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2016 Worship Guide
December 7, 2016
A Lincoln Daily News Publication
Page 17
that bombards us in every aspect of our life,
telling us we need this or that and how our
lives won’t be complete without a certain
product. Am I speaking about you?
In so many ways, this year is not unlike
previous years. Perhaps the only difference is
that the Cubs won the World Series or we did
most our shopping from home. Either way,
since Labor Day, the march towards Christmas
has been underway and it has brought with it
all sorts of baggage.
But before we get too weighed down with
keeping “the real reason for the season” and
sprinting from this party to the next, we need
a reminder about what season we are in now:
Advent.
Advent is about anticipating the birth of
Christ. It’s about longing, desire, and that
which is yet to come… that which isn’t here
yet.
And so we wait. We wait expectantly.
Together. With an ache. Because all is not
right. Something is missing.
Why is Advent so important? Because
cynicism is the new religion of our world.
This new religion teaches that nothing—not
even you—is as good as it seems. Whatever
you have, it will let you down. Whoever you
surround yourself with, he or she will betray
you. That institution? That church? That
politician? That person you admire? This
new religion screams at us, “They’ll all let
you down! Whatever you do, don’t get your
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