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“Everyone loves January,” said no one ever, but at least January knows what it is.  What’s February about?  March?  No one knows.

On the other hand, everyone knows what Januaries are about: a new year, a new you.  New resolutions, fresh starts after Decembers marked by multiple forms of over-consumption.  Every January, we carry our perennial hopes into a new annum––hopes for better health, better habits, better job, better relationships, better family, and so on.  Another chance to refinance the self and work up another renovation.

Do I have a problem with these January goals, you ask?  Not with the goals part per se, but I do beef with the January aspect.  Because from the perspective of the church’s liturgical calendar, January is a month late. 

The liturgical calendar begins not in January but in December, with Advent.  After Advent, the church then follows Jesus’ ministry on earth all the way through crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension––periods marked successively by Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter.  Following the Eastertide season, the church journeys through Ordinary Time, which culminates right before Advent with Christ the King Sunday.  (Because Christ is King of time, ‘natch.)

Advent itself is most often characterized as a time of quiet waiting and preparation as we await the birth of Christ in Bethlehem and likewise keep in mind that just as Christ has come and Christ has risen, Christ will come again.  (The word “Advent” connotes coming or arrival.)

From where I sit, the preparatory/watchful part of Advent is something that we get pretty well at Liberti Collingswood, but let me add another layer.  Don’t sleep on the fact that it’s Advent, not January, that kicks off the new year for followers of Jesus Christ.  In other words, if you wait all the way until January to get started on some new personal initiatives, you’re already behind.  

You should use Advent for the new, including in these specific ways:

• Use Advent to start some new devotional rhythms for yourself and/or for your family.  
• Use Advent to fight over-consumption.
• Use Advent to exercise new generosity.
• Use Advent to engage in new mission for Jesus.

And see if a new beginning in Advent doesn’t launch you into 2025.

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