Posted on 12/02/2013 3:43:06 PM PST by NYer
Fr. George W. Rutler (The Judge Report, December 1, 2013) writes:
... Without Advent, the only thing to do is to “rush” Christmas, with celebrations without much purpose. That turns Christmas inside out and can even make it depressing. Superficial Christmas is “joy without a cause” as G.K. Chesterton said in 1911 in his epic poem, The Ballad of the White Horse. He also said a couple of years earlier: “There is no more dangerous or disgusting habit than that of celebrating Christmas before it comes.
”Our Lord spoke of people who “loved the dark rather than the light” (John 3:19), and we see that today in those who would ban any mention of Christmas. The tendency to set up Christmas decorations before Christmas is at least a clumsy way of expressing a desire for light rather than dark, but it is futile without a moral awareness of what light and dark are.
Advent is awkward because its mysteries are not the sort of things entertainers dressed as elves sing about. While the Church calls attention to reality, avuncular clergymen often succumb to fantasy themselves, with Christmas parties in Advent and wreaths without reason. Of course, this is illogical, because it contradicts the way the Logos arranged the world. The Logos, or the Word, is Jesus himself, who uttered all things into being by saying, “Fiat” — “Let there be.” And the first thing he let there be was light: “Light from Light” as the Creed chants it. But the only way to recognize the illogic of Christmas without Advent is to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
The choice of darkness rather than light is a preference for the Prince of Darkness rather than Christ the Light. The best way to walk in the Light is to get rid of the darkness in the soul, and so Advent is a prime time for confessing sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Then the penitent is re-united with the Light of the World. Christ sheds light on Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell, giving moral cogency to the mystery of life itself. “He is before all things, and by him all things are held together" (Colossians 1:17). As the highest truths are very simple, the simplest logic is this: Without the Christ of Christmas, all things fall apart.
I am always ready to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is never to early and never too late. There are several songs we only see around Christmas time that would be great to sing all year long. The world doesn’t need any joy in July. On the commercial side I like peppermint ice cream and would love to eat it on a hot august afternoon. Don’t think that single guys would like mistletoe year round? I think that jolly oldish guys with whitish beards should be honored year round.
Now your back to form!!! Thanks for the well researched and documented theological input.
glad you got a laugh, smvoice.
I’ve got a sister who has a (drum roll please) radio show and knows Shelley Murphy and may try to get the $20 in the bag story into any next edition. I already told Howie Carr about it. he said he’s got enough to do a second book but isn’t going to do one.
Wanna real laugh? I’ve got 4 evanglical pentecostal siblings (yes we were raised Catholic) who are getting into Kim Walker-Smith / Bethel Church replete with laughing thing.
JESUS CULTURE’S KIM WALKER-SMITH’S ALLEGED ENCOUNTER WITH GOD THE FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jan 24, 2013 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features
http://apprising.org/2013/01/24/jesus-cultures-kim-walker-smiths-alleged-encounter-with-god-the-father-and-jesus-christ/
Got a place for me to stay this Christmas?
I think I’m going to try to make the Three Masses like I did a couple years ago. Takes some driving as I only go to the Tridentine Rite.
You are KILLING ME here!!! If you have a “BonRad Family Ping List” PLEASE put me on it! I feel like I know them, and it’s only been 15 minutes..
Ah—but I am a cynic and find pleasure when individuals see through the vanities of this world and seek to allow others to see through them.
The only other Freberg song that I was familiar with is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VSa7W8zBOU
Ha...Was thinking the same thing...
as per post 30, it was $20K in the bag. The Priest should have paid taxes on it as a gift I’m told (unless he put it into the poorbox? need help on this).
He could have thought it legit as Whitey had the winnings from the controversial lottery winnings by then and again, he wasn’t even under indictment at that point.
That priest was also my Godfather. I wasn’t told of his Silver Jubilee to keep me from there but Whitey showed (it was at St. Monica’s SB around 1986) and was heard to be bragging at his table about having a girlfriend under 20 years old (maybe younger- he was having his way with the girls of Cathedral High at the time) while he ate.
The answer [which you] provided makes little to no sense to the question it pretends to answer, unless Judas Maccabees is mistaken for being Jesus Christ.
Note the difference between an altar being re-established to again offer sacrifice to God according to Mosaic Law, and that particular Judas taking it upon himself to order that the re-establishment itself of that altar be "observed". Those two separate aspects, are not one-and-the-same.
