Advent means waiting. While the rest of culture is in full swing gearing up for Christmas, the birth of Christ, and all of the consumerism that goes with that celebration, the church is waiting. We are not waiting for the birth of Christ, we are waiting for the second coming of Christ, the realization of the mystery of faith, “Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.” As Christians we believe Christ is coming again and that the reconciliation he brought to the world through his life, death and resurrection is yet to be fully realized. We await Christ’s return, because in his second coming all the pain and brokenness of the world will be righted, full reconciliation will be realized by everyone. There will be no more hunger, no more thirst, no more need because God will restore all of creation into the newness of life.