Preparing for Christmas (the Liturgical way)

For many, Advent is simply the name we attach to the calendar counting down from December 1^st to 25^th with chocolates behind each little window. And if you’re like my husband, the chocolate doesn’t last past December 2^nd! For Christians, this time has actual meaning and value – but do you know what Advent is? Have you ever wondered why it’s not just “All Christmas, all the time”?

Historically speaking, the church season of Advent has been a way to remember the waiting of our ancestors – waiting for the coming of the Messiah. While Advent is an “invention” of the early Church, it follows the same idea as a Service of Worship or the Church Liturgical Calendar. Taking a year to re-live the cycle of Christ’s life brings us closer to His life and work. Worshipping together each week, in a format that echoes (sometimes faintly) the life of Christ, reminds of why this is important. So Advent was designed to bring us closer to the beginning of the story – before Christ came to earth to bring healing and salvation.

So, what was it like to live before Christ came to wash away our sinfulness? What did the anticipation look like? How would it feel to live by the Law –and to know that salvation was coming… eventually? We take some time to stop and acknowledge that waiting – and the anticipation – while looking forward to the Second Coming of the Messiah as well.

Christmas is different. We celebrate the incarnation of Christ into the world – the long-awaited coming of the Messiah! Christmas is filled with joy and thanksgiving, while Advent is a more reflective time as we remember a world without the Messiah, and we (try to) prepare our own lives for Christ to come again someday.

Growing up, my church always celebrated Advent. Maybe it was because we were Presbyterian and very liturgical or maybe it’s an East Coast, historical-church kind of thing… but it never occurred to me that some churches didn’t celebrate – or even recognize – Advent. It wasn’t until Seminary (of all places) that I discovered friends who really had no experience with this wonderful Season of Preparation.

We had various traditions that helped us remember that this Season is different. Our Nativity scenes (crèche) would not have Baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas Eve services. We wouldn’t sing Christmas Carols, only the hymns from the Advent section of our hymnal (this is harder than you think). We would sing a verse of O come, O come,Emmanuel instead of the Gloria Patri, since “… and to the Son…” didn’t make sense if we were trying to remember what the world was like before the Messiah was born. We added decorations to the sanctuary one week at a time. There are so many things that you can do to emphasize the idea of waiting.

So let’s take the next 4 weeks together to prepare. Prepare for the birth – and Second Coming – of our Messiah! Prepare to spread the Good News of Jesus birth – and life and death and resurrection – with a world unaware of the events. Prepare to welcome our Messiah into our lives and our world, that He might bring about real change.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!