Reflection
Perhaps more than any previous year, the change earlier this month from Daylight Savings to Daylight Standard Time really hit me.
This semester I am teaching an Introduction to Catholic Theology class that begins at 4:00 p.m. Prior to the time change, students arrived to the classroom in late Autumnal sunshine. After the time shift, dusk – and now, a few weeks on, full-fledged darkness – is upon us as we begin each class session. The impact is entirely predictable; the students are significantly sleepier. I am too!
Today’s readings, very appropriate for this first Sunday of Advent, are tied together by the theme of light and darkness. The first reading from Isaiah ends with the encouragement to “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” In his letter to the Romans, Paul admonishes them to “throw off the works of darkness” and to “put on the armor of light.” In the Gospel, Jesus challenges his followers – and all of us – to “stay awake!”
One of my favorite aspects of Advent is the way light brightens the darkness. Whether it is the light of Advent wreaths, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, holiday decorations across campus and at home or special celebrations such as Lessons and Carols and the Candlelight Mass in Founders Chapel, the symbol of light in this time of darkness is most welcome. The light comes to help us stay awake, to be alert to God’s loving presence in our lives, to rekindle our hope.
Of course, we seek relief from much more than early sunsets. The darkness from which we seek reprieve includes the suffering caused by violence and war across the globe, division around our country and discord in our personal relationships. The breathtaking promise of Advent is that even in the midst of such profound darkness, the light of Christ is coming.
These next four weeks of Advent are the perfect time to prepare for that light so that it may illuminate our hearts and our lives this Christmas, empowering us to be that light for a world in need.
Michael Lovette-Colyer, PhD
VP for Mission Integration