Advent
November 30, 2008
Do you do any special practices in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth? I mean do you do any special readings? Do you have any special activities that you consider important by way of commemorating the coming of Messiah? Individually and corporately, how do you do advent? CDP has an Advent and Christmas section beginning on page 228. Check it out. If you access CDP through the link, the special readings are not available online.
Most churches began advent season yesterday. Anglicans celebrate the feast of St Andrew on the first Sunday of advent. Andrew, one of the Apostles, who brings his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:35-42), and in John 12:20-22 he and Phillip bring the Greeks to Jesus to hear the proclamation of Jesus of the arrival of the kingdom of God, the gospel of repentance in faith.
During advent the church used to prepare for the birth of Christ by reading what the prophets said (the call for the people to return to God) and what John the Baptist proclaimed: repentance. Some parts of the church included the discipline of fasting along the readings of repentance in their preparation. I wonder if this is still true in many churches today. The festivities of the birth were celebrated during the 12 days of Christmas (December 25-January 6). But repentance was the order of the day during advent time. I also wonder if we are not in a hurry to enter the festivities without first considering repentant expectation.
Are repentance and fasting part of your preparation for the celebration of Christmas? They will be mine this year.
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