The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve share common ties in heralding the advent of something new and wonderful, something beyond egoistic self-interest. Elements of faith - peace, hope, love and joy — are center stage during the season of Advent.

It is a time for reflection and introspection as well as an opportunity to grow our faith in significant ways beyond the trappings of the holidays. It is a time for deep friendship with those who actively wrestle with the many accoutrements of faith that are present, no matter the season.

While searching for deeper meaning in our lives, it quickly becomes obvious that there are far more elemental paths to embrace than we might imagine. If it is all simple and straightforward (which fork in the road shall I take?) we could deconstruct much that was taught to us at an early age and go straight to the heart of the matter.

Unfortunately, many churches and denominations base their successes on numbers, budgets, programming and rites such as baptisms. When gathered together, pastors are notorious for comparing records and attempting to convince their peers that thriving in ministry is mostly a numbers game that can be won. Engaging such markers as signs of a healthy church is greatly overvalued, if not dangerous.

Spiritual growth occurs most in the gray areas of faith where black and white are less distinct.. The advent of a new age in astronomy has been in the news recently with the James Webb Space Telescope. On one hand it recognizes the best of human endeavor, satisfying the need for exploration and the thrill of tracing our origins. Where do we come from? How did we arrive? How does science impact faith? How does faith impact science? How will we be changed when life is discovered beyond our planet?

On the other hand it raises serious questions regarding stewardship of resources. Can we justify a 10 billion dollar price tag when there is so much abject poverty and suffering around the globe? It’s a tough argument to win when local foodbanks are chronically struggling or when cultural unrest is on our doorstop. Where do we come out on the question when institutions and churches have yet to arrive at any broad consensus themselves?

The expectancy associated with Advent is real. It defines and directs our relationship with the Divine and celebrates our common humanity as we search for meaning and direction. It is a time when all feels possible and everyone is invited to the party. As we emerge from Advent, do we have the courage to shape possibilities by folding them into a cohesive theology? Will we acknowledge the different forbearances that churches come to without feeling the need to condemn?

Religion, western Christianity in particular, is uniquely positioned on the cusp of something that is lasting and wonderful. Will we have the requite courage to get the job done? The advent of something grand is at our door bringing peace, hope, love, and joy into the mainstream of religious experience. The time is now. No sense waiting another 12 months for the next liturgical cycle to roll around.