I am planning to share a daily devotional through Advent, all based on the writings and teachings of 6th century monk, Dorotheos of Gaza. I first encountered Dorotheos over fifty years ago and was so inspired that I adopted him for my email screen name (doroteos58@gmail.com). If you aren’t familiar with him, stay tuned. Otherwise, I may set a record for “unsubscribes” due to this daily barrage.

Setting the foundation, Dorotheos offered this metaphor for the authentic Christian life. Think of God as the hub of a wheel. Each of us connects to God close to the hub and connects to the world at the rim. The closer we move from the rim of worldliness inward to our connection with God, the closer we move to one another. For Dorotheos there was no such thing as solitary faith; true Christianity demands community.

For Advent reflection, what if we felt disconnected from the hub? What if we were not even sure how to connect? What if religious rules and rituals became so rigid and oppressive that no one could feel worthy of connection to God? Then, what if we received the promise of a Prince of Peace, a Lord of Lords, a Savior and Guide – a whole new way to reconnect with God?

Those who walked in darkness and confusion saw a great light, were given a way forward. And for those who embarked on a journey toward God’s Messiah, they found themselves forming community, drawing closer to others seeking God. The fact that we know how the story turns out (SPOILERS: babe born in Bethlehem, etc.) makes anxious anticipation a bit challenging. Many faithful Jewish people felt abandoned by God, betrayed by religious leaders, and essentially left to their own devices. The Jewish religion grounded in the Hebrew faith was in shambles for the majority of poor communities struggling under the dominance and duress of Rome. The last vestiges of hope tenuously unraveled at the oppression of Empire.

It was in community that survival was possible, and it was through community that the good news of Jesus the coming Christ spread and thrived. Community helped people come back to God and in God people came closer to one another. The Advent was not simply referring to the coming of Christ, but to the coming of life-giving, transformative Christian community.

How does your relationship with God impact your relationships with family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and church? In what ways do our strongest relationships on earth impact our relationship with God? What keeps your connection to the hub – God – strong and vital?