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Every year I have an internal struggle regarding the proper place of Advent in my life and in our society. Perhaps this is just a part of a larger struggle that I have reconciling the relationship between the Church's understanding of time and the world's understanding. For Christians, time is understood as a sacred part of God's created order. And as such, the Church has - over the many centuries - developed a liturgical calendar which is intended to serve as a guide in the proper ordering of our worship and devotion. There are times of the year to fast, to mourn, to celebrate, and to feast. There are times/seasons set aside for the intentional contemplation of the Incarnation, for the Passion, for the Resurrection... times of hope, times of longing, times of tears, times of joy (am I beginning to sound like a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes or perhaps a song by the Byrds... turn, turn, turn). The struggle is one of reconciling the sacred nature of time and the ways in which we choose to spend the hours/days as Christians with the ways which our dominant culture tells us to spend our time.
Advent is a season of preparation for the coming saviour. It is a time of focused contemplation and prayer; a time of looking forward to the dawn of hope, i.e. the arrival (Latin adventus or "coming") of God in the form of a newborn child. It is intended to be a time in which we consider our lives and our world; we consider our needs, our pains, our sorrows; we consider our hopes and desires for love, for healing, for fulfillment; we consider our need for the coming Saviour, Love incarnate, who brings with him the embodiment of redemption, for each of us, but even more so, he brings the redemption of all of creation. Advent is a time of anticipation, longing, and hope.
Yet, more often than not, it seems to be a time of frantic shopping, a time to be inundated with Christmas songs everywhere one goes, a time of celebration and feasting (or sometimes wanton gluttony). I heard one person describe the problem of reconciling Advent with the secular Christmas season something like this: So, we are going to throw a party for Jesus. It's a birthday party for the Son of God. But instead of waiting until his birthday, i.e. the day on which he will actually be here for it, we start partying a month or two early with the end effect being that by the time Jesus arrives for the party we are all tired and done celebrating. He arrives just in time to see us pack up the festivities - the presents all open, the food already consumed. Yeah, happy birthday indeed.
To me it often feels like we are opening our presents before Christmas. It feels like we are spoiling the feast by constant and excessive snacking.
The answer seems quite straightforward: don't celebrate Christmas until Christmas. But it is seldom quite as easy as that. Our culture has structured this festive season such that everyone is used to having parties, and doing the various things of Christmas before the Christmas season even begins. Suddenly I look like a scrooge for begrudging the radio stations, the television networks, the myriad of stores and public spaces, for getting this Christmas things going way too early. Easter, in comparison, is a piece of cake. I join with the Church in the practice of Lent. I fast, I pray, I give up many of the normal things of life so that I can gain perspective on the suffering of our Christ, on his death and resurrection: so that I can truly celebrate the feast of the Resurrection when Easter Sunday comes. But, Advent and Christmas... they are a much different story.
The Twelve Days of Christmas, contrary to popular opinion, are not the twelve days leading up to Christmas. No, they are instead the days from Christmas day until January 5th (the day before Epiphany). They are the twelve days which comprise the Christmas season: they are the party days.
Well, Advent begins today. This year, as in previous years, I will seek to participate in the Advent season by fasting, by prayer, by contemplating my life and the world in which I live. I shall look forward to the coming of our Lord for the redemption of the World.
What I will try not to do: I will try not to grumble and complain about the incessant assault upon my senses (and upon the Advent season) by the secular Christmas season.
Will I go to any Christmas parties? I don't know.
Will I have chocolates, candies, and decadent foods? No. I will wait until Christmastime.
Most of all, though, I will seek that face of God. I will encourage my desire to know He, who is Love Incarnate, born so long ago into a most humble of circumstances, for the redemption of all creation.
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