The proper use of Advent is to prepare for the Coming of Christ. The Holy Church, Our Mother, gives us 4 weeks to prepare ourselves to celebrate the threefold coming of Christ. As part of this season, we are invited to remember His Incarnation, His Second Coming, and His Coming to us now. Catholics throughout the centuries have held strong to advent traditions, that is why in this article I intend to share some of them to help us spend Advent and prepare for Christmas. We must consider that Advent, just like Lent, is a penitential season with great anticipation where, instead of being reminded of the passion and death of Our Lord +Jesus Christ, we are reminded of His nativity.
First Sunday of Advent:
The first Sunday of Advent is the day when, traditionally, families would prepare their homes for the month. Today is the day where you can set out the crib, obviously keeping the Baby +Jesus and the Magi out. Today is also the perfect day to set out the Advent candles, wreaths, and to decorate your house for the month. To learn more about the Advent wreath, the blessings and readings to do with the lighting of each candle, and much more; Fish Eaters has a great article
There is also a wonderful tradition in families to do a Christkindl. It is a custom of picking out names of those within the family and assigning, anonymously, a person for each member. During the season, that person you have received becomes to you the Child +Jesus. Through showing acts of kindness, offering up sacrifices, and preparing nice surprises for them, we are reminded that we are doing them to Christ Himself. Maria Von Trapp describes that it "creates a wonderful atmosphere of joyful suspense, kindness, and thoughtfulness." It is true that some of us do not have families with us yet, but why not try this with a group of friends? Or maybe in your house with your housemates?
December 30th: Feast of St Andrew
Today's feast is used as a marker for the date of Advent: the Sunday closest to November 30 -- whether before, after, or on November 30 -- is Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent. Today starts one of the most popular Advent devotions, the Christmas Novena. A brief prayer is said fifteen times a day from today's feast to Christmas Eve:
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, to hear my prayers and grant my desires. (Mention your intentions here) Through +Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
Because of St Andrew's patronage, this feast is a national holiday in Scotland. His X-shaped cross is used there and in England as a symbol to fight against evil. One can find it inscribed on fireplaces and over doorways and the like, all in order to keep demons and witches far away.
December 6th: Feast of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas' feast was a beloved and wonderful Bishop of Myra. There are many stories of his life that reveal his kindness and miracles. The most popular story is the following:
"And it was so that one, his neighbour, had then three daughters, virgins, and he was a nobleman: but for the poverty of them together, they were constrained, and in very purpose to abandon them to the sin of lechery, so that by the gain and winning of their infamy they might be sustained. And when the holy man Nicholas knew hereof he had great horror of this villainy, and threw by night secretly into the house of the man a mass of gold wrapped in a cloth. And when the man arose in the morning, he found this mass of gold, and rendered to God therefor great thankings, and therewith he married his oldest daughter. And a little while after this holy servant of God another mass of gold, which the man found, and thanked God, and purposed to wake, for to know him that so had aided him in his poverty. And after a few days Nicholas doubled the mass of gold, and cast it into the house of this man. He awoke by the sound of the gold, and followed Nicholas, which fled from him, and he said to him: Sir, flee not away so but that I may see and know thee. Then he ran after him more hastily, and knew that it was Nicholas; and anon he kneeled down, and would have kissed his feet, but the holy man would not, but required him not to tell nor discover this thing as long as he lived." (The Golden Legend, written in A.D. 1275 by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa)
Some Catholic families hold a tradition of giving gifts on this day as part of the three gifts of the Advent and Christmas season, in memory of the gifts that the 3 Kings gave Our Lord. Today is a nice day to place a picture or holy card of St Nicholas in your home and to serve some delicious Dutch cookies called Speculaas.
December 8th: Feast of the Immaculate Conception
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of Obligation in many countries. The Immaculate Conception is not the conception of Christ, as so many think. It is the conception of Mary in the womb of St Anne. Nine months from now, on the 8th of September, we celebrate the birthday of Our Blessed Mother. Father Pio has written a wonderful article on the Immaculate Conception for us to learn about this wonderful Dogma of the Church.
Catholics can celebrate this feast in the same way we celebrate other feasts of Our Lady. It is good to pray the Magnificat, the Litany of Loreto, sing Marian hymns, the 15 decades of the Holy Rosary, and above all to honour Our Lady by attending the Holy Mass (which Catholics must as it is a Holy Day of Obligation - unless the obligation is lifted by one's confessor because of very serious reasons).
Make sure to read this wonderful excerpt of the teaching of St Maximilian M Kolbe on the Immaculate Conception!
December 12th: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe is probably one of the most well know true apparition of Our Blessed Mother. She appeared to an indigenous young man from Mexico called Saint Juan Diego. It was through Our Lady's wonderful mediation that the Americas were converted, and the satanic practices of the indigenous (child sacrifices and much more) were brought to an end. The image of Our Lady is full of symbols that the indigenous tribes would understand. Her black ribbon around her belly signified to the Aztecs that she was pregnant, her loose hair signified that she was a virgin. Our Lady used pagan symbols and customs to bring about the salvation of hundreds. May we pray today that, in this neo-pagan world, She may intercede and save many souls!
