December 4th, 2011: Peace Sunday

Advent Reflection by Emily Viverette and Mike Wildman

Emily:  While decorating the tree, Mike and I spent some time talking about what we might say this morning.  As we pulled out ornaments and decorations, we began our tradition of telling the stories behind them.  For example, I talked with Jack about the plaster and hand-painted Christmas tree ornament that my mom made for her first Christmas of marriage that now hangs on our tree.

Mike: I retold the story of an ornament that always hung on my childhood Christmas tree that was given to me by a woman from our church and now hangs on my family’s tree.  And, in keeping with tradition, I placed a gift for my Grandfather under the tree, one that he never unwrapped since he passed away at Christmastime over 20 years ago.

Emily: I also showed Jack some of the ornaments from his first Christmas when he was only 2 weeks old.  As I showed them to him, I remembered what it was like to be expecting during Advent and how closely I identified with Mary that year as I, too, awaited something wonderful and frightening and completely out of my control.

As we told these stories, I found myself quite tearful and remembered that Advent is also a time of great tenderness. It’s a time of sharing stories to new generations about those no longer with us.  And yet, these stories are really a reminder of how they are still with us, which, of course, is the promise of Christ.

Mike: Advent then is the time of telling our stories . . . stories of two generations back—our present story to the generations to come and the retelling of the story 2000 years old.  It is the story of hope—of an infant born in seemingly impossible circumstances whose life and death changed the world—the story of Immanuel, God-with-us—the story of one who brought light into the world and challenges us to continue to do the same.

Emily: So, Advent to us is a time of hopeful waiting and preparing through telling stories in community.  It is in the storytelling that we continue to experience the light and hope of Christ. Mike and I tell our history through stories during the Advent season so that our family can remember how the lights of our past continue to shine in our present—so that our children can hear how God has shaped us and how we have hope and faith God will continue to do so through the story of Christ. Last night, after having put lights on our tree and on our mantle, candles in the windows and a fire in the fire place, as I tucked Jack in, he asked me to leave the door to his room open so that all that light could shine in.   And yes, isn’t that what Advent is all about—reminding us every year how we are to leave the door open so that the light can shine in our lives, our hearts and our world.