In my toddler years, before I learned to read a calendar or had developed a sense of time, I’m sure I must have asked my mother “What day is Christmas?” I am sure I hear her instructive words to this day: “Christmas always falls on December 25 and it is preceded by four weeks of Advent as a special time to prepare for Christ’s birth. We do not put up the Christmas tree, the manger scene, or any other decorations until December 15. The Advent wreath is the only decoration for right now and we will light a candle for each week of Advent. When the fourth candle is lighted, then you will know that Christmas is only a week away.”
The season of Advent has always been a welcome invitation to immerse myself deeper into the Light of God’s Presence, especially in my monastic years. I think of St. Benedict’s words from the Prologue of his Rule: “What is more delightful than this voice of the Holy One calling to us?” (Prologue: 19). The rich liturgical readings of Advent emphatically begin with the exhortation of vigilance: “Be watchful! Be alert! ... Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming…May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping” (Mark 13: 33, 35-36). The Isaiah readings heard throughout the weeks of Advent rouse a commitment within the heart to cultivate a contemplative preparation for the re-birthing of Christ.
“O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:5)
And from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (Isaiah 11:1)
Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, saying to Zion,
Your God is King!” (Isaiah 52:7)
“A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low…
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all people shall see it together.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)
“Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God, he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” (Isaiah 35:4-6)
These readings ignite the child-like anticipation of Christmas. It is one thing to know Christmas is coming, but in later years, it is quite another thing to keep up the momentum of staying with the
Mystery of it all. Although there were four full weeks of Advent this year, it wasn’t long before I started swerving off Expectation Road. My regular horarium, ministry, and occasional assignments not on my “To Do” list, combined with Christmas preparations (prayer services, shopping, coordinating special work lists, decorating, and two unexpected out of town trips) monopolized my time the first three weeks of Advent. With the sudden arrival of the fourth week of Advent, I was awakened from my “slumber” as we sang the following hymn at Morning Prayer:
“See how the Virgin waits for him:
Mary in wonder waits for him.
Shake off your slumber: come all full of wonder.
Jesus is coming as the Prince of Peace.
Gently she hears the distant breeze swaying the silver olive trees.
What is she thinking as the sun is sinking,
Waiting the birthday of her first-born Son?
Now a new pattern on the loom;
Now a new presence in the room.
Waking or sleeping, all her love she’s keeping,
Waiting the coming of the Son of God.
Slovak Folk Melody, Willard F. Jabusch
OCP, 1967
In the Gospel passages for the final week of Advent, Mary’s expectation and preparations for Jesus’ coming into the world took center stage. Even though very much perplexed at her call to become the Mother of God, she resigned herself to fulfilling God’s plan in birthing the Son of God to the world. She quietly pondered this challenge in her heart as she gratefully sang:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.”
(Luke 1: 46-48)
For two days I pondered as Mary did the meaning of the Christmas Mystery about to transpire. But it wasn’t long before I got busy with last minute Christmas preparations. The words of Thomas Merton kept surfacing in my heart: “People in the world think the monastery is so calm and peaceful, but in reality, there is much activity inside these walls.” (Paraphrased, do not recall source) I strived to get all this “holy” business done so I could get back to pondering the coming of Christ in my heart, but was still quite active until the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Midnight Mass proved to be solemn and my prayer wordless with the faith that I was embraced with the Mystery, a prayer that has no words, an unfathomable encounter with the Divine. I gazed at the Nativity scene in the sanctuary after Mass, also a wordless encounter of the Divine, a faithful acceptance of the Mystery that must be lived daily all the days of my life.
As I awoke the next morning, realizing how tired I was, I resolved to renew my efforts in celebrating the events of Christmas day. A few more last minute details consumed my energy in preparation for Mass, dinner, Community Christmas party, and Vespers, all beautiful, all holy, and enjoyed by all. After all the blessed activities of the day, I was free to savor the evening hours as I relaxed in the recliner to gaze on the lights of the Christmas tree, while watching the Concordia Christmas concert on PBS. As I went to bed, I knew I would awaken on the Feast of St. Stephen, December 26 with no specific duties and that this would be my Christmas Day this year.
So yesterday I took time to re-read and pray with the Christmas Mass readings and contemplate the meaning of Christmas for me at this time of my life. I came across a quote from a book, A Child in Winter (Caryl Houselander/Thomas Hoffman):
“The light from our Advent vigil now shines and draws crowds.
Our Lady keeps us connected to Advent,
But the way of the shepherds points forward-
To seek and to share what we have seen.”
(Hoffman)
The journey of Christmas continues in the daily call of staying connected to the reality of the Advent and Christmas Scripture readings, internalizing the Word within me, and proclaiming Mary’s Canticle each evening as I pray with my Sisters. Even though I may occasionally get distracted in following the Expectation Road, I know that every day is Christmas. Christmas is celebrated for 12 days in the liturgical cycle, but really 40 days, up until February 2, The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. So this being the third day of Christmas and if every day is Christmas, I still have 362 days left to celebrate the Christmas Mystery.
“The Christ is our dream come true.
This is the wholeness of God’s love made flesh.
He is beautiful and he is ours.
Come, let us adore.”
~Caryll Houselander, A Child in Winter
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