The biblical scholar and Anglican bishop N.T. Wright tells the story of a theology professor articulating very precisely everything about theology. A student, a bit overwhelmed, asked the professor how much of all that do we need to know. The professor replied, “Very little, actually.”
Wright’s story reminds me of a W.H. Auden quote: “Dogmatic theological statements are neither logical propositions nor poetic utterances. There are ‘shaggy dog’ stories; they have a point, but he who tries too hard to get it will miss it.”
Though I delight in my years of theology studies and try to keep reading theology, I know that my faith is not in ideas, but in a person. Christmas is about a person. We Christians celebrate the moment God is born into the world as one of us. Jesus.
The readings for the Advent Masses offer us the opportunity to look forward to Jesus’ second coming (and how we ought to prepare for that) as well as to look backwards to his first (and to wonder what it means for us today). I think, though, that as important as the Advent scripture is, as important for renewing our faith in the person of Jesus are hymns and wreaths and Christmas trees. Take on the “traditions of the season” and see how they might help to focus our faith in the person of Jesus.
An Advent wheel was made by a German Lutheran pastor in 1839 with red candles for weekdays and white candles for Sundays so children could mark the time til Jesus was born. Are we helping children (and ourselves) focus on the birth of Jesus more than counting the days to the holidays of gifting and family gatherings?
Google told me that decorating Christmas trees began in earnest in 16th century Germany, but evergreen trees have been symbols of life in the midst of winter for millennia in many cultures. Do we decorate our Christmas trees honoring the God of life and the gift of Jesus’ life?
The oldest Christmas hymn comes from the fourth century — there may have been earlier ones, but if so they are lost to the persecutions before Christianity was legal. “Jesus Refulsit Omnium” is translated as “Jesus, light of all the nations” or “Jesus, the brilliance of all” or even “Jesus outshines all” and was written by St. Hilary of Poitiers. Another Christmas hymn from the sixth century is “Corde Natus Ex Parentis” or “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.”
“Jesus Refusit Omnium” is linked above or listen to both here.
Can we hear a call to think about Jesus even in the incessant Christmas hymns that have already started and pay less attention to the “holiday” songs?
There are a number of religious and cultural celebrations and festivals in December — may they each be honored and enjoyed and may those of us celebrating Christmas increase our faith in the person of Jesus. I also hope you’ll avail yourself of Brophy's 2024 Advent book linked below, which may lead to your own reflections on what this time means to you.
Some Dates to Note in December
1 – World AIDS Day
3 – Feast of St. Francis Xavier, S.J.
Brophy’s Patron
6 – St. Nicholas Day
7 – National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
8 – Bodhi Day
9 – Celebration of the Immaculate Conception
10 – Feast of Our Lady of Loretto
Human Rights Day
12 – Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
13 – Feast of St. Lucy
14 – Feast of St. John of the Cross
18 – International Migrants Day
21 – Feast of St. Peter Canisius, S.J.
Winter Solstice
25 – Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
First Day of Hanukkah
26 – First Day of Kwanzaa
31 – New Year’s Eve
Pope’s Prayer Intention for December:
For Pilgrims of Hope
http://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/
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