Advent is our opportunity to be counter cultural.

There is a tremendous amount of pressure on this time of year: buy all the gifts, deck all the halls, string all the lights, bake all the cookies, and attend all the holiday parties. Prior to the start of December, I caught myself adding a substantial list of holiday activities into my calendar so that my family gets to experience “the magic of the season.”

While there is nothing inherently wrong with celebrating this time of year in ways that reflect our larger culture, I do wonder if we sometimes deemphasize the quietness and stillness of Advent to the detriment of our spiritual connection with God.

Advent, as so many of us already know, is a season of preparation. A season for waiting with hope in our hearts and bodies for the coming of Christ into the world. What if we, instead of adding to our never-ending holiday lists, decided to let some of the cultural expectations and tasks go? In a recent episode of Luther Seminary’s “Pivot” podcast, titled “Reclaiming Advent—Simple Church Activities for Sacred Presence,” Pastor and Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation, Steve Thomason urges us to “subtract” from this season, and embrace the stillness and quietness of Advent through simple, spiritual practices that connect us the life and love of God.

So, favored ones, what are you subtracting from your list in order to dwell in the stillness and quiet of this season? Perhaps you’ll choose to engage the “Words for a New Beginning” devotional, perhaps you’ll attend midweek Advent worship and steep yourself in soft candlelight and beautiful music, perhaps you’ll turn off the TV and practice silence for five minutes. Maybe you’ll intentionally choose to relieve yourself of the cultural pressure and expectations by limiting the number of tasks and activities in your calendar. Whatever you choose to do (or not do), Advent is your opportunity to be countercultural. Advent is a time for all of us to ground our faith in simplicity and grow in awareness of God’s presence and deep love for this world.