Advent is a season of expectation, the word itself meaning “coming.” Many families spend these four weeks waiting for children to come home from college, or for grandparents to come for Christmas dinner. For young children, these days of waiting can seem like a thousand years. Others are amazed at how quickly time is flying, as they sense the end of their own lives drawing near.
The arrival the scriptures speak of is both more profound and more sublime. Stories from the past are told and retold as a way of remembering the significance of the Messiah’s arrival. As we wait alongside the readers of Mark’s gospel, we too hear voices from the past in the prophetic words of Isaiah that prepare us to receive the one who is coming into the world: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In order to hear the voice of the prophet John crying out to us, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” we must find time for silence in the noisy-ness of this season and we must find time to wait in the busy-ness of this season.
Join us this Sunday around our theme – Silent Nights, Holy Lights – as we light another candle on the Advent wreath, spend time in silence, and listen for John’s voice still ringing from the wilderness even today!