The fourth theme of Advent is love. The Greek word χορός means both dance and song. It is also the root for the English words Chorus and Choir. I’m not sure if it is linguistically correct, but I cannot hear the word perichoresis without hearing the word dance. Perichoresis is a technical term denoting the continual and internal self-giving love that God enjoys within Godself. The thought that this love is expressed as dance strikes me as particularly appropriate. Literary critic Northrup Frye notes that the end of the Romance is always the wedding dance. When the lovers are joined by the entire community. What a great description of perichoresis. But there is more. Because God also invites us into the dance as well. What a joy. What a privilege. What love.
God of the great cosmic dance. Thank you for inviting us into your dance of love. Help us to share this invitation with others. Help us to better understand the love that is found in Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. So be it.
