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Advent reminds us
Jesus is here

In the Christian world, most of the month of December is the season of Advent. We prepare and wait expectantly for the coming of Jesus, both his birth, which we celebrate at Christmas, and his coming again.

Focusing on Christmas, which the commercial world has been doing since before Halloween, and speculating about Jesus' second coming can distract us from encountering Christ in the here and now, from meeting the Holy One in the people and events of our lives.

God comes to us in many ways and through all sorts of people. Looking back over my life, I remember many people who brought the love of God into my life. There was the choir mother who welcomed me to the junior choir at the new church we joined when I was 9 years old. There was the older priest who mentored me when I was a fresh seminary graduate and thought I knew everything I needed to know. There are the people in my church who support and challenge me.

Advent calls Christians to keep awake, or even to wake up. When we are awake, we can see the Christ of God in surprising and wonderful ways. Jesus might come in a phone call from a friend just when you need to hear a friendly voice. The Holy One might come in an offer of help with a problem that seems beyond solution. Christ might come in a challenge that pushes you to grow or learn new things.

I invite you to open your eyes to see how Jesus the Christ, the Holy One of God, has shown up and is showing up in your life. Look for Christ's presence, Christ's lessons, in the people and events in your life. As you become more conscious of how the Holy One shows up in your life, you might even come to see how you are and can be a bearer of Christ into others' lives and into the world.

As Christians, we do not believe that Jesus went away after his death and resurrection. We believe that he is with us still in all sorts of ways. We might not know when or how Christ will come again, but if we open our eyes, we can see the life of Christ all around us and even in and through us.

Then we will not need to be preoccupied with speculations about when or how Jesus will return to earth. Instead, we can celebrate Christmas, Christ's presence with us, every day.

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