Thanksgiving is past – The turkey is no more – and now everyone has moved on to what is next - Christmas music playing in stores – The Christmas lights and Christmas trees are out at the stores – being put up at many houses - the holiday cups are out at coffee shops - and Christmas shopping as begun – for much of the country, the Christmas season has begun.
Yet here in the church, there are no Christmas Trees – at least not yet. Some places have set up their creche, but Jesus is not in it. There are no bright lights or joyful flowers – instead, a simple wreath with four candles – and not white candles, but 3 violet and 1 rose – The Church is not yet decorated for celebration. And here at Mass - we are not wearing the celebratory white of Christmas – instead, it is violet – the same color that we wear in lent – the color of penance. – For it is not yet Christmas – it is a time of preparation – preparing for the coming of Christ – The word Advent, after all, means coming – we are preparing for the coming of Christ.
What coming of Christ? – Most obviously, we are preparing to celebrate Christmas – where Christ came in history – he was born just over two thousand years ago in Bethlehem – We do all sorts of things to prepare – we clean the house for family coming over –plan what to cook for Christmas dinner –decorate the house, get the tree up – purchase Christmas presents – But we also prepare our souls – we figure out the logistics for Mass – depending on the family. That can be a challenge – we work to find time alone for prayer, to focus on Christ and his coming. But is this the only coming of Christ we prepare for?
Christ not only came to us in history, being born in a manger. He also comes to us now in mystery – in our neighbor, in the poor – in the suffering – but most clearly – he is substantially present here in the Mass, on this altar – body, blood, soul, and divinity. Before every Mass – we should prepare to receive – it is for this reason that we are supposed to fast for at least one hour before receiving communion – It is good to arrive early for Mass to prepare in prayer - we must prepare to receive Jesus.
Christ came in history, and we prepare to celebrate that at Christmas – Christ comes to us now in mystery, and we prepare to receive him at each Mass by prayer and fasting – And there is a third coming of Christ – for Christ will come again in glory – Coming to bring the resurrection of the dead, - to open the book of life of those who are saved. Who is he coming for? What names are in the book of life? – We do not know. – “Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.”
Many will be unprepared – Many are not even preparing – living their life right up until the end comes – No thought to God or the state of their souls - Let us listen to Christ’s warning – “Therefore, stay awake!” – “So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
So how do we prepare for the coming of Christ? The color we wear at Mass for the season of Advent gives us a first hint – penance. We clean the house houses for Christmas – do we prepare our souls? There are many ways – we pray, setting aside some time each day to pray – Stepping aside from the business of the world and the commercialization of the season – instead looking to God and what truly matters – anticipating his coming in glory while we prepare to celebrate his arrival in history.
We go to Mass and receive Christ in communion - receiving him - body, blood, soul, and divinity – what better way to prepare for his coming in glory than to welcome him now.
There is also the sacrament of penance, a way to cleanse our souls and prepare for Christ. It is there in the confessional that we confess our sins – and they are wiped away and forgiven. – our souls made clean ready to receive him – both now in the Mass and whenever he may come again in glory.
Confession is regularly available on Saturdays (as well as Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) and is always available by appointment at another time. Do not be afraid of approaching the sacrament.
There is also the custom of Penance services during Advent. These are services with readings – a short homily and an examination of conscience together before individual confession. There will be a penance service at St Michael’s in Brattleboro on Wednesday, November 30, at 6pm. There will also be a penance service in Springfield at St Mary’s on Sunday, December 18. Even if neither of these work– make a point to prepare for Christ’s coming – in particular by going to confession.
When we have guests coming to our homes, we take time to prepare – we clean the house, make sure there is enough food – we often take the time to make sure we have prepared a nice spread. We do this for friends and family, do we prepare our souls for Christ?
As we prepare our homes for Christmas – let us also prepare our souls for Christ during this penitential season of Advent, prepare for the coming of Christ – one who came in history, comes in mystery, and will come in glory. – and if we prepare during advent well- than we will be ready to really celebrate at Christmas.