Advent Hope

Last Friday there was an advent reflections luncheon hosted by Campus Ministry. It was a nice opportunity to take a break from this very busy season in the academic and personal calender and focus on the meaning of advent. It was a time of guided reflection and sharing - begining by meditating on three words: waiting, patience, and hope.

It was interesting to hear the different thoughts and emotions evoked in various people - for some, waiting elicits excitment and anticipation, for others a sense of anxiety and uncertainty. It was agreed by most everyone present that patience does not come naturally! It takes practice and discipline, and is a trait that is ever more difficult to master living in a culture that thrives on instant access to whatever the heart desires.

And what about hope? Hope, for nearly everyone, evoked positive feelings - a sense of joy in what is to come, a way to see us through the waiting (patiently or otherwise!). The leader remarked that in Christian usage, hope has a very specific meaning: it is the confident expectation that God's plan will be revealed - for our lives, and for our world. For me this gave a richer meaning to the word. Hope is not the same as wishful thinking - in that case we wish (hope) that good things will come to pass, but have no real certainty that they actually will. Hope is intimately tied to faith - as followers of Christ, we are certain that God's grace and love are extended to us - no matter how much our current circumstances may make it feel otherwise. That hope is what allows us to patiently wait for the revelation of God's love.

So during advent we wait. Expectantly. Actively. Preparing the way for the light and hope of the world!

A blessed advent to you all.

--Lisa