NOVEMBER 15
This year Advent is only three weeks rather than four. This is because on Sunday, December 24, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent in the morning, and then that evening begins Christmas Eve. It is the shortest turn-around possible, because Christmas Day is a Monday. The opposite of this is when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, and thus we have a full four weeks of Advent. For those who procrastinate preparing for Christmas, this year will be the most frantic Christmas. My apologies for stressing the procrastinators!
Advent celebrates the coming of Jesus Christ, and in reality all of our life is the season of Advent, because even though Christ came the first time at Bethlehem, we are still waiting for the return of Christ. Every year during the month of November we begin celebrating the Second Advent of Christ, and we heard this last Sunday in the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids. This Sunday we will hear the parable of the talents, and in two Sundays we will hear the parable of the sheep and the goats. Last Sunday, and the next two Sundays, put together (Matthew 25) give us a variety of images of what the coming of Christ will be like at the end of time. In Matthew’s Gospel, the next chapter (Matthew 26) begins the plot to kill Jesus leading to his passion, death, and resurrection.
All of this talk about the Second Advent of Christ seems strange in our modern society, for Christmas decorations are up at the malls, coffee shops have busted out their holiday cups, and songs of Santa are sounding on the airwaves. While the church sits with unsettling parables, the world is racing for Santa on his sleigh.
The key is to hold all these things in tension. We can enjoy the holiday bustle and festivities, while also relishing Advent and the mature faith that accompanies waiting for the Messiah. I find the church’s movement from the Second Coming of Christ, to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, to be one of the most sublime shifts of the year. While our society jumpstarts secular Christmas, the church provides space for an intelligent waiting that makes Christmas truly special when it arrives on December 25.
Beginning this Wednesday, November 22, and continuing for the Wednesdays of Advent, all are invited for a study on the Advent of Christ. For those who can set aside the entire evening, each Wednesday evening will be a little retreat. The Rosary is at 5:30 pm, Vespers is at 6:00 pm, the study begins at 6:30 pm, and Compline ends the evening at 8:15 pm. These Wednesday nights will keep us centered on Christ as we prepare for his coming, whether that be this Christmas, or for the consummation of all time.
Blessings,
Father Paul Lillie +
