If we take that meaning of Advent seriously, then we do not rush the Christmas season. We save the Christmas carols and the decorations for later. I have known parishes, in fact, where the various organizations were told that they could not have Christmas parties until at least December 25. On the other hand, we cannot get away from the secular celebration of Christmas, which began sometime in late July (or so it seems these days). We do need to prepare, to buy gifts and write cards and everything else. And with all that, it is hard to ignore Christmas. For me, the music usually gets me started. I will try not to rush the season, but it probably will not be long before I am walking around the rectory humming “Silent Night” or watching my DVD of It’s a Wonderful Life. And yes, I will be using Christmas illustrations in my homilies, for I find them to be images that most people can relate to. Besides, I sometimes figure that if we do not get our message out, then we run the risk of losing Christmas to those who want to make it into a simply secular Winter Carnival.
So perhaps our goal for these coming weeks should be to keep a balance in our lives this season. We will not forget that Christmas is coming, and we will prepare ourselves for it. At the same time, we remember that Advent is about much more than holiday preparations. We look for Christ’s presence in our midst now, even as we get busy with all that this time of year demands. We take time to reflect on the coming of Christ in glory, even as we hear the jingle bells all around us. And if we take part in a holiday celebration a little early, then we can think of the priest I read about who told his parish groups that they could not have Christmas parties until Christmas. He would, however, allow Advent parties. One parishioner asked him what an Advent party looked like, and he responded, “Figure out what Advent is about and you will know what an Advent party should look like.”
Father H
