With the praying of evening prayer on this last Saturday of November we usher in Advent 2010; the official start of the new liturgical year. Advent 2010 ushers in Cycle A on the church calender which means we will focus on the Gospel of St. Matthew this year. Advent is a beautiful and important time of the year that should be properly celebrated. Thankfully, the church does all in it's power to focus on Advent and make it important in our lives. With the constant tug by the secular world, driven mostly by retailers and the media, there is little to no concept of Advent as we are trained to celebrate Christmas 30, even 45 daysw before the actual holiday. And these same types are quick to abandon Christmas as soon as Christmas day dawns.
I noticed the other day that one of the local FM radio stations is already on 24-hour Christmas music. Retailers have been decorated for weeks and already running Christmas sales; especially yesterday with the so called black Friday. Many families have Chirstmas trees, decorations and lights up already. Now there is nothing wrong with preparing and getting ready for Christmas but hopefully it is in an Advent spirit.
Advent gives rise to the ancient cry: Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus! Advent brings us plenty of Isiaiah, John the Baptist, themes of the coming of the Lord, hope & joy, and prayerful anticipation. Yes, we anticipate the coming of the newborn King at Christmas; the Christ child born of Mary. But we also ponder his coming to us in our own lives, in His Word and most excellently in the Eucharist. And the Advent anticipation gives us hope in His coming again.
So in the next four weeks, we will celebrate Advent, see liturgical purple, light the candles on the Advent wreath, pray for Jesus' coming and anticipate Christmas. May this be a joyful and spiritual Advent!
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