Did You Know?

In the early Church (and as continues to be the norm in the Eastern Churches today), the Advent/Christmas Fast consists of 40-days’ preparation, similar to the Lenten/Easter Fast. The season of Advent, containing a wealth of spiritual traditions and practices is too good to miss! Like all journeys and pilgrimages, the Advent/Christmas journey has its ups and downs; and so, we pray for guidance, enlightenment, patience, and spiritual support. As we journey along and eventually reach the goal – Christmas Day – we experience a fullness as we behold our God under the appearance of a tiny Baby, surround by angels, animals, shepherds, and our course by our Lady and good Saint Joseph. Though it reaches its plentitude at Christmas, the journey continues on to Epiphany and the Baptism of our Lord, and finally, forty days after Christmas, the journey reaches its completion on 2 February, Candlemas Day, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord! Discover the ancient ways for keeping holy the celebration of the Lord’s birth and you will enjoy a new and enduring depth of joy in the beauty of the Christmas festivities! There are SO many beautiful feast days and special events coming up – each in its own way adding to the excitement of the Advent Journey! Today, 30 November, the First Sunday of Advent is the Feast of our Patron Saint, the Apostle Andrew! Next Sunday we will celebrate the St. Nicholas Fair. On Monday, the 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. On Thursday, the 11th the Procession and Mananitas for Our Lady of Guadalupe. On Saturday, the 13th, the beginning of Simbang Gabi – the Filipino Advent Novena! On Monday, the 15th, we will celebrate the Advent Communal Penance Service. On Sunday, the 21st, the Advent/Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah will be sung in our church – and, of course, the (daily) Masses of Advent provide the best was to experience full participation in the Advent Journey! For too many people, these December days are simply the final “run up” to “The Holidays” leaving many people just exhausted and “X-mas’ed out” by the “end of the year.” Christianity, as it is practiced in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, offers a wonderful alternative to the “holiday madness” and allows us to “keep Christmas in our hearts” as a continuous gift from God!