Page 18 - LOTN Advent issue 57

LITURGY

Advent or Christmas?

Don’t forget to celebrate

the right seasons

BY KIRSTEN SCHOUWENAARS-HARMS
I
love the seasons of Advent and Christmas. These are the old liturgical calendar, was still considered the Christmas
liturgical seasons with much to contemplate and season in old tradition. An important feast of the Church,
a great deal to celebrate. Unfortunately, it can Candlemas is also known as the Presentation of the Lord and
be challenging for many to stay in the moment. the Purification of the Virgin Mary and is celebrated 40 days
Christmas advertising on television, Christmas music on after the birth of Jesus, on February 2nd. That means that the
the radio and restaurants advertising their parties don’t total Christmas season was 40 days long. This 17 -century
th
help. Most people have been wished a merry Christmas poem called “Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve” by Robert
countless times, and while meant well, I can’t help but Herrick points to that tradition:
mutter to myself “It’s not Christmas, it’s Advent!” The Down with the rosemary, and so
experience of these seasons has merged but was that never Down with the bays and misletoe;
the intended purpose. Down with the holly, ivy, all
Let’s begin at the beginning because Advent is the season Wherewith ye dress’d the Christmas hall;
that finds itself at the beginning of the Church’s liturgical That so the superstitious find
year. The word Advent comes from the Latin word “ad-venire” No one least branch there left behind;
translating as “to come to”. Advent therefore encompasses the For look, how many leaves there be
four weeks leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The Neglected there, maids, trust to me,
readings at Mass during Advent tell us to be alert and ready, to So many goblins you shall see.
avoid distractions and the worries of this world (cf Lk 21:34- January is often considered the most depressing month of
36). There are elements of penance, silence and discipline to the year. The third Monday of January is even known as Blue
prepare for the great feast that follows. During Advent, we need Monday. But what if we truly live the full season of Christmas?
to make sure our hearts are ready for the joys of the season yet We could celebrate this beautiful season throughout the whole
to come. Avoiding celebrating Christmas before it truly arrives month. I am not suggesting making a full turkey dinner for
prepares our hearts, and our anticipation will never be without 40 days in a row, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate this
its fruits. As Pope John Paul II noted: "For this reason, Advent liturgical season in other ways. In fact, Advent and Christmas
is synonymous with hope: not the vain waiting for a faceless Day are often such busy periods, it is easy to get lost in present
god, but concrete and certain trust in the return of him who has shopping, cooking and family celebrations. Therefore, in this
already visited us" (Pope John Paul II, Angelus, 2001). period between Epiphany and Candlemas, it will be easier to
Unfortunately, the merging of the Advent and Christmas focus on the birth of Christ, and contemplate fully the wonder
seasons has resulted in the opposite. Instead of prepared minds of the Word made flesh.
and hearts, people are done with Christmas on Boxing Day. The During Christmas, we celebrate the light coming into the
music is starting to annoy, and decorations are coming down world (Jn 8:12). Concentrating our minds on this light during
before we have had time to celebrate the season properly. one of the darkest months of the year is such a wonderful
Some will still stay in the “mood” until Epiphany, a tradition tradition, helping us to look forward and coming to its
familiar to many. However, the liturgical season between conclusion at Candlemas. In honour of this tradition Pope
Epiphany and Candlemas, called the Time after Epiphany on John Paul II began the custom of keeping the Nativity scene

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