(Each Saturday, a faith leader offers a personal perspective in this space. To become part of this series, email religion@recorder.com)
Church folks are now in the midst of the Advent season. “Advent” comes from the Latin word for “coming” so, simply put, Advent is the season when Christians wait for Jesus to come again on Christmas morning.
If you are a “church person,” advent waiting is a familiar concept, but whether you have spent your whole life in a church or you have never darkened the doors of a religious community, waiting is something we all understand.
What are you waiting for?
Right now, many of us are waiting for an end to all the struggles and limitations placed on us by COVID-19. Many of us yearn to take off our masks, go back to work, and start hugging our family and friends once again. We long for an in-person birthday party or Christmas dinner. Waiting, yearning and longing are all a part of this season for everyone.
Think about how your heart feels in waiting moments. I’m sure every one of us has spent time waiting in line at a grocery store. With the required six-foot distancing, we often find ourselves standing far out into the store and that alone makes our wait feel even longer. When we get ready to check out, with a cart full of groceries, and discover that the line is going to take a while, we become impatient. I don’t know about you, but I admit that I have been known to keep checking my watch, groaning when the cashier calls for a price check, sighing outwardly when the credit card of the customer ahead of me doesn’t go through, and even muttering under my breath about what is taking so long. This is not a pleasant waiting experience. It can feel frustrating, isolating (as the others in line aren’t happy, either), and annoying. This kind of waiting is no fun.
And then there are times when we wait, not just in annoyance, but even in fear: times when our paycheck arrives late and we don’t know if we will be able to meet the rent or buy food for our families; moments when our loved one is out later than expected and it’s dark and we haven’t heard from them; long days that pass, running to the phone every time it rings because the doctor is supposed to be calling us with test results. These waiting times are fearful and anxiety-filled. No one would choose to experience this kind of waiting.
But there is another kind of waiting. Imagine waiting in line for entrance into Fenway Park for a Red Sox game, or Gillette Stadium for a Patriots game, if you are a huge sports fan. Think about being in the midst of a crowd gathered outside a venue before a concert begins, or counting down the days until your child or grandchild comes to visit. In those moments, there is a collective air of excitement, a sort of “buzz” of anticipation and a shared camaraderie as folks eagerly look forward to what is coming next.
Picture the high-energy wiggle of a young child who knows that Santa is soon coming with a special treat, or that Grandpa is coming over and a fun time will be shared. Watching the jumping up and down and hearing the high-speed chatter of a toddler conveys an enthusiasm that’s contagious.
And THIS is what Advent waiting can look like! We are not waiting to see IF Jesus will come, because we know that God has already shown up in our world. Jesus was born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago and we are excitedly anticipating celebrating that birth once again. God loves us enough to come and live among us so that we might better understand the joy of loving one another and Christmas is the moment when we are most tangibly reminded of that love.
Waiting, yearning, longing … Advent is the time to come together in joy and shared delight at the birth of a baby who lived and loved so faithfully and so powerfully that he changed the world. Advent is THAT kind of waiting. Let’s all wait joyfully together.
Athol Congregational Church, UCC, 1225 Chestnut St., is a local community of faith that is “small enough to know you, large enough to serve.” We are currently offering creative “on location” online messages, available under the “sermon” link at atholcongregationalucc.org, and these are not your typical “in the sanctuary” recorded services. Our pastor and our members are available for conversation in our Athol Congregational Church Facebook group, and through private messages, and we would love to connect. We offer long-distance Reiki through our certified practitioners, are willing to pray with you whatever your need, and want to know you, whoever you are.