Advent

Advent means coming, arriving, beginning... we might say: "That was before the advent of computers."

Advent as a season in the Christian year is a time of anticipation, of getting ready to celebrate once again the arrival of God in human form. The fact that the human form chosen for this astonishing event was a vulnerable baby should make us gasp in wonder."No, surely not! If God is going to show up surely it would be a more obvious and spectacular arrival."

Those of us who have been brought up on the Christmas story have probably become immune to the astonishment and wonder of the birth of Jesus. That's a great pity! In the commercialisation of Christmas, and even just the familiarity of the story, the invitation to be fully human and divine ourselves is overlooked.

This morning I read this poem which felt to me like an Advent poem and a Resurrection poem. See what you think!

HOW IT SEEMS TO ME
Ursula K. Le Guin

In the vast abyss before time, self
is not, and soul commingles
with mist, and rock, and light. In time,
soul brings the misty self to be.
Then slow time hardens self to stone
while ever lightening the soul,
till soul can loose its hold of self
and both are free and can return
to vastness and dissolve in light,
the long light after time.