Making Advent a Reality (the seasons are out of whack)

NCR ^ | December 2, 2007 | Jay Dunlap

[RichardMoore]

I agree that it is necessary to turn off the media, but not just during Advent. TV is a huge monster that we are allowing into our homes and should be shunned completely. I can understand the author’s fellings about the build up to Christmas and the apparent let down after when Christmas appears to be dropped. But I thinkthat it is a good thing that Christmas permeates our culture even if is during advent. It gives a great opportunity to express Christian values, sentiments and thoughts that would otherwise be lacking if our culture completely turned it’s back on Christmas. We can stretch Christmas as long as we like and still enjoy it’s popular expressions in the culture of commercialism. What we need to do is to reclaim Christmas by entering into the process and transforming it. Chesterton once said that the Protestant Churches serve a very important roll since there are many peope who would not accept anything from the Catholic Church. Like wise without the popular flood of pre-Christmas activity many would know nothing of Christ at all. We need to be like St. Francis and go into the town square and walk around to preach the Gospel without words. The best thing that one can do for one that you love is to be there for them, even when they don’t want you around.