Why not cook some Mexican food tonight and watch one of the many movies about Our Lady of Guadalupe!!
Did you know that in the mantle of Our Lady there is a melody inscribed? This wonderful religious community made a chant from it, chanting the words that Our Lady said to Saint Juan Diego in his native tongue Náhuatl. The words of Our Lady that they sing are:
Our Lady: "I am the perfect ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the one great God of truth. I want very much that they bulid my sacred little house here. Here I will listen to their crying and heal their pain!"
Juan Diego: "My Lady, my Little Girl, now I am going to make your venerable breath, your venerable word, a reality; I, your poor Indian, am leaving you for a while."
Our Lady: I am truly your compassionate Mother, your Mother, and Mother of all people who love me, those who cry to me, those who seek me, those who trust in me!
For the partiture click here
Third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday
The Third Sunday of Advent is the second time during the year where we see our priests dressed in pink, sorry I meant rose, at the altar for this Sunday's Mass. The rose vestments are a reminder that today is a day to rejoice. Holy Mother the Church has set aside this Sunday as a reminder that we are closer to our big feast, Christmas! The name comes from the start of the Introit for today's mass "Gaudete in Domino" (Rejoice in the Lord), and the readings of today's Holy Mass focus on the greatest saint, St John the Baptist. This saint, sanctified in the womb of his mother by the presence of Our Lord prepared the souls of the Israelites for the Coming of Christ. Let us ask him today to prepare our hearts for Christmas, by purifying it through penance and fasting!
December 16th: Christmas Novena
The Christmas Novena starts today. If you could not follow the one which started on the feast of St Andrew this is your second chance! There are plenty of options of novenas on the internet, but I recommend these indulged ones: Preparatory Novena for Christmas I, and Preparatory Novena for Christmas II
Advent Embertide: December 16th, 18th and 19th
The Church sets aside these three days during Advent for us to focus on God's marvelous creation. There are 4 Embertides during the year placed around the beginnings of the four natural seasons. They are on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Catholics can keep these days as 'extra' penitential days fasting and partially abstaining (only eating meat on one of the daily meals) as a way to thank God for His gifts that He gives us in nature. These days are not mandatory to be kept by Catholics under the pain of sin since the new code of Canon Law. However, that does not mean we should avoid them.
During the Ember Days, the Church traditionally would have priestly ordinations and first Holy Communions. That is why these days are also set aside to pray for priests, almsgiving, and praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. As they are also days where Catholic women would pray for children and safe deliveries.
December 17th: Golden Nights
Today marks the start of the Octave of Christmas Eve. In the Breviary, the antiphons of Vespers for the next seven days are known as the "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") that are prayed during the Octave. Each Antiphon begins with 'O' and addressed Our Lord in a different title from the old testament prophesies, which when read backward, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." The titles for Christ are Sapientia, Adonai, Radix Jesse, Clavis David, Oriens, Rex Gentium, and Emmanuel.
These Antiphons can be prayed in any way. One can choose to sing them, to read scripture related to them, or by singing them as they are sung as part of Vespers before the Magnificat. The Divine Office prays the antiphons before and after praying the Magnificat. Dom Guerager has, in his work The Liturgical Year, an explanation and Catechism on each of the Antiphons which is also a great way of learning more about the prophecies concerning Our Lord.
To learn more about the O Antiphons and how to sing them, as well as to find the excerpts of Dom Gueranger please see this article from Fish Eaters
Other Devotions for Advent
As Christmas draws near, we can start to prepare our homes, hearts, and minds for this wonderful feast. The days approaching Christmas are still penitential, however, many Catholics start to prepare their homes with Christmas decorations and Christmas songs.
One of my favourite things to do during these coming days is to read the writings of the mystics. Last year I read the excerpt of The Mystical City of God on the nativity of Our Lord (click here for it), and I really recommend anyone who wants to fall in love with the Holy Family to read it. It is crucial to remember that these writings are but interpretations and should not be an alternative to the Holy Scriptures.
Another thing you can do during this season is to prepare your home for the Coming of Christ. Some Catholic mothers deep clean their house during Advent as penance, meditating on how He will come. The cleaning of our houses inspires us to clean our Souls of all stains. We also give honour to Our Lord, born in a manger, by preparing our home to receive him. Given that so many did not receive the Holy Family in Bethlehem, we must make an effort to keep our homes, and hearts, prepared for His Coming.
Finally, let us use this season to purge from our hearts any stain of sin by preparing a diligent examen, going to confession fervently, and making a firm purpose of amendment. I also recommend you to try this month to prepare your Holy Communions as fervently as you can and to have 15 to 20 minutes of thanksgiving after it. There are, at least 10 to 15 minutes where Our Lord is truly present in you; use these precious minutes to beg him for forgiveness for your sins, asking Him to heal your wounds, and begging Our Lady to adore him as She for you. During these invaluable minutes, ask Our Lady to take ownership of your prayers, merits, sins, and imperfections.
And above all; rejoice in the great mercy of Our Lord who took our fallen humanity and died to bring about our salvation, remember His second coming where He will show us His eternal Justice, and enkindle in your heart a great desire and disposition to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion. Ave Maria!
Comments