Traditionally, the season of
Advent has been a time of penitence in preparation to celebrate the Feast of
the Nativity. This is why the church color for the season is purple even though
it clashes with the red and green we typically associate with Christmas. Purple signifies the season of
repentance. The Feast of the Nativity on
December 25 marked the beginning of Feasting and celebrating. The Feast went on for the 12 days between
December 25 and the Epiphany on January 6.
Through the years the traditions
have been altered in different ways by our culture. In the Greek Orthodox Church, for example,
the period of fasting in preparation for the Feast of the Nativity begins in
November yet they do not wear purple at all during Christmas because they
consider their fast as preparation not penitence as in Lent. It is a hard to keep a fast in America anyway
when our celebration of Thanksgiving is totally focused on food. Different churches made alterations on these
traditions to help the people keep the focus on what is most important—the
birth of Christ. The season of advent is
not a biblical mandate; rather it is a tool suggested by holy leaders in their
efforts to help us to love and serve God more fully as disciples of Christ.
For this reason you will not
find hard and fast rules about the season.
I think it is more relevant to explore and set out to focus on this
season in the way that most benefits your soul.
We began celebrating Advent when Rachel was first beginning to respond
to Christmas. Brian and I were saddened
by the reality we saw in her childish heart that everything was about gifts and
Santa Claus. For this reason, we looked
for ways to help her think more about Jesus.
We may have gone too far because by the time Ben was three, he did not
even know the name of Santa Claus. That
Christmas we have video of him saying, Look,
there’s that Christmas man.
Overall, I think we reached a
balance between celebrating the amazing spiritual significance of Christmas
along with enjoying the secular celebrations that we all enjoy. The main way we focus on the spiritual
significance is through placing an Advent Wreath on the center of our kitchen
table. We have wonderful memories of
each child participating in the Advent Wreath—when they were very small by
blowing out the candles, then lighting them as they grew older, and when they could
read, sharing in the devotions we enjoyed together.
The various church traditions
regarding Advent offer many ways to celebrate the joy of the season. They help us not just wait on Santa Claus but
to wait in joyful expectation of celebrating the reality that the Son of God
came to earth to be with us. Moreover,
because of His death, burial, and resurrection, He will ever remain with us
through faith.
Jesus told the Parable in
Matthew 25 of the virgins keeping their lamps lit for the coming of the
bridegroom. At that time the kingdom of heaven will be
like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five
of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any
oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and
fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang
out: Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed
their lamps.
During the Season of Advent,
church traditions offer you an opportunity to allow your mind, body and soul to
experience the truths of God’s Word. I
hope you will participate in celebrating the spiritual significance of the
season in a special way. I have prepared
a Advent Devotion that you can use each day of Advent through Epiphany. Write to me at drdnewman@teatimeforyoursoul.com if you would like me to send you this document.
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