Advent

Each year we celebrate the coming of the Christ into our muddled world. It is a worthy celebration indeed. Some would simply call this time the Christmas Season, though many would prefer to not offend anyone and call it the Holiday Season. I prefer the term given by the Catholic Church and is used by many others of various denominations--Advent. Just the word, which implies the coming of something, has a sweet and melodic air about it. And this time of year, despite the long lines, cold, and shorter days, we need the hope of something coming.

Churches hold special services to bring people into the warmth of the building, to honor the Christ through singing and dramatic representations. Our pastors work diligently on preparing a most poetic and imaginative sermon to bring our hearts to an appreciation of this time of year. And the truth is, the advent of Christ is worth celebrating and announcing each year, just as the star and angels announced his coming that first of so many Christmas mornings. It is worth celebrating because each year in countless ways and to unknown people, Christ is born again in their lives. Christmas morning happens to someone every day of the year and it is fitting that we honor that most holy of experiences at the very least, once a year.
The greatest and most profound of those new births into our world, however, do not happen inside the church building, and often times without much help from the church itself. That is the absurd joke of it all, that despite ourselves, Christ can be born afresh without our help.
Here at Cascade High School, for forty some odd years, students have been bringing Christ into the heart of their community, and most don't recognize it as more than a good deed, a charity that is worthwhile and makes them feel good. Students spend workweek hours outside of grocery stores asking for donations. Students spend the equivalent of a second and third school day after school shopping our cafeteria in order to create baskest that will provide weeks worth of food to the poor. And every time a student does that, whether they count themselves as a believer, or are simply earning hours for the National Honor Society, Christ is born again into our world.
What gives us pause during this season is not the gift count, nor is it the sweets. What we, the world included, hold our breath in awe of, is the advent of compassion that fills the air with more beauty than the falling snowflakes and frozen ponds of our world. There is nothing more beautiful or more befitting the advent season than the giving of the truest and best of humanity to a world in need.