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Today on my podcast, I am reintroducing you to my friend, Malcolm Guite, a scholar in Cambridge, a poet and very winsome and informative teacher. You will love hearing about why and how we celebrate Christ throughout the church year. This podcast has been a favorite in the past couple of years, and now it has become a tradition to play it again, to bring all of us from the dark world, into the light of Christ’s reality.
Advent mirrors the quiet but soulful longing that grows deep inside where no one sees. We cry for the touch of our creator amidst the whirlwind of trying to make it through one more busy day. Painting a smile on our face, we stuff down the cries that remain silent to those around us, where we want someone to notice, to care, to save us.
We must open our hearts to expose the doubt, darkness, questions to find Christ humble, gentle, waiting to comfort us.
Advent is a joy that helps us hope.
Advent is when we give voice longing in our hearts. Advent is also when we confess our own participation in the brokenness of the world. Advent, then, is not only about longing for Christ to come again and put everything back together; it’s about repenting and receiving grace so that we get to be put back together now.
But there’s one more piece. Advent is not only about longing for Christ to put the world back together, not only about repenting and letting Christ put us back together; it is also a chance to participate in bringing wholeness to others.
As we enter the Advent season, could we as the people of God, be a part of the answer to the longing in people’s hearts?
The first candle that was lit was the purple candle in the Advent wreath as a symbol of Hope. Whether we sense God or feel a great void or doubt about his presence, we believe He is the hope of the world. The longing we have in our hearts for this world to be set right will come to pass. There are brief glimpses of Joy that remind us of this hope. Until then…we wait.
Find Malcolm here.