The First Sunday of Advent - The Rev. Colette Hammesfahr
Matthew 24:36-44, Advent 1 Today we begin a new church year. It’s the first week of Advent, and the colors in the church have changed from green to blue. Our Advent wreath is up, and our first candle is lit. Christmas is coming. Have you started shopping? Have you started decorating your house? Have you started baking your favorite cookies? Have you written your Christmas cards? Are the lights up outside? Who’s coming over on Christmas Day? Have you planned the menu? Are you ready for Christmas? Are you prepared? With it being the first week of Advent, we would expect to hear readings about a woman named Mary and a man named Joseph; two people expecting, waiting, and preparing for their first child to be born. As we set up our manger scenes at home, we relive the Nativity. It’s these scenes we expect to hear about on this first Sunday in Advent. Instead, we get a text about the return of the Son of Man, something in our future. This is because Advent is a time for us to loo...