Notice also, that although Christ was present in Jerusalem during later observances of that festival (John 10:22-42)--- He spoke not of that festival directly, either for or against it. Promoting some sense that Christ allegedly observed that particular festival as being shall we say "kosher" (you did say he "observed anyway") is just that --- an allegation, an assertion, a reading in-between-the-lines that which has no other support save for powers of assumption applied right precisely there...other than reliance upon the Jews, during that Intertestamental period, having adopted this festival of lights even as during that period there was no recognized, true prophet, among them.
Rather, what Christ spoke of was fully beyond the model which the Maccabees demonstrated, for His kingdom is not of this world (though I expect that aspect to fly right over many people's heads).
To further assume that Jesus being present at that festival --- in some way asserted also that celebrations of His own earthly birth be a "feast day", is a yet further leap. Though if one wishes to commemorate, celebrate, invite the relatives and neighbors for a feast-day in His honor --- then go ahead, I won't stop anyone. (In fact --- what time should I be expected, and is there any possible way I could talk the cooks into baking an "extra" pumpkin or sweet potato pie?)
As one additional note: Josephus made mention (Ant. 12.7.7; "the feast of lights.") that same writer disavowed that what is known as the OT Apocrypha, or what has been termed [since the Council of Trent] the Deuterocanonical was accepted by the Jews as being included in their own Holy Writ...
So if you will excuse me for saying so, on the basis of that which I now bring, I must say; that in your own attempt at response to the previous question posed, regarding the day of His own earthly birth
you have either a hand full of nothing, or not very much, not much at all...
So to keep me quiet about it...there is a plan...being that is difficult to talk and eat at the same time...
Wow, I swear I will never complain about my not nearly as crazy family again. Keep laughing. It helps.
I say expand the celebration to 9 mos b4...after all...baby Jesus really arrived on the scene then
I agree.
Interesting how there are those who always talk about the feasts and traditions that jesus practiced and thus they claim we should.
The only problem is that Jesus had to fulfill the law which meant he observed all the ceremonial traditions jews were supposed to observe.
Then he was crucified and thus fulfilled the whole law so we do not have to.
We are freed from the ceremonial laws because Christ did what no man ever could do, and thus he was the perfect sacrifice that was needed to free us from the laws.
I celebrate the birth of my King on a day we have all agreed to do so. I do not feel bad about it, nor do I lose sleep over celebrating it like those who refuse to celebrate it do.
Strictly speaking, I don’t recall God expressly commanding us to celebrate Easter, either. Do they really want to go there?
In cases such as this the best thing to do is simply consider the source. The very best thing we can do is pray for people like him. God will reward His own.
Remember Jesus came to begin what is called the “new covenant” .
AMEN.
Advent was always meant to be a solemn time of penance and recollection similar to lent. The Church in the past forbid all turbulet amusements, weddings, dancing and concerts. The traditional religious orders still practice this in order to be pure for the Lord’s first coming.
I personally hate the pre Christmas festivities - it just feels wrong to celebrate early.
Liturgically Christmas is correct to be celebrated on December 25th, or the winter solstice.
John 8:12 - I am the light of the world.
Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. To them that dwell in the region of the shadow of death, a great light is risen.
Revelation 22:5 And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun,for the Lord God shall be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Of course Jesus the light of the world is born on the darkest and longest night.
ALSO:
Luke 1:5-13 - Zechariah (a Jewish priest) was in the Holy of Holies, the Day of Atonement when he learned that John the Baptist would be born. The day of Atonement occurs at the vernal equinox, and John the Baptist was born nine months later on the summer solstice. John decreases (the light and days shorten)his influence, preaching etc., to make way for Christ who increases - the light and days lengthen after the winter solstice. Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant (Luke 1:36) at the time of the annunciation to Mary by the angel Gabriel, which puts Jesus conception at the vernal equinox - March 25th, 9 months before the birth of Christ.
As far as the sheep in Bethlehem, to this day in Isreal shepherds are seen with their sheep any month of the year looking for winter pasture; winter pasture is to be found in the eastern hills of Bethlehem. Sheepfolds are still located there. The rainy season is ending by the end of December.
Jesus would never have been born during a Jewish feast because he is the new wine and Christianity replaces Judaism.
So we can all be at peace that Christmas truly does take place on the longest night when we welcome the light of the world.
sorry for misspellings and long post - turbulent, Israel -
Good point!
Jeroboam created his own days of worship and made Israel abide by them. Didn’t turn out so well for them then and it’s not going to turn out well for us either.
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