Advent... Sacrament... Ordinance

My religious tradition does away with the language of sacraments in favor of ordinances in which any member of the community may administer those acts often viewed as to be done by the clergy only. We don't usually see certain parts of the church as a sacrament; it is the work of all members of the community. Even though we don't always act upon it like we profess.

In some of my devotional time, I have been reading Advent and Christmas with Thomas Merton and today's reading said this:

Advent is the "sacrament" of the presence of God in His world, in the
Mystery of Christ at work in History...

I agree with Merton that God's sacrament to us is his presence in the world. Christ comes in mystery and already at work in history to deliver us from the shackles of our sin and life-less-ness, that can be seen as a sacrament. Yet my tradition might take it a step further in saying it was God's ordinance for us to be delivered and given abundant life. It is an ordinance because it is our responsibility to carry on that abundant life and offer it to others in the form of Jesus's life, teachings, passion, death, resurrection and ascension.

We are a part of the sacrament of God's presence.