Advent Recollections

Advent top Ten things to know about

Top Ten Things You Need to Know about Advent:
1. The first recorded "preparation for Christmas" is found in the acts of the
Synod of Saragossa, Spain in A.D. 380. This synod declared that all baptized
Christians should be present in Church from December 17 till December 25.
If you do the maths, that comes out to the eight days before Christmas--not
quite a full Advent season, but it's a start.
2. Saint Caesarius of Arles (502-542) is recorded to have delivered the first
recorded homilies on Advent.
3. The Synod of Mcon in Gaul (modern day France) in A.D. 581 is our first
firm witness of what we might call the season of Advent. It states that the
liturgical norms for Lent be kept from November 11 to December 24. The
connection made here between Advent and Lent reflects the reason why the
penitential color of purple is common to both Advent and Lent.
4. We also have a copy of a sermon given by Pope Saint Gregory the Great
(590-604) for the second Sunday of Advent.
5. In the seventh century, Advent was celebrated in Spain with five Sundays!
The Gelasian Sacramentary also gives liturgical propers for the "five
Sundays of Advent."
6. The Eastern Churches began celebrating Advent in the eighth century as a
time of strict fasting and abstinence--a practice still common Eastern
Orthodoxy. This practice also reflects the season's similarity to Lent.
Incidentally, red is the most common liturgical color for Advent in the
Eastern churches.
7. Pope St. Gregory VII (1073-85) apparently reduced the number of
Sundays in Advent from five to four--the current practice.
8. The third Sunday of Advent is technically called Gaudete Sunday and it is
marked by rose vestments (don't ask your priest why he's wearing "pink"!)
and hangings. Gaudete means rejoice because the third Sunday marks the
over-half-way-point of Advent. This usage corresponds to the rose vestments
used on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent (also the over-half-way-
point of Lent).
9. The Advent wreath, found in many Catholic homes, is a rather modern
invention. It derives to a 19th century German custom, apparently Lutheran
in origin. The practice was soon adopted by Bavarian Catholics and spread
all over the world.
10. The liturgical season of Advent anticipates Second Advent (Coming) of
Christ while also remembering the First Advent (Coming) of Christ at

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Christmas. Thus, the season generally celebrates the activity of God in
history in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. Advent is the parenthesis in
which falls all of Christian history.
Meaning of Advent
Christians all over the world, including the Christians of Egypt, the Copts,
are observing the Advent season, the Short Fasting. It is a great time of
spiritual renewal, rejuvenation, and growth as Christians await the arrival of
Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of all the world. The English word
Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus for the Greek word
Parousia, which usually refers to the Second coming of the Lord. This is a
reminder, for all the believers at all times that Christmas, that the birth of the
Messiah in fulfillment of the promises of God and the prophecies of the Old
Testament, is also an affirmation of our belief that we wait for our Lord
second coming in glory to judge all the living and the dead.
Oscar Romero says what Advent is about: Advent is not just four weeks in
which to prepare for Christmas. Advent is the churchs life. Advent is
Christs presence... and will bring about Gods true reign, telling us,
humanity, that Isaiahs prophecy is now fulfilled: Emmanuel God with us.
Reinhold Niebuhr says: Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our
lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or
beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history;
therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can
be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love. No virtuous act
is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our
standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is
forgiveness.
Walter Burghardt: You must be men and women of ceaseless hope,
because only tomorrow can today's human and Christian promise be
realized; and every tomorrow will have its own tomorrow, world without
end. Every human act, every Christian act, is an act of hope. But that means
you must be men and women of the present, you must live this moment --
really live it, not just endure it -- because this very moment, for all its
imperfection and frustration, because of its imperfection and frustration, is
pregnant with all sorts of possibilities, is pregnant with the future, is
pregnant with love, is pregnant with Christ.
Paul Tillich speaks about the time of waiting: Our time is a time of waiting;
waiting is its special destiny. And every time is a time of waiting, waiting for
the breaking in of eternity. All time runs forward. All time, both history and
in personal life, is expectation. Time itself is waiting, waiting not for another
time, but for that which is eternal.

