| Sisters and Brothers of Calvary, On November twenty-seventh we begin the season of Advent. Too often, with all the to-do of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and preparation for Christmas, we often skip over this important season, so I will take the next few weeks to say a bit about it. Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus, meaning “coming.” and is the first season of the church year. During Advent we commemorate our Lord’s first coming into the world, as well as looking forward to his coming again in the “Second Coming.” Throughout this season, we join with the prophets of old looking forward to the birth of the world’s Redeemer on Christmas Day. It is not merely the “historic coming” in Bethlehem for which we wait, but his birth into the world in our time, well expressed by Phillips Brooks in the 5th. verse of his familiar carol:‘O holy Child of Bethlehem!Descend to us, we pray;Cast out our sin and enter in,Be born in us today.” The first Advent was set by the Council of Tours in 567 and it was a forty-day, forty-two by some accounts, “pre-Christmas” season, starting on St. Martin’s Day (November 11) to Christmas Eve. In portions of Christendom, it appears that a special season of devotion, particularly with fasting was set from St. Martin’s Day through Epiphany (January 6th) since that was a special day for Baptisms. In the 9th. Century, it was apparently reduced to its present four-week length. It became a serious time, much like Lent, and was often called “Winter Lent,” and the same rules of fasting and penitence were the rule. In Gaul, the custom of omitting the Gloria and alleluia and the addition of purple vestments became the practice. In Rome, in the twelfth century, the use of the purple and omitting the Gloria was also practiced, but the season was not seen as so penitential as other areas and the alleluias were retained. Even here, the reason given is: “It is not omitted for the same reason as it is omitted in Lent, but in order that on the night of Christmas the angels’ song may ring out once again in all its newness.” There was also no required fast.Our current practice is a season of four Sundays beginning the Sunday closest to St. Andrew’s Day (November 30) and ending on Christmas Eve. In the lectionary, the first Sunday is the climax of the development of the eschatological theme (having to do with Last Things) which is begun the Last Sunday after Pentecost. The second and third Sundays in Advent are devoted to John the Baptist the herald of the coming of Christ and foretelling the judgment to come. The fourth Sunday emphasizes the Annunciation, the announcement to Mary of the birth co come. Next week I will talk about some traditions and symbols of the season. Peace,Bryant+ |
| Just a quick note about “Y’all Means All” There has been some confusion about the pledge the Vestry agreed to sign concerning Ashland Pride and Ashland for Change. The pledge is not a contract and does not bind the church in any way. All it does say is that we will welcome anyone who comes through the doors, as I have seen several times since arriving with you, and which is the stance of the Episcopal Church. Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians feel that it is their duty to judge others rather than loving our neighbors, forgetting that it was the Samaritan whom Jesus used as an example of who is our neighbor, and also the Samaritan woman who had been married five times and was not married to the man she was living with, and to whom Jesus offered the living water. If Jesus can offer himself to those children of God who many say should be cast out or excluded, I would rather side with Jesus. |
