Advent II: Continuing The Journey

The Simple Path Along the Spiral

Dear Friends,

I think we all have an array of vivid holiday memories stretching back to our childhoods, special traditions and events that stand out in the fog of time passed - baking cookies, decorating the tree, opening an Advent calendar. There are so many joyful things to remember. As I look at this week’s lectionary, though, particularly the Gospel reading from Luke, my body begins to feel the rhythm of those readings, of the text we used every year as part of our Christmas Pageant, of the readings we did as older children. As well as I know many scripture passages, the elements that lead into the Christmas story and that story itself, are a metronome that paces my body, helping me find stillness in the season.

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius…”

So far removed from the time named here, we are still part of the story, still traveling on this long journey towards the Mystery of Christmas, and as much as I love a traditional Advent wreath, the nature of the story also makes me think about how much I love the Waldorf-style Advent spiral.

Several lit red candles shine on Mary as she travels with her donkey along the wooden Advent spiral, surrounded by traditional greens.

In Godly Play, we talk about the spiral curriculum, about how we circle through the same stories year after year, building meaning, but as adults we move this way, too. We spiral through the lectionary, through the seasons themselves, and we create spirals in the lives of our own families, with our own traditions. In this way, tradition is grounding, but it’s also energizing. After all, one of the greatest joys of tradition is the act of passing it along.

Though this Advent remains shrouded by the complexity of the ongoing pandemic, by uncertainty and change, especially with new COVID variants continuing to emerge, there is so much that remains unchanged. We sing the same songs, read the same scripture and stories. And we are able to remember, especially when we hear all of the time stamps that fill our stories, that these practices, the keeping of Advent, has survived many similar events in the past. Not only is this not our personal first pandemic Christmas, but it’s one in a long line of those in the history of the faith.

I wonder, how will you continue to mark this time of getting ready?

This is a busy time, and as the Godly Play story reminds us, it can be hard to notice the season of Advent as we hurry through it. I hope you can find that stillness. As the wise Sarah Allred Bentley at Building Faith reminds those of us working in the Church, especially, “If You Are Exhausted, Of Course You Are.” Let that be even more of a signal to step back and find the quiet when you can.

Let’s keep it simple for now. Light a candle and make room for the coming Christ Child.

In Peace,
A. Bird