A man was running down the pier, heading for the ferry boat, afraid he was not going to make it. Here was a man of some status, a man who was concerned about his dignity. He wore a pin-striped suit, carried a black umbrella in one hand and a black boler hat in the other, which he was waving at the ferry boat, and yelling at the boat to stop so that he could get on it. He ran all the way to the end of the peer, furiously jumped and landed safely on the deck of the boat. Very proud of himself, he straightened his tie, and recovered his dignity. It was then that he discovered that the boat was not going out; it was coming in.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and there is that kind of confusion about Advent and Christmas. Are we coming or going? Christmas is the celebration that Christ ha…