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Jean Cardinal Danielou speaks about our life as always waiting for the
messiah to come: We live always during Advent. We are always waiting for
the messiah to come. The messiah has come, but is not yet fully manifest.
The messiah is not fully manifest in each of our souls, not fully manifest in
humankind as a whole: that is to say, that just as Christ was born according
to the flesh in Bethlehem of Judah, so must he be born according to the spirit
in each of our souls.
The four Sundays are observed around four significant themes. The first
is Hope. This is the big HOPE the hope that God will take what is broken
in our world and fix it. That the divine will is finally done on earth as it is in
heaven.
The second theme of Advent is Peace. We could use some peace in our
world these days. And dont forget, for Christians, Jesus bears as one of his
titles the Prince of Peace. But it is not just the end of conflict that the Peace
of Advent points to. Peace also promises wholeness and healing. As we daily
face a divided and contentious body politic, as fear and loathing fill the
airwaves, as angry people shout angry words at other angry people, peace is
something to long for.
The third theme of Advent is Love. Its hard to watch a sporting event
anymore and not see someone in the stands holding up a hand painted sign
with John 3:16 written on it. For God so loved the world. The Advent season
is the time of year to fully appreciate the significance of the idea that we are
loved by God.
The fourth and final theme of Advent is Joy. Joy is more than mere
happiness. Joy is the deep and abiding sense of gratitude and jubilation that
we experience as we celebrate Gods gift to us. Joy is our response to the
notion that God is acting decisively in our favor in this world-even when it
doesnt look like it.
Five Reasons for Advent observance
Advent Five Advent reflections
1. Advent is Witnessed by Creation Autumn and early winter are times
of great seasonal change. The leaves turn brilliant colors then fade and fall.
The shadows lengthen as the days grow shorter and colder. The warmth of
summer and vacations seem distant memories and we are reminded once
again that the things of this world last but a moment and pass away. Even so,
we look forward as well. Christmas can be a wonderful time of year.
Likewise, the winter ahead has delights. Few can deny the mesmerizing
beauty of falling snow and the child-like excitement a winter storm can
cause. Advent draws us spiritually into this season of change, of longing
and of expectation. As the days grow shorter and the darkness increases we

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light candles on our Advent wreathes and remember that Jesus is the true
light of the world, the light that shines in the darkness. These lit candles also
symbolize our on-going commitment to come out of darkness into Gods
own marvelous light. (cf 1 Peter 2:9). A Gospel Song says: Walk in the
light, beautiful light, come where the dew-drops of mercy shine bright.
2. Longing for Salvation Advent also draws us back to our Old
Testament roots. Israel was taught by God through the prophets to expect a
Messiah from God who would set them free from sin and injustice. Across
many centuries there arose a longing and a yearning for this messiah. Sin
and injustice had taken a terrible toll and so the cry from Israel went up:
O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains
might quake at thy presenceas when fire kindles brushwood and the fire
causes water to boilWe have all become like one who is unclean, and all
our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and
our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one that calls upon
thy name, that bestirs himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face
from us, and hast delivered us into the hand of our iniquities. Yet, O LORD,
thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the
work of thy hand. Be not exceedingly angry, O LORD, and remember not
iniquity for ever. Behold, consider, we are all thy people. (Is 64:1-7)
In Advent we recall these cries of ancient Israel and make them our own.
Surely Christ has already come yet we know that sin and injustice still have
their terrible effects in our lives and in our communities. We very much need
Jesus to be our Savior and to daily set us free. Advent is a time to
acknowledge our need for the saving work of God and to long for the
glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that God has already
begun this saving work in us, now we long for him to bring it to completion.
We also await the full manifestation of his glory and this brings us to the
second important meaning of Advent. .
3. Waiting for His Second Coming Advent is also a time to prepare for
the second coming of the Lord. We say in the Creed, He will come again in
glory to judge the living and the dead. This truth flows directly from
Scripture which teaches clearly two things on which we must reflect. First,
He will come again in glory. Second we cannot know the day or the hour
that he will return. In fact, though some signs will precede his coming, the
emphasis of Scripture falls upon the suddenness of the event:
1. He will appear like lightning (Mt 24:27),
2. with the suddenness of the pangs of child birth (1 Th. 5:3)
3. in the twinkling of an eye and the sound of a trumpet (1 Cor 15:52).
4. It will take place when we least expect (Mt 24:44),

