"People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world." Why? It's Advent! Jesus is coming! Why should anyone fear Christmas's arrival? Because God is not Santa, and grace is not a shiny new toy. Sometimes the gift we need most is one that will turn our lives upside down. Just ask the Israelites if the fulfillment and justice they got is the same as what they expected. But I say this is reason to rejoice. I don't want to drown in "the anxieties of daily life" and all the Black Friday's that they spawn. Do you? If that's the best we have to offer, then I'd say we're past due for a little flip. So let our Advent mantra be this: "To you, O Lord, I lift my soul ... and for you I wait all the day."