The Advent season has a surprisingly strong connection to themes of sex, intimacy, sexuality, and procreation, which are often overlooked or avoided, possibly due to the social conventions surrounding discussions of sex, particularly in formal and religious settings. Yet, when we look closely at the biblical texts Mother Church gives us to read and reflect on in Adventide, the presence of sex—both directly and indirectly—is undeniable. Advent, a time of waiting and anticipation, is in many ways about the emergence of life, which is often tied to sex, intimacy, sexuality, and procreation.
For instance, in the readings for the second Sunday of Advent, we encountered part of the story that relate to an elderly heterosexual couple that was having sex – Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:68- 79). Zechariah celebrates the birth of his son, John the Baptist, even though he and his wife were well past the age of childbearing. Their story is one of divine intervention, a miraculous pregnancy that, while biologically improbable, still reflects the natural process of sex and reproduction (Luke 1:68-79).
In the readings for next Lord's Day, the last Sunday of Advent, we will turn to part of the story of Mary, a young girl who becomes pregnant, completely bypassing, allegedly by the Spirit, the natural process of sex and reproduction (Luke 1:39-55). This story, framed as miraculous, touches on human sexuality and the mystery of conception, decentring traditional thinking about and attitudes towards what's “natural.” Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, forms a poignant moment of shared experience between two women connected by the mystery and miracle of pregnancy – yet with distinct relationships to intimacy, sex, and reproduction (and men, even!).
Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, forms a poignant moment of shared experience between two women connected by the mystery and miracle of pregnancy – yet with distinct relationships to intimacy, sex, and reproduction (and men, even!).
The midweek Eucharistic readings for this week and leading up to Christmas Eve, allow us to encounter the fuller sex narratives surrounding Elizabeth and Zachariah, and Mary, Joseph, and the sacred, non-gendered Spirit (Luke 1:5-79). The readings also include a long list of people, particularly men, continuing a sex tradition, terminating in the disruptive Jesus event (Matthew 1:1- 7, 17-25). All (but possibly one) of the readings from the Hebrew Scriptures are bound up with ideas of intimacy, sex, and reproduction. These include stories about couples having sex yet unable to have children (Samson's and Samuel's parents [Judges 13:2-7, 24-25; 1 Samuel 1:19-28]), passages concerning the continuation of lineages (Gen 49:2, 8-10; 2 Samuel 7:1-16; Jeremiah 23:5-8), and (as far as Matthew is concerned) an important reference to a woman conceiving and giving birth in Isaiah (7:10-14). See also Songs 2:8-14; Malachi 3:1-5; Psalms 71:1-8; 72; 89:1-4 and 113. These passages, though not always explicitly about sex, intimacy, and conception strongly evoke the concepts.
The dominant Advent themes—hope, love, joy, and peace—are often presented in a somewhat sanitized way, yet they are deeply intertwined with narratives about human sexuality and sexual practices. These themes emerge from the birth of Jesus and speak to what the world can expect as a consequence of his birth, namely, his ushering in God's reign characterised by hope, love, joy, and peace for all of creation. The Advent candles, then, are bound up with the intimate acts that bring children into the world.
The dominant Advent themes—hope, love, joy, and peace—are often presented in a somewhat sanitized way, yet they are deeply intertwined with narratives about human sexuality and sexual practices.
For many young Jamaicans, particularly males, the language of Advent carries an additional layer of sexual connotation that may not be as apparent to older generations. This is tied to a word that is used to describe both the arrival of Jesus through birth and his anticipated second return. The word in question is represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /kʌm/. Among younger Jamaicans, this word has two meanings.
First, it is used in the sense of arrival or manifestation, and is spelt “come.” However, it also has a sexual meaning, where it functions as a verb meaning “to ejaculate” or “to have an orgasm,” or as a noun referring to “ejaculation,” “orgasm,” or “semen.” In this sexual sense, the word is typically spelt “cum.”
For young Jamaicans, the homophone “come” (meaning to arrive) and “cum” (with sexual connotations) often overlap, and the latter meaning is the one most readily evoked. As a result, they tend to avoid using the word "come" in contexts where they mean “arrive” or “manifest” and instead use the alternative "faawod/forward."
In this regard, all references to “come,” including the opening sentence for Eucharistic services in Adventide – “Jesus says, 'Surely I am coming soon!' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” – are problematic for this demographic, and may require the use of other words/expressions. It certainly doesn't help that the spelling “cum” is used as the Jamaican equivalent for “come” in the refrain of the Advent hymn, “Jesus Christ Lord from heaven above”
It may very well be that this cultural phenomenon will faze out over time. I've even heard some young people resist the idea of replacing words to avoid sexual innuendo. However, it is still valuable to recognize this aspect of communication, especially for those who wish to engage with young people and men in ways that are relevant to their experiences, that resonate with them, and that avoid potential communication barriers. This kind of sensitivity and understanding is an expression of grace.
Furthermore, the use of this double entendre, while often dismissed as a passing trend among the youth, actually reflects the intricate ways in which sex, culture, language, and spirituality/religion are interconnected. This interplay can reveal much about societal norms, and acknowledging this dynamic is key to connecting with people in meaningful and effective ways.
Advent is not just a season about waiting for a baby to be born or for a King to return —it's also about how sex, sexuality, intimacy, procreation and the divine come together in the most unexpected and profound ways. While the church may shy away from addressing these themes explicitly and speak more of Advent candles and their representation of hope, love, joy, and peace, these mundane themes of sex, sexuality, intimacy, and procreation are deeply embedded in the Scriptures read during this season. The story of Advent is ultimately about the cuming together of heaven and earth, humanity and divinity—and, as such, it cannot be separated from the realities of human sexuality.
The story of Advent is ultimately about the cuming together of heaven and earth, humanity and divinity...
Maybe those among us who are highly attuned to sexual innuendo and wordplay are calling us to remember that the birth narratives are, in fact, sex narratives. Amen, /kʌm/ Lord Jesus!
Comments