My upcoming 3 day retreat coincides very neatly with the beginning of ‘Celtic Advent’ – this being a full 40 day period before Christmas, and dating back to the Celtic Christian’s affinity to Christian Orthodoxy. It begins on the evening of 15th November through to Christmas Eve.
Back up a step – why would anyone pay any attention to these ‘man-made times and seasons’? Interestingly, often a question from folks who don’t want to enter Lent or Advent, but quite happy to celebrate Easter or Christmas. I digress. I came to appreciation of the ‘Christian Year’ as a way to live the story of God.
In this way of live, Advent is the new year – the time of preparation for the incarnation. It’s an entering into the voice and longing of the prophets and the ‘how long, Lord?’ of the church. It’s a preparation of the heart to stoop low before a cradle in recognition that our Saviour comes vulnerably as a baby.
Christmas announces Gods intervention in the world, and Epiphany the glorious revelation that Christ opens up the way for the gentile people to bow in worship of Christ. Then, slowly, Lent appears as we move towards the heartbreak of Calvary and the exuberance of Resurrection before the expectancy of of the Spirit and yet more fulfilment of his goal to reach the scattered nations and draw them to the Risen and ascended one!
After that, the first 6 or so months moves to ‘Ordinary time’ – where we’re reminded that we’re called to live the story of Christ in our everyday circumstances.
Sure, you can follow calendar months, academic terms, or natural seasons to shape what your life looks like…but why not learn from our faith heritage and shape your life around the story of Jesus and God’s big plan?
Celtic Advent will be no legalistic, ritualistic practice, but will be a prophetic invite to pull down mountains and raise up valleys, and ‘prepare the way of the Lord’ – to embody the posture of John the Baptist, making a way for the Lord in the desert of 21st century post-Christendom Scotland.
The Bible doesn’t say anything about Advent…but advent means ‘coming’, and is filled with messianic hope of his first coming and the Christian’s hope of his coming again! As the ancient prayer of the church exclaims, ‘Maranatha! Come quickly Lord!’ Surely, the longing of every believer in Christ
Andrew S M Clark 