Coming To

November 27th, 2011 Posted in writing

Advent is about Christ’s “coming to” us. The word itself derives from the Latin for coming/veniens and to/ad. In the season of Advent, the church focuses on the coming of Christ to us at the Nativity and at the end of time.

But as I got to thinking about the expression “coming to,” I realized that though it means “approaching” in Latin, in English we can use it to mean “regaining consciousness” as in “coming to” after one has been knocked out.

So, maybe we can think of Advent as a time when we regain consciousness. About what? I can think of three things I would want to become more conscious of. The first is my desire to have God as a friend and companion. The second is the realization that I don’t have to earn God’s love; it has already been freely given to me. The third is the awareness of how I have been touched by God through the goodness and kindness of others around me. Sadly, I’m not always conscious of these three things, and this year’s Advent can be a time to become aware of them again as I prepare for Christmas.

What things do you, your family, or your community need to “come to” about? Share a comment if you like.

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