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5. Just when everyone is saying, There is peace and security! (1 Th. 5:3).
Since this is to be the case we must live lives of readiness for that day.
Advent is a time when we especially reflect of the necessity of our readiness.
4. The Fire Next Time! - Some of the images of the last day, images of
judgement and destruction, can seem very frightening indeed. Consider for
example this passage from the Second Letter of Peter:
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass
away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the
earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. Since all these things
are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of
holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of
God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the
elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new
heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved,
since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or
blemish, and at peace (2 Pt. 3:10-14).
Some of the imagery used here reminds us of the even more fearsome
images of the Book of Revelation! But notice the complete message of this
passage and others like it. The heavens and the earth as we know it will pass
away but we who are ready look forward with joy to a new heavens and a
new earth where the justice of God will reside in all its fullness. An
African-American Spiritual summarized the teachings of the Second Letter
of Peter by these classic lines, God gave Noah the rainbow sign, No more
water, the fire next time. Here too, our first reaction to such phrases might be
fear. But in the tradition of the spirituals, this fire was a fire of justice and
truth that destroyed the power of injustice and oppression. To be ready is be
living faithfully, holding to Gods unchanging hand in the obedience of faith
and trust. To be ready is to be living a holy life and a life of repentance. If
we do this we have not only have nothing to fear about the Last Day, we
eagerly anticipate it and cry out, Amen, Come Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20).
5. Remember, Repent, Rehearse All these reflections help to place
Advent in proper perspective for us. We are called to remember, repent and
rehearse. We remember that Christ has already come and that he has called
us to the obedience of faith and promised he will return in glory. We repent
of whatever hinders our readiness for that day. And we rehearse for his
second coming in glory by anticipating its demands and celebrating the
glory that comes to those whom he finds watchful and ready. In a sense
every Mass is a dress rehearsal for the glory of the kingdom. At every mass
the following prayer is said, Deliver us Lord from every evil and grant us
peace in our day. In your mercy, keep us free from sin and protect us from

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all anxiety, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our savior, Jesus
Christ. This beautiful prayer recalls that it is entirely Gods work that we be
ready for his glorious return. Only he can deliver us, free us from our sin and
remove anxiety about that day. Only he can give us joy and make us holy.
Here are ten commandments for Christmas to make our Christmas 2009
more meaningful for our celebrations: They are: 10 Christmas
Commandments given by an anonymous author. 1. You shall not leave
Christ out of Christmas, making it Xmas. To some, X is unknown.
2. You shall prepare your soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts
that your soul is forgotten. 3. You shall not let Santa Claus replace Christ,
thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality. 4. You shall not burden the shop
girl, the mailman, and the merchant with complaints and demands. 5. You
shall give yourself with your gift. This will increase its value a hundred fold,
and the one who receives it shall treasure it forever. 6. You shall not value
gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and
that is more priceless than silver and gold. 7. You shall not neglect the needy.
Share your blessings with many who will go hungry and cold if you are
generous. 8. You shall not neglect your church. Its services highlight the true
meaning of the season. 9. You shall be as a little child. Not until you become
in spirit as a little one are you ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. 10.
You shall give your heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of your Christmas
list.
Let me briefly introduce three Greek words to you: Kenosis, Enosis and
Theosis. Kenosis means emptying. Enosis means union. And Theosis
means Deification. These are the steps we must take in order to find Jesus
the Messiah. Kenosis, an emptying of ourselves, of our egos, of our
passions, of our desire to fall prey to temptations. Enosis, a union with God,
a desire, a decision, to follow God. Theosis, the process by which we
become Godly in our lives.
Why Jesus is Better than Santa Claus
Santa lives at the North Pole... JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year... JESUS is an ever-present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies... JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited... JESUS stands at your door and
knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.
You have to wait in line to see Santa... JESUS is as close as the mention of
His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap... JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

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Santa doesnt know your name, all he can say is Hi little boy or girl, whats
your name?... JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He
know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future
and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly... JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is HO HO HO... JESUS offers health, help and hope.
Santa says Youd better not cry... JESUS says, Cast all your cares on me
for I care for you.
Santas little helpers make toys... JESUS makes new life, mends wounded
hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but... JESUS gives you joy that is your
strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree... JESUS became our gift and died on
a tree.
Its obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO
Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is
still the reason for the season. Yes, JESUS is better, He is even better than
Santa Claus. Merry CHRISTmas!
Here is an Advent Prayer by Henri J.M. Nouwen:
Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit
upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet
spaces to hear your voice each day. We who are anxious over many things
look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many
ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy
seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet
seeking the light. To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!" Amen.
Heres a prayer by the prospective blessed of the Church. the English Prelate
Cardinal John Henry Newman: Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance
everywhere. Flood my whole person with your spirit and life. Penetrate and
possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may be only a radiance of
yours. Shine through me and be so in me that every person I come in contact
with may feel your presence in me. Let them look up and see no longer me
but only Jesus. Amen.