Did you know that Christmas begins the day after Halloween? Wait . . . what? Haven't you seen the stores? It's Christmas - apparently. Except it's not. Actually it's not even Advent yet but by looking around you'd think that Christmas was just one week away instead of six.
I'll admit it, it bugs me. Why do we have to start all this so soon? Don't get me wrong, I'm no Scrooge - really I'm not. I love Christmas - AT Christmas that is. But what can you do? Short of staying out of the stores (NOT a bad idea mind you but just not always feasible) how can you avoid all this -in your face- holiday cheer?
Well, you can't - at least I can't so I have decided to embrace it. No, we don't decorate before Christmas (as close we can get that is) and I'm still a bit of a stickler for not having Christmas parties in Advent but I have decided that I will enjoy the beauty of this -money machine imposed time (you do realize it's all about the stores getting your money sooner right?)- and use it as a reminder of what's to come and where I am headed. Because after all that really is what it's all about.
Very soon a new year will be upon us. No, I'm not talking about the "New Year" but rather the real new year - the liturgical year. The year around which everything we do is based. Each year through feasts and memorials, holy days and solemnities we relive the events of Christ's life. Events that are not definitively "passed" but that live on and continue to bless us and give us grace.
And so it begins with Advent. OK it's early - Advent doesn't begin until Dec. 2nd and yet any day, every day is the perfect time to set our eyes towards Heaven and turn our hearts toward Jesus. Looking around us at the trappings of Christmas we are continually reminded to prepare. Prepare for Christmas and thus prepare our heart for Christ's coming.
If I am honest about it I should be grateful for all the "extra early" preparations. At least I can't claim that Christmas snuck up on me - it's pretty hard to miss at this point. But you know, I think that's OK. I need the reminders because I can so easily get caught up in things and lose sight of what's coming. Doing that for Christmas is bad enough but doing that in life has eternal consequences.
So maybe the better way to approach the onslaught of advertising is to see it as a gift - a mercy even. An insistent reminder not to become lazy or complacent. A reminder to pray with more passion, be more generous in our acts of charity and ever more attentive to Christ's call on our lives.
Yes, a gift of mercy and a constant reminder to turn our hearts toward God as we "wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ."
Wonderful reminders Michele! I love the idea of the gift of mercy and awaiting the joyful hope of Our Lord. Thank you!
Posted by: Meredith | November 08, 2007 at 04:03 PM
Great post, Michele!
Posted by: Alice Gunther | November 30, 2007 at 12:27 PM