Advent 2017

Advent by Rick Folker December, 2017 "... you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake ... the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Rom. 13:11-13 The light this December seems somehow, somewhat dissipated and weak. It struggles to shine, to show forth a joyous, hopeful season, fulsome with nervous anticipation of a new birth - A Savior! In awe and wonder we hear of of this 'annointed one' who cries in his crib; in a ghetto or a flavella with other outcasts, other suffering servants. He is offering comfort, care, and consolation for those still strong enough to seek, to survive, and maybe even to thrive? Yet; this humble, hopeful birth is over-shadowed by a fog of fear, a paralyzing despair of a people clinging to old tired myths and lies re-told, re-learned, renewed once the season is past and our hope is kicked to the curb with the old tree and the tawdry tinsel trash. We seem to shrink from this fading, weak light in December so that we might remain in a shadow world of un-checked shame, hidden traumas, and night stalking terrors, whilst continuing to blame blame blame all the while avoiding the healing that must be exposed to the new day; that requires us to be awake. So tired of it all, yet we remain in our addiction to the game, and impatient for the promised morn when the Savior promised he would come again we retreat to the safety of sleep and vow to ignore the stark, post-nativity demands of that sweet Savior newborn. However... I choose, this December to embrace the fading, waning, weak light and embrace my frightened shadow self and expose it to the healing light I will awake and blindly feel my way up from the cave of darkness, that fetid stench of fear, and put an end to that long, lonely night Then with a tremulous, yet confident voice I will sing boldly with my fellow wounded pilgrims: Silent night Holy night The hopes and fears Of all the years Are met in thee tonight