The advent of Advent

This Sunday is the first in Advent, marking the start of the church's celebration of the Christmas season. I am no great follower of the traditions of the church but as a Christian I do love this season. Quoting from Tolkien (see the last blog) "The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy." So this is truly a joyous celebration. The event which the Old Testament prophets had all looked forward to, the event which God had promised way back at the dawn of history finally happened. Isaiah foresaw the time of it's occurence as a time of darkness in this world. "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people...." How true that prophecy was to prove. God's people under the heel of the Romans following centuries of Greek influences - pagans had taken over the world. Even the worship of God had been corrupted and the religious leaders had lost touch with the nature of the God that they paid lip-service to. But into that darkness came light. "Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the Lord shall arise upon you and His glory shall be seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising."

Advent heralds the coming of the light, the dawn of glory. The great story begins in joy with the incarnation - the eucatastrophe, the sudden joyous upturn in the history of Mankind - the pivotal moment in history when God came down into His creation. What story can compare with this?