Watching and waiting

Although this is the December issue of The Diary, it seems far too early to be writing about Christmas, even though the shops have been telling us to do just that since about August. (Because of deadlines, I’m writing this on 10th November).

Christmas starts early these days. Few families or communities or even churches confine their celebrations to the Twelve Days themselves. What this means is that the season of Advent becomes harder to keep. If we are not careful, Advent becomes a time of rushing about buying presents, planning meals, arranging visits to family and friends, singing carols and celebrating long before the day on which we remember Christ’s birth. Many people want nothing else. But others find themselves wanting something more.

For Christians, Advent is a time of watching and waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ. It is a time not only of preparation for the arrival of the baby Jesus in the manger, but also a period in which we can focus on preparing for the return of Christ and the final triumph of good over evil.

How we prepare will depend on many things - our lifestyle, our temperament, our experience of God and so on. Keeping Advent offers the space to reflect on how we can prepare spiritually for Christ’s coming; it can help us to find time for God as we race around. It’s all too easy to prepare for Christmas without giving thought to why we are celebrating. No birthday party happens without the presence of the one whose anniversary it is; how often the child in the manger finds himself omitted from our festivities!

Advent offers Christians a chance to stop and reflect. Many others find the idea of some space in the midst of the frenetic activity in the run-up to Christmas helpful. We have beautiful countryside around us; we have open church buildings; there will be many services in churches and chapels across the benefice. These can provide the space that we need. Even a snatched five minutes of peace and reflection can help us gain a sense of balance again. Or why not visit the crib exhibition in Barley church in the first weekend of December? A reminder of what it is we are awaiting.

With best wishes, Sarah