Advent is more than just a shopping season
Commentary By Julie Ferraro | FāVS News
In recent years, a wide variety of Advent calendars have come on the market as a way to track the four weeks before Christmas. Recently, I even saw one advertised that features 24 different types of whiskey!
Some of these variations feature Legos. There’s one from National Geographic, another from Hot Wheels, “Harry Potter”, “Home Alone”, “Star Wars” and the choices go on and on.
What started as a way to use brief meditations or Scripture passages in calendar form to mark the days before Christmas has been blown wildly out of proportion, and lost the meaning entirely.
For the Benedictine Sisters and the community at the Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Advent holds a much deeper meaning.
A period of quiet preperation
For one, it is the beginning of the liturgical year in the Catholic Church. On the first Sunday of Advent (Dec. 1 this year), a period of quiet preparation for the coming of the child Jesus – and the coming of Christ as Lord of all – commences.
It is important to take a good look at ourselves and strive to deepen our relationship with the divine, so we are ready to receive Him into our hearts, minds and souls, not just on Dec. 25, but every day of the year!
Older folks may remember the days when Advent was treated very much like Lent, the season before Easter. Youngsters were encouraged to make personal sacrifices – like giving up candy – during Lent, to bring home the significance of these days.
Other days celebrated within the Advent season
Of course, there were exceptions, like St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6, when children left their shoes out the night before, waking up to find a treat for that feast day. St. Lucy, celebrated on Dec. 13, brings light to the darkness of winterish nights, with young girls wearing crowns fitted with lit candles.
A marvelous Mexican tradition called Las Posadas, involves processions reenacting the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, led by children dressed as angels, each night starting on Dec. 16 and lasting through Christmas Eve. Music and refreshments are shared in a celebration blending the solemn and festive.
The Advent wreath and more
A colorful reminder of this process comes in the form of an Advent wreath. On Nov. 30, the Sisters take pine branches cut from trees in their vast forest and weave them carefully around a circular metal frame, adding four candles – three purple and one pink – that are lit as the weeks pass.
First one, then two, with the pink one added in the third week of Advent as Gaudate (or Joyful) Sunday is celebrated, then four in those final days before Christmas.
In the choir stalls of the monastery chapel in Cottonwood, Idaho, daily prayers beginning Dec. 17 will include the “O Antiphons” – the titles of Christ drawn from the Old Testament: O Wisdom, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Rising Sun, and so forth.
And, unlike many stores, which put Christmas trees on display even before Halloween, the creche and other holiday decorations aren’t unboxed and assembled until the afternoon of Dec. 24.
Welcoming the infant king
A popular explanation of Christmas in some circles is that early Christians wished to offset the pagan celebration of Yule, the winter solstice, the darkest night of the year, which falls this year on Dec. 21. With Jesus being the Light of the World, what better time to welcome him into our hearts and homes?
The custom of giving gifts at Christmas reflects the generosity of God, who sent His Son to become human out of love for all creation. We share that love and joy with each other, but the amount of money spent shouldn’t matter. At the monastery, a small, decorated bag of goodies is slipped into each community member’s mailbox, so the day begins with a sweet treat.
The marvelous part, though, is joining in prayer together to welcome the infant King, sitting at table together for an excellent meal, and spending time together singing carols and enjoying a good laugh.
So, as Advent approaches, keep in mind the true purpose of an Advent calendar, and don’t be distracted by gimmicks. May the blessings of Christmas be yours!
The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.
