We live in a world that doesn’t wait well. Two-day shipping feels slow. Buffering videos frustrate us. We’ve trained ourselves to expect instant everything—instant answers, instant entertainment, instant gratification.
And then comes Advent.
This Sunday, we light the first candle on the Advent wreath and enter a season that dares to suggest that waiting itself might be holy. That the space between longing and fulfillment matters. That preparation and anticipation have something important to teach us.
The Season of Almost
Advent asks us to sit in the tension of “already but not yet.” We know how the story ends—Christmas morning arrives, the light breaks through, Emmanuel comes to dwell among us. But Advent invites us to slow down and feel the ache of a world still waiting for hope to be made flesh.
The prophet Isaiah speaks to a people exhausted by exile, offering words that still resonate: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” We light candles in the growing winter darkness not to banish it immediately, but to acknowledge both the darkness and our deep human longing for light.
What Waiting Teaches
There’s a reason the church has preserved this season of preparation. Waiting—not just killing time—shapes us in ways that immediacy cannot:
- Waiting cultivates patience and trust when we’re conditioned for control.
- Waiting creates space for honest reflection when we’re tempted to stay perpetually busy.
- Waiting reminds us that some of the best gifts require time to develop.
- Waiting teaches us that we’re not in charge of the timeline, and that’s actually okay.
In our Advent worship, we’ll sing ancient hymns like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”—songs of longing sung by countless generations before us. We’ll read prophetic words spoken to people who waited decades, even centuries, for their fulfillment. We’ll practice a spirituality that honors the in-between spaces of life.
Your Invitation This Advent
Whether you’re a longtime Episcopalian who knows the liturgical rhythms by heart, or you’re simply curious about what this whole Advent thing means, you’re invited into this season as a fellow traveler.
Join us this Sunday at 8:30 or 10:00 AM as we light the first Advent candle together and begin this journey toward Christmas. We’ll gather in person at 9549 Highland Drive or via Zoom at 10:00 AM—wherever you are, you’re welcome.
You might also consider a personal Advent practice: light a candle each evening, offer a simple prayer, sit in silence for five minutes before the day rushes in. Let yourself feel the longing. Notice where you’re waiting in your own life—for healing, for clarity, for reconciliation, for hope.
Advent reminds us that we’re all waiting for something. And in the waiting, God meets us.
Join us for worship:
Sunday, November 30th at 8:30 AM or 10:00 AM
In person: 9549 Highland Drive, Brecksville
Online: 10:00 AM via Zoom (visit stmatthewsbrecksville.org)
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