The Coming Christ

Years ago when I first got acquainted with the season of Advent, I was surprised that the first Sunday focused on Jesus coming, but not in Bethlehem.  Instead, the focus is Jesus coming in the clouds, or coming again.  The message of the first Sunday of Advent is that the Jesus who has come is coming.  It should not have seemed strange back then as the gospel tells us about a Kingdom that is both here in our midst and coming.  The  gospel is this mysterious message that tells us about God being on His throne and dwelling in our hearts.  We worship a God who is here and there, one who speaks with no Voice, and one who is invisible and constantly revealing Himself.    

Let no one say the Holy Word is not about mystery.  Let no one say it is not a word which reveals mystery to us.  On this first Sunday in Advent our minds want to travel on ahead to Bethlehem to behold what is indeed a great mystery:  The Incarnation.  The God with us moment.  Yet, instead the emphasis of the day calls us not to look behind us to that mysterious event in human history, but forward to still another which will come.  It is a day for remembering the words of two men in white robes who stood with the disciples as Jesus was lifted into the clouds at His ascension, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?  This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven."  (Acts 1:11)  

During the season of Advent we are caused to anticipate and wait for the moment when we celebrate the Christ event on Christmas Day, but there is also a call to live with an expectation that the One who has come is coming again.  In many ways, it is the forgotten and ignored part of the gospel message, but ignoring this coming event does not change its inevitability.  As we say during the Holy Communion, "Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!"