Dear COA Family,
We have just entered into the season of Advent and a new church year.
The church’s liturgical year starts from Advent 2024 through Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost and Trinity Sundays until Christ the King Sunday 2025, which wraps up the year. It is a journey based on the birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension and rule of the Christ on this earth.
So, what is so special about the season of Advent?
In this season, we look forward to the birth of Christ that we will celebrate on Christmas Day. Jesus’ birth signifies that God has not abandoned humanity but has become one of us to save us. The miracle of Christmas is not only the birth of Jesus from a virgin’s womb but also the love of God that is so great that he would not leave us to our own destruction.
Yet Advent also serves another purpose: it helps us prepare for the second coming of Christ. We look forward to the return of Christ on earth, where he will come not as a baby but as a king. He will rule with absolute authority and every knee will and must bow in submission to his reign. He is the only one who can bring true justice and peace to this messed-up world.
As we go through the season of Advent, the church traditionally adopts a posture of fasting, prayer and preparation of hearts for our Lord’s coming. It is just like any VIP’s visit to an event, school or home. The host and their members will prepare thoroughly for the VIP’s arrival, making sure that they are comfortable and the program proceeds smoothly. We too need to prepare for our Lord’s coming, lest we are caught unaware.
Paul’s letter to the Romans reminds us of the attitude we should take:
“The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:11-12).
So, church, will you join in the multitudes of Saints all through the ages who have fasted and prayed in this season to prepare for our Lord’s arrival? Let us take care that our hearts not be caught up in the busyness and pleasures of this coming month but be open to live fully in God’s presence. In this way, we will be dwelling in God’s kingdom and fulfilling his purposes in our lives.
Blessings,
Revd Ian Chew