November 29: Introduction to the 2014 Advent Project
THE ADVENT PROJECT
In the Christian calendar, the month of December holds special significance, and yet for many of us it’s also the busiest, most stressful, and draining of all months. Crowded malls, holiday parties, end-of-year deadlines, busy airports, final exams, and family drama often leave us far too weary to make space for reflection. Yet more reflection—more quiet contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation—is exactly what we need.
Advent calendars come in all shapes and sizes (who doesn’t love the ones with hidden chocolates inside the windows?) but what they have in common is a daily rhythm of anticipatory reflection. They remind us not only that Christmas is coming, but that the days between now and then—the waiting—matters too. Advent is as much about the solemn tension of “now and not yet” as it is about the joy and magnificence of our present gift: God in flesh, our hope divine.
This online Advent Project is designed to help us pause each day to reflect on the beauty and meaning of the season. It utilizes the arts (music, poetry, prose, film, painting, photography), representing a diverse spectrum of styles and time periods, to interact with Scripture over the course of six weeks.
The calendar starts on the first day of Advent, November 30, 2014, and continues through Epiphany, January 6, 2015. Each day features a biblical passage, a devotional written by a member of the Biola community, a work of visual art and a piece of music. Week one explores the theme of “Longing and Waiting” (Nov. 30 - Dec. 6), week two focuses on “The Coming of Christ” (Dec. 7-13), week three reflects on “Signs, Dreams and Angelic Visitations” (Dec. 14-20), week four ponders the reality that “Joy is Come Into the World” (Dec. 21-27), week five explores different facets of what “Christmas Is” (Dec. 28 - Jan. 3) and week six concludes with a liturgical celebration of “The Christ of Christmas” (Jan. 4-6).
We hope you’ll make the Advent Project a part of your daily rhythms this Christmas season. Our prayer is that in the midst of this busy, often chaotic season, the Advent Project will help ground you in the unsurpassable beauty, mystery and miracle of the Word made flesh.
LORD, in the midst of our hectic lives, with so many distractions and commitments and burdens occupying our minds and hearts, give us peace. Focus our minds. Quiet our hearts. Help us this Advent season to encounter you in profound ways. Break through the clutter, the tinsel, the revelry, and meet with us. We welcome your Spirit. Through the beauty of art and the profound witness of your Word, may we understand in new ways the mystery of your Incarnation.