Dear Saints,
Season’s Greetings!
But which season is it? The world around us is “Christmas” crazy. Stores started on xmas merchandising weeks ago. I don’t begrudge them that, given they only sell what we buy, but I don’t want our calendars to be controlled by commercialism either.
This Sunday, the Church enters the Season of Advent. If we use these few short weeks wisely, we will find the time and space we need to prepare for Christ’s coming at Christmas. And no, this isn’t a scrooge-styled move on my part - the Church’s desire (and my desire) is that you experience a deeper and more lasting joy than the secular observance of xmas-in-Advent can afford you.
There’s been a good bit of confusion in recent years about the nature of our Advent observance. People have suggested that Advent is not a penitential season, at least not of the sort we know Lent to be. I’d like to offer just a few points on this:
1. Fasts prepare us for Feasts. Although Christmas has never been called “mini Easter,” Advent has often been called “mini Lent.” This is the case in most Eastern churches, which have preserved the idea and practice of penitential seasons in a way we have forgotten and neglected. The fact that fasts prepare us for feasts is simply spiritual physics.
2. The rule of thumb is the bigger the feast, the bigger the fast. Easter is the most significant feast of the year, so it is preceded by the Church’s longest fast. Our second most significant feast is Christmas, which has both a shorter celebration and a more compact preparation.
3. Our preparations for Christmas take on the traditional practices of other penitential seasons. Again, spiritual physics: Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help us to grow in love for God, self, and neighbor.
My friends, have a blessed Advent. I’m looking forward to celebrating this season - and the Christmas Season - with you!
In the Peace of Christ,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
PS Join us for Lessons and Carols this year. The prayer service has become an integral part of our Advent observance