Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
by Andrea Lingle
The leaves are falling from the trees here in the western North Carolina mountains. There have been piles of people flowing through our little town as people pause their lives to come experience the spectacle of gold and red against a cerulean sky (that’s a fabulous blue color).
But I didn’t.
I haven’t made it up to the Blue Ridge Parkway or hiked at Graveyard Fields. I haven’t strolled down the Laurel River or made a leaf bouquet at Big Ridge Overlook.
Yesterday morning one of my sons called me into his bedroom with the “Mom, you have to see this,” that can mean that he has figured out how to jump from his dresser to his bed or there is a stink bug on his ceiling.
This time he wanted to show me the cardinal resting in the neighbor’s bush. This time he was right. I had to see that. He was a brilliant autumnal show. A flash of elegance and recklessness. A home visit.
The glorious lesson of migrating birds is: there will be another year, there will be another cycle, and this day I can begin again knowing that my failure has not stopped the flow of the seasons or grace.
Advent marks the start of a new year. A new cycle. A new incarnation of what it means to be living in a world with the human and the Divine. A chance to embrace the brevity of the autumnal dance, a chance to face the rush of the air tumbling off the wing of a very wild spirit, a chance to take the hands of the ones you call neighbors.
A new liturgical journey begins with Advent, a season of preparation. And this year the Missional Wisdom Foundation would like for you to join us on an exploration into who and what the incarnate Christ is and was.
There will be a few ways to engage in this journey.
Read this newsletter. Each week beginning November 29, The Wisdom for the Way will explore the theology of incarnation.
Enroll in the Advent Journey Course. This course will be an asynchronous (meaning you can take it at your own pace) four-module course designed to give the participant more resources on incarnational theology and a chance to discuss and reflect. This free course is open for registration.
Join me on Facebook Live. I will be doing Facebook Live discussions with Luke Lingle on each week’s Wisdom for the Way writings. These will be Thursdays at 9:00 pm Eastern Time each week of Advent beginningNovember 30. I will be chatting from my writer’s page: Andrea Lingle. Just search for @alingle from within Facebook.
Form an in-person or Incarnational Group. Incarnational Groups will have four liturgies to follow, set an intention of service, and will work well with children, adults, or a mix of both. If you have a group who would like to use this study this Advent, please visit our store.