The thing I love most about Advent is the time for quiet, for contemplation, and for remembrance of the goodness and light for which we are waiting and watching. I find that art and poetry can be a great source to help me to slow down, to look and to listen for the coming Light.

Enjoy spending time with these works of art and poetry this Advent season.

Sitting with reality (I feel safer when it’s not lit)
Colleen RJC Bratton

Wake, Awake for Night is Flying
Sylvia Oines

Knock, Knock, “Who’s there?”
“It is I,” said the dark
“And I am coming in to stay,
Not forever, but for a while
Before the night flies away.”
So dark came in, with steady step and slow,
And stalked around my place,
Reminding me of things
That I wished were not so.
When he left, or through which door
I really do not know,
For soon there came another knock
Upon my lowly door.

Then light came in, without a word,
At once I knew his name.
With nimble feet and joyful limbs,
He danced around my place.
He warmed the corners, filled the cracks,
And promised that he’d stay,
Not just a while, but forever,
Tomorrow, and through the next day.

Awake, believers, be glad!
For night is flying, and fly it must.
For the Christ who came, comes again.
The light no darkness can overcome.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Copyright 2000 by John August Swanson
Serigraph 30 3/4″ x 24″
www.JohnAugustSwanson.com

Collaborative church installation of origami Advent stars

Endless Alleluias
Sylvia Oines

Heaven did come down that night
and touched the earth with song
an endless, holy song of Christ
still rings in glory, on.

A song that moves around the earth
from Kings to girls and boys
to heal, to teach, and to move
our sorrow into joy.

It soars and grows with melodies
countless songs for you and me
from heaven to earth, the new, the old
our time and space, too short to hold.

The song began in Bethelehem
lives in our hearts and has no end
until the day when Christ we see
forever, then, we’ll sing of Thee.