Clergy View: Advent — the arrival of a notable person, thing or event

In the Christian church, we have begun the season of Advent.

In our colloquial language we rarely speak of the “advent” of notable people or events. On the other hand, we might more readily hear of the advent of television, motor vehicles (in all their various revisions), and at least in my time we have had the advent of LPs then 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, MP3s, oh my goodness, I’ve lost track! (and yes, I am that old, not because I lost track but because I’ve seen that many changes!) Perhaps the most notable of all advents, and mentioned in nearly every dictionary I could summon, is the advent of what is both a notable person and the event of his arrival, his birth, the baby Jesus.

Advent is a time when we prepare not just for celebration of that sacred event over 2,000 years ago, it is