Advent-Week One HOPE
As I enter through the gates of thanksgiving into the kingdom of Advent, reign in love on the throne of my heart… Amen
(Centering Prayers, Peter Traben Haas)
Our house is all lit up for Christmas. We’re very excited about and looking forward to an early Christmas get together December 5th when two of our young adult grandkids will be visiting.
In my non-liturgical faith tradition, little emphasis was placed on Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas. I was introduced to the significance of this season through a meaningful advent devotional several years ago, and since then, the season of Advent has become an important aspect of the Christmas season.
This is the fourth season I have featured Advent posts in the Listening on the Journey… blog. During the 2021 Advent season, I will be reprinting some prior posts, and will use the same Advent wreath photo each Monday.
There are variations of the order in which each week of Advent is symbolized. The weekly designations I’ll use are:
Week One, symbolizing HOPE;
Week Two, symbolizing PEACE;
Week Three, symbolizing JOY;
Week Four, symbolizing LOVE.
This first week of Advent reminds us of the long-hoped-for Messiah, the arrival of Emmanuel (or Immanuel), through the mystery of the incarnation. Concerning the incarnation, Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) said,
The nativity mystery “conceived from the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary”, means, that God became human, truly human out of his own grace. The miracle of the existence of Jesus, his “climbing down of God” is: Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary! Here is a human being, the Virgin Mary, and as he comes from God, Jesus comes also from this human being. Born of the Virgin Mary means a human origin for God. Jesus Christ is not only truly God, he is human like every one of us. He is human without limitation. He is not only similar to us, he is like us.[i]
In Thursday’s post, I will focus further on the significance of hope. Until then, I pray you will be filled with hope during this first week of Advent.
Blessings as you ponder the mystery of the incarnation and the HOPE of Christmas…
[i] https://thev3movement.org/2014/12/24/15-quotes-on-the-incarnation-to-get-you-ready-for-christmas/