelf at Target on Black Friday. All of those horrible people that were like wild boars at a pineapple fest today at the mall will soon descend on a message board like this and start talking about the Glory of Jesus on his birthday, while they wipe the blood from their upper lip after getting into an altercation with a handicapped person over the last "specially priced" DVD of "FRED CLAUS" at Best Buy. And I am most certain that the horrible freakish human beings that sat outside Wal-Mart for 12 hours in a freakin' tent overnight to be first in line for the piggish hoarde-fest will soon contribute to this message board about the beauty of Jesus and his message, while still huffing and puffing...as they are still out of breath from trampling the elderly greeter at Wal-Mart as they rampaged en masse toward the Electronics Department to grapple for the Nintendo Wii. Yes, yes, Glory to Jesus on his birthday my friends. Praise the Lord, and Pass the Pre-Approved Credit!!!! You horrible, filthy swine!!!!
Nov 29, 2008 at 1:38 a.m.
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Thanks for publishing an article that helps me refocus on my priorities. This one will be a "keeper" for me.
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