Which kickoff concerns us most?
Black Friday, the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving, is the retail world’s kickoff to the Christmas season. As I opened the newspaper on Thanksgiving morning, it was much heavier than normal. About five pounds of glossy, color flyers fell out, each touting the sales specials that would launch hopeful retailers’ biggest season.
This year, the stores were open earlier than ever. J.C. Penney was open at 4:00 AM Friday.One retailer, taking no chances, opened at midnight.
Vigilant shoppers were ready in force, camped out in the cold overnight. Forgoing sleep, they lined up well before the pre-dawn openings of the stores, with their coffee, portable chairs, blankets and shopping lists, waiting for store lights to cut through the darkness. One area newspaper reported that scores of faithful shoppers lined up before midnight in Gloucester Township so as not to miss the early bird specials at Circuit City when the doors opened at 5 AM. The nervous energy in the air was palpable and when the doors opened, with the sky still dark, the throngs pushed forward eagerly.
A week later, we wait anxiously for the 1 PM kickoff of Sunday’s Eagles-Seahawks game, our team fresh from a near upset of the Patriots, and wondering who the starting Quarterback will be. We’ll turn the tube on early Sunday to make sure we catch the pre-game kickoff show, while hundreds of Eagles faithful will be camped out in the parking lot at the Linc, hours before game time, coolers stocked, grills primed, waiting excitedly.
As I thought of our anticipation for Sunday’s kickoff and Black Friday’s kickoff to the Christmas season, I couldn’t help but contrast it with another kickoff to the Christmas season that does not generate nearly so much attention: the liturgical season of Advent.
The four-week season of Advent which precedes Christmas has been observed by the Church since at least the fourth century as a time of joyful expectation and interior preparation for Jesus’ coming. His coming really is three-fold: first, His coming two thousand years ago in Bethlehem, and His coming to us today through the sacraments, especially Eucharist, and His Second Coming at the end of time.
The scripture readings for the First Sunday of Advent this weekend tell us a great deal about this season and what it is all about.
We pray in the Opening Prayer that God will increase our longing for Jesus and that He will find an eager welcome at his coming. Saint Paul in his letter to the Romans says, “You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand.”
The evangelist Matthew’s Gospel reading has the exhortation: “You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Stay awake!”
The liturgical season of Advent is a time, then, of eager waiting, of deep yearning, of hopeful anticipation for Jesus’ coming.
The Catechism says, “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming (CCC, cf 524). Indeed, the Church reminds us, the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, is an event of such immensity that God willed to prepare for it over centuries (CCC 522).
We, too, must prepare for Jesus’ coming. As we enter this time of prayerful expectation for the dawn of Jesus’ light, we pray that our hearts will be open to receive the long-awaited Messiah. We ask for the grace to give of ourselves generously during this time of the year when so many suffer and are alone. This time of year especially, we strive to be faithful to the Gospel and to live in a way that gives witness to our hope in Jesus’ coming.
Let us then carve out quiet time in our busy schedules to reflect on the great mysteries of our redemption. Let us likewise reflect deeply on the Scripture readings of the season that speak of Jesus’ coming. Let us take advantage of opportunities for spiritual enrichment, including special Advent programs at the St. Pius X Spiritual Life Center in Blackwood. Let us receive Jesus in the Eucharist and avail ourselves of His abundant mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation.
Our God has come near us through the incarnation of His Son. He desires to be ever-closer to us and invites us to receive Jesus in the sacraments. He is coming again.
Are we ready? Do we care?
May God bless you and your families as you prepare this year for the coming of Jesus.
Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D
Bishop of Camden