Adventus

“The King shall come when morning dawns And light triumphant breaks. When beauty guilds the eastern hills and light to joy awakes.”

Adventus is here. Latin for Advent, Adventus means: “arrival, approach, invasion... ripening, visit, appearance...” King-God, help me to prepare with you to welcome your glory this season. 

My first Advent scripture meditation was John 1:1-5. “In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Today, my friend and I went for a walk by the river. The sun blinded us as we watched the gulls take flight. It warmed our faces as we laughed when I accidentally took pictures of my hand learning to use my new phone.

I relished the presence of my friend who walked amongst the gulls so we could watch them fly. She cheered me in my sickness by asking me silly, interesting and thoughtful questions. She also reminded me of how great it is that in the Body of Christ we aren’t all sick at once – so friends can lift each other up.

As we walked back, I was moved by two exercisers: a professional runner with one arm, and a man with dreadlocks to his waist who danced to the music from his ear buds as he rollerbladed down the path.

These men live in light despite outward appearances. Thank you for this gift, God.

A little further down, we passed a church, where a woman often sits on the steps to escape her negative house environment. My friend knows the woman so we decided to stop for a chat.

Recalling the gift of the gulls, I pulled out the phone I recently received and shared the photos with her. She enjoyed the pictures of my hand and marveled at the brilliance of the sun on the river as the gulls glided above. It was a moment of light, a “smooch from God,” as my friend likes to say – “And the darkness has not overcome it.”

The woman sitting on those church steps reminded me of Mary. Waiting. Alert and aware.

Mary prepared her whole life for the Magnificat. She ran to greet her King, throwing down not flowers in his path, but her life. How does a King enter a heart? Through one who is full of grace.

Mother, full of grace, help me to cherish the gift of life. Help me to prepare for the wonder of new light this Christmas. Help me to open my heart to Him as He reaches out his tiny light-bathed hands to me. And when I’m ripened, help me to run to Him as He is runs and dances toward me.

 “The King shall come when morning dawns And light and beauty brings. Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray: Come quickly King of kings.”