Some thoughts on Advent: Part I

I will try over the next few weeks to make at least a weekly post about Advent, and since Advent officially started yesterday - I thought today would be a good day to start.

I ran sound yesterday at an "Advent Vespers" choir concert put on by our "Singing Seminarians" (yes it is a lame name but that's what they call themselves) and after the concert JD (our Dean of the Chapel) made the comment to me that it was very Christmasy. I agree, we sang all the good Christmas songs: Joy to the World, the Hallelujah Chorus, O Holy Night, etc. But the point JD was trying, was not that it was Christmasy but rather that it wasn't adventy. Now this was certainly true - the only advent song that we sang was O Come Emmanuelle.

I'm not trying to criticize the Singing Sems. but I do think that their concert is indicative of the general praxis of the Church. We rush to Christmas, we ignore Advent, and for all practical purposes the child is already born. To be sure, Christ was born, suffered, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Father, but in the sense of the Christmas season - the Church Year in which we place ourselves - he is not born of a virgin... yet. In the context of placing ourselves in the narrative of Christian history the Child is not born and the messiah has not come into the world. We are still longing, we are still in the dark, as opposed to the light - an image heralded during Advent.

This concept of rushing to Advent got me thinking. Wouldn't be more appropriate if we waited till after Christmas to turn on our lights or plug in our Christmas tree? How about music, wouldn't it me more theologically significant to only sing songs like " O come O Come Emmanuel," or "let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" until Christmas and then break into songs such as: Joyful Joyful, O Holy Night and the like. Wouldn't it be telling if we stripped our churches instead of decorating them and then usher in the decorations on Christmas morning as a family of faith and truly Deck the Halls? It seems to me that a resounding answer to these questions is YES.

It's these thoughts that have helped me focus my scripture reading for advent. I'm reading through the book of Lamentations during this period. I know that lamentations may be typically associated with Lent, but I also think it may be appropriate for advent - especially if we read it with the thoughts that the Messiah has not yet come. Not only do we read Lamentations as work from the exile period where the people of God are displaced and not beholding the chief signifier of the promise, but they are also without the promised prophet like Moses and Messiah. The longing/morning is chief in this text and I think it may help us (read: me) focus on the absence of Messiah (read: Christ) and then truly experience the Joy on Christmas day.

Usually I'm burned out on Christmas music by Christmas day and don't want to listen to it anymore. I know it's mostlly unavoidable but I'm trying to use these thoughts to spur me on to not listening to Christmas music that is non-advent before Christmas. I think if I compiled the songs that are theologically advent orient from the 5 Christmas albums that I own I may be able to get 5 or 6 songs so I guess that will have to suffice. I may get sick of them, but I think this little experiment into advent will nourish my soul and prove to be life-giving.

If you want to read along with me I'm reading 5 verses of Lamentations a day and also reading two readers: Watch for the Light and Welcoming the Giver of All Good Gofts. Reflections for Advent. Excerpts from the Works of Fr. R. Cantalamessa. (note the second link is all I could find and it is on page 16 of the catalogue).

Well that's it for now, Like I said I'll try to post some advent thoughts on some of my readings or just random thoughts.

Blessings,

Ben