A Lego Christmas

The other day, I was walking through the store when I spotted on the shelves, an Advent calendar from Lego.  Growing up, I used to love our family's Advent calendars.  25 days in December we would peel away a piece of cardboard or felt as we prepared for the great anticipated days of presents, candy and laughter.

Similarly, the Lego Advent calendar consisted of a large box with 25 small compartments to open each day. Within each compartment is a package of Lego pieces to assemble and then display. What are these pieces that need assembling?  A little Lego baby Jesus? Lego Magi? Lego donkey? Lego angels?  No. From what I can tell from the pictures, the calendar is fairly devoid of all religious connotation. A benign snowman here, a happy sled over there and a jolly Santa Claus driving a train full of toys. An idyllic, Bing Crosby croon-worthy scene for sure, but far from religious and definitely not reflective of the themes of hope in the midst of darkness that define the season that we call Advent.

As a pastor, part of my job is to be with families during times of suffering and of course times of death.  Often times, I'll hear language relating to death that seems to have nothing to do with death.  For example;

Generally I find it most helpful to be direct - to speak the terrible thing that has happened; "Mr. Smith died."

When we simply define what has happened, we are able to allow the reality of death to sink into our minds and hearts in ways that flowery expressions and idioms cannot. Accepting mentally, emotionally and spiritually that the death of someone we love has really happened can take months, even years to fully assimilate into the new identity we forge after a loss. As many grief and loss experts stress, journeying through the darkness and pain of grief is absolutely necessary if we wish to adapt to the loss and learn resiliency and hope that is shaped by the memory of our deceased loved one.

In the same way that we may wish to avoid the tasks, thoughts and emotions of mourning, we may wish to skip over the season of Advent and just get to the celebration of Christmas. For as Charles Riepe acknowledges in Living the Christian Seasons, "Advent is dedicated to the last things, to death, judgment, heaven and hell, but above all to Jesus' glorious coming to complete his Easter work."

Or as Alfred Delp writes, "Advent is the time for rousing. We are shaken to the very depths, so that we may wake up to the truth of ourselves. The primary condition for the fruitful and rewarding Advent is renunciation and surrender. We must let go of all our mistaken dreams, our conceited poses and arrogant gestures, all the pretenses with which we hope to deceive ourselves and others."

Death, judgment, heaven and hell, confession, humility, darkness, preparing to welcome God into our world -- that might be asking a little much from a Lego set! But it is the season of Advent - a time for us to name of grieves, fears, failures and pain.  Advent is here and God has made promises of fresh beginnings, new creation and light shining in the midst of darkness.

Come, O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel.