Calf and lion cub feed together,

With a little boy to lead them.

The cow and the bear make friends,

Their young lie down together.

The lion eats straw like the ox.

The infant plays over the cobra's hole;

Into the viper liar the young child puts his hand.

They do not hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain,

for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters swell the sea.

The theme of advent has always been somewhat confusing as it blends together a penitential spirit with a joyful theme of preparation for the Parousia and the happy commemoration of the Bethlehem event. The word Adventus (meaning coming) originally described the whole mystery of the incarnation: the conception of Jesus, which was an advent, (a coming); so too was his birth (a coming); the second coming (parousia), and his special coming in every grace-filled experience.

Advent used to be associated with the state visitation of the Roman emperor and people were called to prepare for this event. They were to rectify all that was wrong in preparation for the event. So too are we called to bring all things into a harmonious state of existence in preparation of the coming of Christ. There is little doubt that the above extract from the first reading of the Second Sunday of Advent is calling us to make the path straight for the Lord and one way of doing so is to live by a spirit of harmony, manifested in harmonious relationships in the cosmos. Advent is a particularly welcome season is Africa and it fits readily into the heart of traditional African spirituality, currently struggling for resurgence in the face of western values.

Akin to the sentiments of the first reading Is 11:1-10, the African approach to life lies in the value of reconciling opposites which include inter alia: the healing of divisions, the curing of alienation, the restoring of inharmonious relationships. It is based on the value of a well-ordered life and living in unity with others and all created things - be it on cosmic or personal levels (the wolf lives with the lamb). Humanity in Africa abides by a spiritual view of life that focuses on bringing opposites together and this process assists the humanization of people in Africa (integrity of personhood). African Christianity has much to learn from the African culture, as it has to contribute to it. The humanization process in Africa has shaped the outlook of many African Christians with its quest for harmony between the spiritual and material dimensions of life.

Life is Africa, as lived and perceived by African people is holistic, hence the fact that the Body-Soul-Mind environments are not compartmentalized, but in continuous agreement. The agenda of life is an inter-change between human and divine arrangements, between humanity and nature. The well-being of the whole human system is situated in a cobweb of relationships and the source of the cobweb is the Master Creator - God. Whatever is placed out of balance in the human system causes spiritual, physical and mental disease. Harmonious interaction is evident in the African custom of greeting whereby Africans render recognition of each other. Even to a stranger, the voice of greeting recognises and respects the dignity of the other (The lion eats straw like an ox). The understanding is that living people greets living people. If according to African custom you do not greet others, you are regarded as either dead or possessed with an evil spirit, hence out of harmony with others. Respect for the dignity of a person is related to harmonious living as well as the person's rightful place in the community, due to the fact that life in the African culture is communal. The sense of family and the bond with the ancestors is foundational and as such Africans do not separate the material domain from the spiritual domain; the one is the extension of the harmony of the other. 

  A person only becomes a person through other persons (they do no hurt, no harm...) The harmony of community life depends on the respect and care rendered to the old by the young; respect for the elders and those in authority; to the mother and father and in particular to grandparents. These forms of respect are communitarian and not confined to the immediate family. Their prime concern in life is health and happiness at all stages of life, be it embryonic, terrestrial, in the after-life or the spirit-world. Poor health places the body in disharmony with the rest of the system. This belief makes it very clear that African spirituality is against all forms of destroying life, hence their pre-occupations with the preservation of life. All diseases are to be healed either through traditional healing methods or scientific methods, as they are harsh and unsympathetic to good, harmonious living. However, a sick person is the community's responsibility, not only that of the immediate family

Children in the African system belong to the community and their existence adds to harmonious relations. Marriage in African tradition is essential for adult identity, marriage gifts go to the family of the bride, and marriage relations continue beyond the grave, they do not end in death. Wealth in an African system is not so much related to money, instead it is related to the possession of children, a wife, a husband, parents and grandparents. A poor person would be one who is an orphan, a widow, someone with no children, no parents, and no grandparents. 

Rituals restore disharmony and ill relationships between people and people, between people and nature, as it is believed that harmonious living guarantees a successful life (the cow and the bear make friends). 

Advent is no doubt a significant time to call people and not only African people to reflect on what is means to be in harmony with self, others, creation and God. Harmonious relations are not only needed in Africa, but all over the universe. There is, however, a dire need for traditional African values to be restored and to receive new forms of expression in the emerging South Africa (the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord). 

All are called during advent to prepare a way for the Lord, make all the paths straight and make each other's paths straight so that we can all experience the salvation of God, through Jesus Christ. As Christians we are called to take the harmonious relations of the Trinity as a paradigm of relating to each other (It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious).

Sr Jenny Slater, OP