Advent 1

Sister Clair Joy offers this portrait of Mary and Elizabeth, celebrating "one elusive moment of joy and wonder," as we begin this season of Advent. (thanks to Image and Spirit)

I did a Google search expecting to find an appropriate image of an Advent wreath with a solitary lit candle. I also considered stopping and unpacking my decorations to find the Advent wreath my Mom gave to me many years ago - St. Francis and the animals - how did she know way back then? - and snapping a photo of it. In the end I searched on "Advent 1" and came across this image.

Language disappeared and my gut emotional reaction to the image informed me that this was what I was looking for - the image, the emotion, the feeling of Advent.

It will come as no surprise that I find much of what is left of the public celebration of Advent/Christmas almost repulsive. In the mysterious workings of the Holy Spirit, I find myself finishing up a rereading of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley on this very Sunday.

Much of what we remember of the plot focuses on the decanting of humans into categories of workers, the abhorrence of childbirth and motherhood, the worship of all things Ford. What I discovered, however, in this middle-aged rereading, is the corporate consumerism essential to this dystopian future. The "conditioning" process of the children includes the reinforcement that to mend and reuse is anti-social ("stitches mean no riches"). Society encourages a disposable, throw away model. Only games that require the players to buy much necessary accoutrement are encouraged. Only activities that require the repeated use of transportation are acceptable.

If all of this is sounding uncomfortably familiar then you are a long way towards understanding my personal angst with how we "celebrate" Christmas.

I have a series of Facebook posts/comments up at the moment in which I rail against the militant atheists hell bent on destroying religion/spirituality. For example, Greta Christina posted this piece on AlterNet. I started by questioning why these folks don't begin by suggesting a moratorium on these "Christian/Pagan" holidays. A very lively discussion evolved that wound down with a request from me via my status update to all to share what they find aesthetically pleasing this time of year.

This is the pregnant time of year. A season of expecting. The result will be new birth - new life - the return of the light - hope as salvation (that is to say the life affirming "saving" strength we get from renewed hope). In the Christian tradition superimposed on the pagan tradition, that hope--that light--comes in the form of a new born baby boy.

The days grow shorter, the light grows dimmer, we are facing the darkness of another winter season. Listen to the things people say this time of year - the emotional battening down of the hatches - the digging in for the long haul.

Our ancestors lived in fear that the light was leaving for good - that if we were not worthy, the warmth of Spring would not return - we still live with that fear metaphorically, these days more so than ever. Will that important job ever materialize? Will we manage to keep our homes? Will our soldiers ever come home? It goes on and on and on...our fear and anxiety. Will the darkness never end...will the light stay away for good this time.

And so in Advent we wait in the growing darkness. We prepare ourselves.

I have always been a bit envious of my Jewish friends who have a real New Year's holiday - one with spiritual meaning beyond amateur night at the bar. With Rosh Hoshana their year begins again - they are given another chance at living their lives in a more perfect way, a more loving way, a more holy way.

Advent 1 - today - is our New Year's Day on our Liturgical Calendar. It rings in the season that will continue until the Christ child is born. Our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate their sense of renewal in a matter of days. We have an entire season and it has become buried under the weight of too much "Christmas."

Much of the religious Christmas music is liturgically meant for the 12 Days of Christmas which begin on December 25 and continue through Epiphany. By pushing the Christmas celebration ever earlier on the secular calendar - Advent becomes more and more obscure. In the end we lose that sense of renewal and rebirth - the celebration of the return of the light - the defeat of the darkness.

Christmas becomes one helluva party - no more relevant to our spiritual well being than our secular New Year's Holiday on January 1st. As my friend Michael says, "It's fun."

I have posted before on the need for ritual -- the need for the mystical. This need is not counter to rationalism - rationalism also serves it's purpose - it brings us medicine, electricity, green energy, political discourse. But just as children need to have art and music and storytelling along side their math and science in school, I believe that humanity needs its spiritual traditions.

When we lose all of that - if Greta Cristina et al have their way - we will truly be living in a Brave New World. Peace.