WE ALL GO THROUGH THE SAME ASTRONOMICAL YEAR, and here in the northern hemisphere the warmth and light of the sun are dwindling down to the winter solstice, just before Christmas Eve. Even as the traffic at the malls gets denser, streets elsewhere are emptying out. And as brilliant light displays and islands of holiday noise spring up, the places between get darker and quieter. It is a schizophrenic sensation, if you are not too busy to notice it, this growing silent dark and sporadic noisy brightness.
 
The traditional religious year already turned on December 1st with the season of Advent (adventus – “coming”) – a very serious time of fasting and extra services for churches that observe the ancient religious year. But for all thoughtful Christians the Christmas season turns our mind toward the Event in Bethlehem that foretold so many other events. Coming… ending… beginning… time gets a little dizzy with all this, and comes to a stop for a while like a clock that has run down.
 
This dark and light, coming and ending and beginning time is a good season to refresh the perspective that draws us together. For we believe that to truly live and truly speak to the world, a radical and biblical “advent” of our own is required. We have to show up in the dark, not as light sources ourselves, but as reflectors and bearers, exposed by light and exposing it to others. None are worthy of God, and none are worthless. All who show up are welcomed, and bring their stories to the supper.
 
Here at the Catch Central it is a both-and situation. Our lives are overrun with people ready for the party lights as well as people looking to be thrown a rope in the dark. Both types run into each other on the bridge over the ravine that leads up to the tiny house, and the crowd is regularly incongruous.

We are drawing by faith on next year’s provision to keep that bridge up, and to have food, light, warmth, joy and solace in Christ’s name for those people at this end of it. As always we are starting 2013 from nothing, and as always your annual year-end donation is our door into the future, as a family and as a ministry. (This year we are wrapping up some of our favorite things to send to you – a new song, a poem, a story – to thank you for your yearend gift of support. More to come!)