On
the surface of things it seems that the Christmas season, which
stretches from the First Sunday of Advent to the Feast of the
Epiphany, ought to be the simplest celebration of the church
year. ’Tis the season to be jolly! Every shopping mall
and television commercial reminds us of that. Yet the attentive
worshiper knows that the beginning of Advent brings with it
harbingers of judgment rather than joy. The Gospel reading for
the First Sunday of Advent sounds the warning right from the
start:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring
of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding
of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens
will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming
in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these
things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because
your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25–28,
Advent 1, Year C)
It can be jarring to be confronted with a text like that when
it seems the whole world is already humming carols and baking
cookies. Yet the beginning of Advent calls us to a deeper joy.
For these texts that remind us of the judgment that will come
at the end of time also remind us of the promise that will be
fulfilled: Justice and peace will reign once and for all, sorrow
and suffering will be no more, and the Savior for whom we long
will indeed come.
Advent, then, is a time of holy waiting—not only for
the anniversary of Jesus’ birth, but also for the day
when the risen Christ will come again to redeem the world once
and for all. Advent calls us to remember why we need this Savior;
why we are called to repentance in the midst of our hopeful
anticipation; why we long for a world made right. The Scripture
readings of the Christmas season lead us from promise to fulfillment—from
the darkness of the world to the light of Christ. The light
of the world, God incarnate, comes to us at Christmas and is
made manifest to the whole world at Epiphany. This God-Made-Flesh
did not come to save just a few of us, but all of us; God’s
light shines for everyone.
This progression from darkness to light—from the world’s
deep need to God’s illumining, joyful redemption—can
be reflected not only in the lectionary readings, but also expressed
in the songs, the art, and the rituals of the season. One of
the most familiar ways of marking time is the lighting of candles
in the Advent wreath. Rather than assigning particular meanings
to each candle (hope, peace, joy, love, for example), consider
focusing on the gradual dawning of the light of Christ as each
Sunday another candle is illuminated. Words that accompany this
ritual act might be drawn from the lectionary readings or from
the verses suggested in the Book of Common Worship (see pp.
165–166). When lighting the Advent wreath, take care to
let the symbol speak. Use words sparingly so as not to obscure
the gradually growing light. Be attentive, too, to who lights
the candles. Rather than choosing four nuclear families, be
sure to include teenagers, older adults, children, and single
people in varied combinations to reflect the whole household
of God.
The movement from darkness to light might also be expressed
simply, yet evocatively, in the use of color. Simple fabric
drapes in the Advent shades of purple or blue might progress
from dark indigo to light blue or lavender, finally giving way
to the white and gold of Christmas and Epiphany. These might
change from Sunday to Sunday or be draped one on top of another
in such a way that a swath of darker color might be removed
each Lord’s Day to reveal the lighter color beneath. In
order that the full effect of this movement from darkness to
light might be visible, other decorations for Christmas can
be withheld until Christmas Eve, heightening the sense of expectation
and highlighting the holy waiting and fulfillment of promise.
Allowing the full adornment of Christmas to be visible through
Epiphany further underscores that Christmas is a season rather
than a single day, and it extends the church’s celebration.
Congregations often struggle with choices of music during
Advent, since Christmas carols resound from every car radio
and grocery store speaker. Here the fine art of negotiation
can be helpful. Songs, hymns, and anthems at the beginning of
Advent that highlight Christ’s promised return at the
end of time gradually give way to songs that prepare for the
celebration of Christ’s first coming. The tone and mood
of music might also move from longing and promise to joyful
fulfillment as Advent turns into Christmas.
Fuller reflections on these thoughts, as well as additional
resources for the celebration of the entire Christmas season,
can be found in The Companion to the Book of Common Worship
(Geneva Press, 2003). Suggestions for congregational songs,
choral and instrumental music, calls to worship, and prayers
of confession appear in volume 40.1 of Call to Worship: Liturgy,
Music, Preaching & the Arts (2006–2007 Lectionary
Aids for Year C), available from the Office of Theology and
Worship (contact Tammy Lloyd at (800) 728-7228, ext. 5331).
Excerpts from this volume of Call to Worship appear in the Winter
issue of ideas! |
