“Moonless darkness stands between.
Past, the Past, no more be seen!”
—Gerard Manley Hopkins
So you haven’t quite had the Advent you wanted. Maybe you started out strong in the first week of Advent, inspired by the readings of Isaiah to prepare the way of the Lord. But the allure of office Christmas parties, ubiquitous treats, and Bing Crosby’s voice proved to be too much of a temptation. You now find yourself in the holi-daze, overstimulated by too many parties and in need of a detox before Christmas has really even begun.
This is what happens when we put our gaudium before Gaudete Sunday. We put the cart before the horse (or the donkey, perhaps), and we find ourselves spiritually unprepared to welcome Christ into our hearts.
The good news is that Christ is coming. He can save you from yourself, break through the sugar glaze and tinsel, and lead you into the true sweetness of His presence and the light of His love.
It’s not too late. December 17th is the perfect time to begin a mini-Advent, a backup plan for us “foolish virgins.” If your Advent has been distracted and chaotic, I invite you to join me on this spiritual regimen to prepare for Christmas.
Pray The O Antiphons
The O Antiphons are seven ancient poetic prayers that are recited as part of the Divine Office that every priest and religious (and many laymen) pray every day. The O Antiphons are prayed at Evening prayer, or Vespers, before Mary’s Magnificat each evening from December 17- December 23.
Each Antiphon begins with “O” and addresses Christ directly, using His different Messianic titles. They help us build anticipation for the coming of Christ in this final week of Advent. It’s almost as if the Church knew we would need a wake-up call right around this time to bring our attention back to Christ.
You don’t need to be in the habit of praying Vespers to join the Church in this beautiful tradition. In fact, it may be better to start small. For the next seven days, pray one Antiphon a day, followed by Mary’s Magnificat. Here are the seven Antiphons in their entirety:
December 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
December 20
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the
shadow of death.
December 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
Fast this Friday
I once heard a colleague refer to Advent as “Lent-Lite.” While it is true that the Church does not ask us to fast in Advent as frequently as we do in Lent, Advent is still a penitential season. Friday, December 19, is the last Friday before Christmas. It is a perfect opportunity to make a small sacrifice to the Lord. After all, if we really have been overindulging in comforts all Advent, maybe a little fasting is just what we need.
Fasting helps us turn our mind from the world below to the world above. It helps us train our reason and will to be in charge of our appetites, and not the other way around. How many of us have mindlessly noshed on Christmas cookies in the office simply because they were there?
Do what you can this Friday, according to your station in life. If you are between the ages of 18 and 59 and are not nursing or pregnant, try to abstain from meat and just eat one simple meal. If you get hungry, remember that’s the point. It also helps us empathize more with our brothers and sisters who go without food during this festive season.
Follow the Moon
Before anyone accuses me of neo-paganism, let me clarify what I mean. The rhythms of nature and the seasons are an excellent aid to our Catholic imagination in orienting our lives towards God. The Psalmist tells us that “The heavens proclaim the Glory of God” and sometimes the stars align so that an astronomical event can be an analog for a spiritual reality.
This week, there is a new moon, which means the sky will be totally dark. Over the next week, the light will slowly come back over the surface of the moon. Go outside each night this week and consider the darkness and how it is like our sin and ignorance. As Christmas approaches, consider the light of the sun enlightening the moon, like the grace of Christ that enlightens our lives and makes us beautiful. The light is coming back into the world. Watch for it.
The moon will fittingly become full right around January 1st, the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, the one who is “full of Grace”. Like a full moon is to the sun, she most perfectly reflects God’s brilliance. We in our sin are like the earth’s shadow, as Flannery O’Connor once wrote, blocking out the brilliance of God that we could reflect if we would but accept His light:
“You are the slim crescent of a moon that I see, and myself is the earth’s shadow that keeps me from seeing all the moon.”
As the light recovers the moon this Christmas season, imagine the Light of Christ driving out our sins.
Moonless darkness stands between.
Past, the Past, no more be seen!
But the Bethlehem-star may lead me
To the sight of Him who freed me
From the self that I have been.
Make me pure, Lord: Thou art holy;
Make me meek, Lord: Thou wert lowly;
Now beginning, and alway:
Now begin, on Christmas day.
—Gerard Manley Hopkins
Prayer, Fasting, and a bit of stargazing: not a bad penance to get us back on track for Christmas.
