Try and try again: it's Advent time!

No sooner do we clean up the dishes from our Thanksgiving dinner than the Advent season is here. Advent is that great liturgical portion of the year when our God seems to put his authority on hold.

Instead of acting as our almighty father, God becomes our meek savior and compassionate messiah who revisits his created world to look around to see what’s broken and, through the Scripture readings within a four-week time frame, offers ways to make things right again.

The Advent season gives creation time to reexamine where we are with our relationship or with God. God sent Jesus to earth to be the way, the truth, and the life. How did Jesus do this?

By preaching and teaching what his father, our creator, told him to say. Every word that came from Jesus’ mouth was placed there by his father.  This is why his father was so clear when he spoke at Jesus’ Baptism saying: “This is my beloved son on whom my favor rests. Listen to him.”

Too many of his creation were listening to other voices and falling from the pathway that led to heaven and to his father’s house. Surely, they would listen to his son who knew them, now looked like them, and knew the exact way?  His son would not count the cost. He had the passion to complete the task.

The father knew the depth of his son’s loyalty and obedience. His son could be counted on to carry out his mission even at a great price. Advent is the time period that sets the stage and celebrates God’s great mission to win back creation no matter the challenge.

The Liturgy cheers on our God with its weekly lighting of the four Advent candles, and the

singing the inspiring hymn, O Come, O Come, Immanuel.  

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show… Amen.

Painting: The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner