But in fact the earliest Christians were forbidden to kneel. Only pagans knelt at the shrines of their gods. But Christians were to stand, raise their heads, and, as it were, look at God face to face. And in that face to face encounter with God, that bold encounter with God we begin to see our redemption. Jesus goes on to make this clear.
Advent is the season of prayerful and joyful anticipation.
Advent is the season for standing, for looking into the face of God as we anticipate that God will keep God's promises. We look for a sign, not for us the sign of the fig tree and its sprouting leaves, but for the sign which we know well. It is the sign of the child, the branch from the stump of Jessie. The child who came and who is to come is the cause for our joyous anticipation. And that's the truth.