Advent as life

Genji and Woman Viewing a Snow-covered Landscape

from the series Elegant Genji - Furyu Genji
Figures by Kunisada
Date: 1853
Publisher: Iseya Kanekichi

Much of the northeast USA is under snow--and northern US. So this thought from Mitch Finley seems appropriate:

"Do you live in a snowy land? Or do you remember living in a snowy land at an earlier time in your life, waking up to find the world under snow? The first snowfall of the winter. Remember. Look out a window at the first snowfall of the year and capture the silence in your heart. Everything is quiet; the snow muffles sound. In the snow, under the fall of snow, the world becomes an Advent place, waiting quietly, waiting for whatever destiny the snow may bring. Waiting quietly.

"Sing a song of Advent, pocket full of sky. Four and twenty snow birds all begin to fly. There are no words, there is no poetry wide enough to hold the mystery that is Advent. As we step into the last week of Advent we realize, with chagrin, that Advent is always beginning. Even as Advent starts the snow, quiet walk towards its own end we know that it never ends. Even on Christmas, we know that life itself is one long Advent, waiting, looking forward, moving toward the beginning that is the end of life. Life is one long Advent moving toward the Christmas that is our ultimate destiny. Each Advent reminds us of this. Each Advent reminds us."

~~Finley, Mitch. Season of Promises: Praying through Advent. Williston Park, NY: Resurrection Press, 1995. 49.