First Tuesday Of Advent 2023

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 

 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 

 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 

 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 

 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 

—Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Advent is the time for rousing.  We are shaken to the very depths, so that we may walk up to the truth of ourselves.  The primary condition for a fruitful and rewarding Advent is renunciation, surrender.  We must let go of all our mistaken dreams, our conceited poses and arrogant gestures, all the pretenses with which we hope to deceive ourselves and others.  If we fail to do this, stark reality may take hold of us and rouse us so forcibly in a way that will entail both anxiety and suffering.

--Alfred Delp

I would point out, if that sounds like New Year’s resolutions, maybe it’s because Advent starts the church year over again. A new year is a good time to try a new start.

And if Ecclesiastes 3 brings to mind Ecclesiastes 1:

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 

 6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 

 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 

 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Don’t consider that an accident, either. Consider it a good place to start.