Here at Vox Nova a recurring theme is the relationship of the “already” and “not yet” dimensions of the Reign of God. (One such installment in the ongoing discussion is here.) I recently rediscovered a great interview with University of St. Thomas theologian William T. Cavanaugh which states the relationship quite clearly, and with reference to Advent and Christmas:
In the Christian reading of Isaiah, however, God has already acted to redeem history. The shoot from the stump of Jesse has already sprouted. The longing of Advent is fulfilled in Christmas. People sometimes misunderstand the “not yet” of the kingdom of God to mean that God is holding back on us. But God has held nothing back; God has given us the Son, the Way. The “not yet” is because we are holding back. We carry on as if nothing has happened, waiting for God to realize the vision of Isaiah. But the good news is that God has acted. God has given us the Christ, in whom Isaiah’s vision of a transformed reality is fulfilled. (Emphasis added.)
Read the entire interview here for a good introduction to Cavanaugh’s work.
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