It is the first Sunday of Advent, and this marks the beginning of the church year. Advent comes from the Latin term Adventus Domini, the coming of the Lord. The next four weeks are also a period of waiting, a time of spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus.
With that, we enter the weeks when we wish each other well as Christmas approaches. Everyone greets everyone tactfully, but in a uniform manner. Let's just look at the usual greeting cards, most of them appear with the words "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" and this is what people say to each other verbally. Since when? Perhaps most of us were still in our infancy when it really came into fashion, and lo and behold, it has held its own ever since. Just as the slogan of today developed from that system: - we should be world-view neutral, since we are European citizens. This approach has almost been ingrained in people, just like the holiday before us for centuries. It's true - like so many things - the neutrals managed to strip it away.
Today, this holiday is drifting towards everyday life not only with the dumping of gifts, but also with the perspective of the experience society. It would be nice if everyone realized that no gift can replace a missed smile or an unspoken compliment. That is why I recommend that, as Christmas approaches, we look for our rarely used words, say them boldly, and wish each other more faith and strength. Let's radiate joy, because people do not only want beautiful words and love, but also, according to our faith and hope, to reach the true expectation.
