The Good News • December 2007

Anglican Trivia

(an occasional column, subject to demand)

Question: It's Christmas everywhere! Why haven't we decorated the church yet?

Answer: Many places are celebrating Christmas — remember Tom Lehrer's Christmas Carol?

Hark the Herald Tribune sings,
Advertising wondrous things.
God rest you merry merchants,
May you make the Yuletide pay.
Angels we have heard on high,
Tell us to go out and buy!

However, at St. John's we're celebrating something Advent, the first season of the church year. (New Year's before Christmas? How counter cultural is that??)

Advent is four weeks of anticipation, waiting for Christ's coming, both to celebrate his birth at Christmas and to look forward to his coming again in power and great glory, at a time no one knows.

We'll hear readings from the prophets, of light coming to those living in darkness and of John the Baptist, announcing the coming of the Messiah. We'll sing those wonderful hymns unique to Advent — Lo, He comes with Clouds Descending; Creator of the Stars of Night; On Jordan's Bank the Baptists Cry; Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel — we don't get to sing them at any other time. Candles will be lighted on the Advent wreath as the days get shorter, darker, colder (aren't we fortunate to live in the Northern Hemisphere and know what darkness is?) And as we wait and hope, for the coming of Christ, of light and life, the experience of anticipation will increase the joy of Christmas when it comes (as it surely will.)

In the meantime, we can sound the days on the Advent calendar, join one or both of the Advent reading groups or find a book of Advent meditations. Forward Day by Day uses readings from the Daily Office Lectionary for a daily meditation.

The Diocese of Washington's online Advent Calendar will begin on December 1. Each "window" will reveal a photo of a figure form the annual crèche exhibit at the National Cathedral and links to a daily meditation, a daily carol (courtesy of the choir of Trinity Church, Wall Street) and a giving opportunity. Unfortunately the web address for this was not given; the Diocese is at www.edow.org and no doubt on December 1 there will be a link. Or we can use a nice old fashioned cardboard calendar with actual rather than virtual windows. Just a little something to take a few minutes away from the Christmas rush of Tom Lehrer's carol and give our souls the gift of Advent.

And on December 19 we will decorate the church.

Liz Wrona.