By Gerri Leder
The light poles were adorned with white Christmas lights when we drove through town after Thanksgiving dinner. How is it that, having barely put away the Thanksgiving china, we find ourselves barreling toward Christmas?
What about Advent, when we Christians prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world? The word Advent derives from the Latin word, Adventus, which means coming. The season of Advent is often referred to as the space between already and not yet. We remember the purity of Mary’s acceptance, and we await with joyful hope the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Or at least we try to do that. It is all too easy to rush, rush, rush through December, shepherding the Christmas season in your household. You know: Secret Santa gifts and stocking stuffers; Angel trees and food drives; trimming the tree and tending the calendar: concerts and Christmas pageants; parties and friends meetups; baking Christmas cookies and planning the menu; who is invited and what will we serve?
Breathe! The more we try to do good, the more disconnected we can feel from the peace and reflection Advent offers in the themes of hope, peace, joy and love. By meditating on each of these themes, we can find a deeper connection to the coming of Jesus.
Remember, Advent is the start of the liturgical year and offers a new start. Who doesn’t love new beginnings as a chance to correct our course, notice a need that we can fill, or a role we can serve, turn the page, quit a bad habit, start anew? We really have a chance to do Advent differently this year.
The first week of Advent centers on the theme of hope. Let us marinate in the message of hope in our lives by reflecting on each of these questions:
- What spiritual practice can we adopt in Advent to inspire hope?
- Who in our community needs help with prayer, goods or services?
- What do we hope for in our own lives and the lives of our family?
- What must we relinquish in order to trust God to deliver hope in our lives?
- What one thing are we willing to do to inspire hope?
New beginnings offer a chance to adjust or change up our sources of spiritual nourishment. A great place to begin is by extending last week’s thanksgiving into a daily gratitude practice. For example, we may take time in nature each day to notice the blessings in our lives. Explore new sources of inspiration from books, podcasts and daily meditations. One’s prayer time can benefit from new influences or sources of spiritual nourishment.
In the rush of Christmas preparation, it is possible – even tempting – to rush through Advent. If we do that, we miss the richness and the chance to grow closer to God that the Advent season offers. Stop and notice the presence of the Holy Spirit in every moment. When we linger, we can look beyond our own experience to notice what others need in our community.
May we carve out the time (or double down) for spiritual reflection and the meaning of Advent. May we remember in prayer the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy and love. Next week, we explore peace as a second week theme of Advent.
Gerri Leder, a graduate of the Spiritual Direction Institute at Bon Secours, is a retreat leader and small group facilitator. She retired as a marketing consultant for financial advice firms.
Rev. 12/2/25