Celebrating Advent
This has always been a confusing time of the year for me. From an early age we are taught that celebrating Advent involves spending time in spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas. We are taught it is a time to slow down, to be quiet, to pray and prepare ourselves for what’s ahead. Do we do this only on the four Sundays before Christmas or every day of the season and if every day how? We still have to go to work, then there is school events for the kids, parties, family gatherings, and lights to put up, a tree to find and gifts to buy. It seems from early November we hear of things we have to see and do, what the hottest toys of the year are and events we just have to attend. How do we make time for all of it?
The word “advent” comes from the Latin, ”adventus” meaning “arrival” or “coming” particularly of something having great importance. Many Christians celebrate Advent not only by thanking God for Christ’s coming to Earth as a baby, but also for his presence among us today through the Holy Spirit. For denominations that celebrate Advent, it marks the beginning of the church year. In Western Christianity, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Day, or the Sunday which falls closest to November 30, and lasts through Christmas Eve or December 24. When Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, it is the last, or fourth Sunday of Advent. For Eastern Orthodox churches which use the Julian calendar, Advent begins earlier, on November 15, and lasts 40 days rather than four weeks. Advent is also known as the Nativity Fast in Orthodox Christianity.
Advent is primarily observed in Christian churches that follow an ecclesiastical calendar of liturgical seasons to determine feasts, fasts and holy days. These are Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian. More and more Protestant and Evangelical Christians are recognizing the spiritual significance of Advent, and have begun to revive the spirit of the season through serious reflection, joyful expectation and even through the observance of some of the traditional Advent Customs.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Advent began sometime after the fourth century as a time of preparation for Epiphany, and not anticipation of Christmas, Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Christ by remembering the visit of the wise men and, in some traditions, the Baptism of Jesus. At this time new Christians were baptized and received into the faith, and so the early church instituted a forty day period of fasting and repentance. Later, in the sixth century, St. Gregory the Great was the first to associate this season of Advent with the coming Christ. Originally it was not the coming of the Christ-child that was anticipated, but rather, the Second Coming of Christ. By the middle Ages, the church had extended the celebration of Advent to include the coming of Christ through his birth in Bethlehem, his future coming at the end of time, and his presence among us through the promised Holy Spirit. Modern day Advent services include symbolic customs related to all three of these “Advents” of Christ.
So how do we make room in our busy lives for the season of Advent when there is no time to slow down? There is nothing wrong in enjoying a little Christmas before Christmas day, the events, parties, school concerts, putting up the tree and seeing the lights, even buying tons of gifts. Just be sure to take a few minutes each day to remember what the season is all about. Check your Advent Calendar each morning and reflect on what it said as you are driving to work or doing errands. Make an Advent wreath and light a candle each evening while having dinner. On Christmas day light the four candles and the Christ candle as you are opening gifts. Instead of a Christmas tree, have an Advent tree with white lights and blue bulbs, then on Christmas eve finish decorating it. As you go about your busy day keep the hope, love, joy and peace of the season in your heart and mind and share it with everyone.