Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Every year, we are reminded to “Keep Christ in Christmas,” but this 2nd Sunday of our Advent journey I want to invite us again to “Keep Christmas in Christmas”.
Christmas is indeed a wonderful time of the year, but it is its own season, starting with the Vigil of the Nativity on the 24th. When we don’t keep Christmas in Christmas, we overrun the power of Advent and, I’d argue, we also miss the true power of Christmas.
The spirit of the world pushes and shoves, rushing us to fabricate the Christmas vibe…”you want that Christmas magic, so have it now! Stuff yourself on Christmas NOW!”
The Spirit of the Lord on the other hand draws and invites…”come to the empty stable, a place that seems like God is not there, in the quiet, in the simplicity, even in the mess.”
At All Saints, we will celebrate Advent. My prayer is that our parish be a refuge where you can be drawn by the Lord into the stillness of an empty manger, where you can ponder with Joseph and Mary how the Lord is gently breaking into your life, where you can find a place to let concern, anxiety, fear, or stress be met by the power of hope in the Lord.
We will slowly add decoration. We will create opportunities to slow down, with an “Evening of Sacred Advent Music” (Dec. 13), a parish mission (Dec. 15/16) and penance service (Dec. 17).
In your homes, I encourage and invite you to take similar steps. Put an Advent wreath on your dinner table and light the candles as you ask God’s blessing on your meals. Make a playlist of beautiful Advent hymns (I’ll provide a list below). Create a moment of silence each day, perhaps praying the traditional St. Andrew Christmas Novena from now until Christmas:
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin in a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech You, to hear my prayers and grant my desires. (Mention your intentions) Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen.
Having taken intentional time to wait on the Lord, His birth will mean so much more, His breaking into time will echo in the newness of His arrival in your heart. And you can celebrate Christmas with new-found fervor, savoring the infinite depths of this mystery, even as the world quickly moves on. We can stay at the manger in awe, simply by celebrating Advent, and keeping Christmas in Christmas!
Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!
All you holy saints of God, pray for us!
In Him who is to come,
Fr. Michael Silloway
Pastor
Fr. Michael’s Recommended Advent Songs:
- Ecce Novum by Ola Gjeilo
- Creator of the Stars of Night
- O Come O Come Emmanuel
- Ave Maria by Franz Biebl
- Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
- Come Thou Font
- Prepare the Way, O Zion by Jennifer Martin
- O Come Divine Messiah
- Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
- May You Find a Light by The Brilliance