God With Us: A Social Justice Advent Guide for Families

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Stores are covered in Christmas decorations earlier and earlier each year. Halloween pumpkins are barely put away before the first strains of Christmas music come on the radio. Santa Claus competes with turkeys on table top displays. The headlong rush into Christmas can be a source of stress and anxiety. Christmas marks the end of the year according to the secular calendar; however, on the sacred calendar, Christmas is near the beginning of the year’s holy seasons.

The Christian calendar begins at the end of November with the season of Advent. The name Advent is derived from the Latin word, adventus, which means “coming.” Rather than the rush of the secular, commercialized holiday season, the season of Advent allows us to slow down, to reflect on the seasons past and season to come, and to prepare our hearts to receive Christ, not only in the form of the Christ child on Christmas day, but also in the Second Coming. This is a season of anticipation, reflection, and expectation. It is a season of longing – not for the gifts under the Christmas tree, but for the ultimate gift – Christ. Advent is a season of both joyful and solemn anticipation of deliverance.

Because the season of Advent is a time of awaiting the Christ child and the risen Christ, it is a perfect time to think about social justice issues. Christ’s ministry, which is explored in other seasons of the Christian year, focuses on lifting up those whom society regarded as worthless or weak, including the poor, the ill, the foreigner, women, and children. Social justice was at the core of Jesus’ ministry. Based on the Advent readings for Lectionary Year A, this guide will assist you in slowing down this season by taking 20-30 minutes one night a week to focus on social justice.

We pray that this Advent Guide enriches the season as we all await the coming of Christ in whom there is peace and justice for all.