Advent Hope in a Covid world

Some thoughts as we get into Advent. I was on holiday at the end of last week. These are based on my thoughts from 3 years ago.

Mark Davis1 writes, “The apocalyptic waiting of the Advent season, is torn between avoiding rudimentary distractions and living with desperate faithfulness in a world where God is at work. And as disparate as those two options sound, they describe perfectly the dynamics of Advent 2015. In a world where environmental destruction is heating the planet and bringing threats of drought to one corner of humanity, we are invited to “Tech the halls” with new and improved gadgets. In a world facing the worst refugee crisis of the modern era, we are invited to focus on a “war on Christmas” over red coffee cups. In a world where terror chills the heart in one moment, pumpkin spice warms the body in the next.” 

 

Advent Hope  

Advent Hope is not a static thing. Like the evolution of hope between Jeremiah and Luke, our understanding of hope in God keeps evolving. Advent hope is also the reform of our present ways, the priorities we base our lives on, who and how we share our wealth with, organize our communal life and prepare for the future. Covid is demanding we do this. What we have taken for granted in other years might not even be able to happen this year. What we hope for this year is very different from what we hoped for when I wrote this three years ago.  We need to keep hold of that Advent hope is centred on God’s ongoing everlasting love at work in the world and in our lives. 

 

Reflection. 

Over the next four weeks you will be invited to reflect on our readings. Each day you are invited to quietly pray and reflect on some questions. 

• How has your hope in God changed over your life? 

• In what ways might you be invited to reform your life this advent as we prepare for Christ’s coming? 

• How are you being changed by love?