“No long, distant pilgrimages are needed, are they, Holiness of our hearts? For you are in our midst, in the people, in the places, in the sounds and silence of our lives. Open our hearts, open our eyes, and quiet us in holy stillness, even as we journey as Advent pilgrims.”
~Thom Shuman

At church yesterday, we celebrated the First Sunday of Advent. Of all the seasons of the church year, I would have to say that Advent is possibly my favorite. I love the minor tunes of the hymns and the references to darkness and light. I love the dark purples and royal blues that are found in the banners and fabrics we use to dress our worship spaces. I love the Advent wreath with the candles being lit one by one over the four weeks leading to Christmas Eve. I love the scriptures that are on the one hand jarring with images and metaphors about skies opening up and also beautiful with glory shining all around. Truth be told I think I could stay in Advent longer than four weeks.

Most people, I know, are in a hurry to get to the red and green of Christmas. It is difficult to hold back the moving train that rushes toward the celebration that sometimes mentions the birth of the Christ Child. As a culture, it seems we have so much hanging on these days from an economic standpoint. So many businesses count on these days to make a go of it. While I understand it, it makes me sad to think of moving too quickly through Advent.

Sad because Advent is our invitation to stay awake to how the Holy shows up in our lives.Yesterday’s scripture lesson did just that: “Stay awake; for you do not know when or where God will come.” the Lector read. Advent is the season when we can, if we choose, allow our senses to be on high alert for the minute and magnificent showing forth of God’s movement in our very ordinary lives. Of course, it is happening all the time. But Advent is our big excuse to be on the lookout.

I found the prayer above by Thom Shuman tucked within the Advent devotional I am using this year. It caught my attention and my heart right away. I thought of all the times I have convinced myself that I needed to travel far distances or go to some holy place in my search for the Sacred. Most of the time I have not been disappointed. But it seems to me the story that leads us to Christmas proves the point that God shows up all the time…..where we least expect. Places like fields filled with sheep or along dusty roads. In palaces filled with kings and queens and in barns filled with animals. In the life of a young woman who is surprised by a messenger. In the vulnerable and precious face of a baby.

Our work during these Advent days is to be open hearted enough to notice. Our work is to be still enough to keep ourselves from drowning in the fury of the world’s speed. Our work is to allow the darkness to hold the glowing ember of what might be born. We don’t need to go to any particular place that is more holy than any other or surround ourselves with any special tools. We simply need to walk with intention through our lives. Looking and listening for the Breath that has always been there.