December 21 (this Sunday!) is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The early church in the West intentionally aligned its liturgical calendar with the natural rhythms of light and darkness. After tonight, light will slowly creep back into each day, as the Light of the World is born. Darkness and night play a key role in the gospel as Joseph is visited by an angel in his dreams. As he struggles with the news of Mary’s pregnancy, the angel offers directions. As we too struggle with how to prepare the way of the Messiah, the angel reminds us to get directions! Through word and water, wine and wheat, our worship offers us needed direction.
In the busyness of the holidays, it is easy to skip ahead to Christmas and find ourselves ill-prepared to receive Christ when he comes. Our Advent theme – Prepare the Way of the Lord – reminds us to set aside time to light the Advent candles and prepare ourselves for the birth of our Savior. Long ago the prophet Isaiah cried out to God’s people, inviting them to “make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (40:3). Generations later, John the Baptist would use those same words to prepare us for the birth of the Messiah.
inside image: Advent 2025. Dan Cantu. Used with permission.
title image: DrexDesign – stock.adobe.com