In the old times, very old times, new days began at sunset and new years began at the end of harvest. I like the idea that new things begin in hidden spaces, unseen and unnamed until they emerge hours and months later. It was the Romans who decided the new day started at the opposite of Noon. Even then, the new time starts at a hidden hour, a time when we are already asleep or starting to head for bed. Meanwhile, much of plant life in the Northern Hemisphere is withdrawing their energy to underground safety. Seeds have been sown, leaves have been shed, insects, birds, and other animals take shelter. It looks like everything is ending, but this is the time that ancient humanity claimed as the beginning – not the end.
Is it true to say that when something new begins, it actually begins with silence? With rest? With hiddeness? Unseen? Unnamed?
Continue reading “Advent C1 – Waiting”