Glad Tidings at Home

Q

With stores and advertisements pushing Christmas as early as October — and with so much to do to get ready — it's hard not to feel tired of the big day before it even gets here. How can our family stay focused on the religious aspects of Advent in the midst of a maelstrom in which we are, in many ways, caught up ourselves?

A

Caroline: My appreciation for Advent deepened after a conversation with a Protestant friend who was bothered that her church set up an elaborate, completed Nativity scene on the day after Halloween. It didn't seem right to her. I sensed an opportunity for evangelization:

“In our church, we set aside the four weeks before Christmas as a time of special preparation for the coming of Jesus,” I explained. “We wait to put the baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas Eve.” (I didn't mention it, but some years we also put the Three Kings across the room and let them travel a bit closer to the manger each day until Epiphany, when they finally arrive.)

She seemed genuinely excited by my explanation of the symbols of the season — the Advent wreath, Jesse tree and so on. Emboldened by her receptivity, I even took a shot at explaining the Immaculate Conception. Then came the hesitation. She was wary of anything that might distract attention from Jesus. I told her these things lead us to Jesus, but she wasn't convinced. An analogy came to me: “All the symbols and colors are like the symbolism and imagery in a great novel. A good plot can exist without them, but what a richness they add to our understanding.”

“As for celebrating the Immaculate Conception,” I added, “it just makes sense. As the birth of a new baby draws near, we always focus on the mother. It's the same in our Church family.”

I'm certain the conversation left her with a deeper understanding of our Church. She might even have felt a little admiration.

Tom: We have a treasure in our Advent traditions. One of the gems of the season is that it naturally develops the virtue of “waiting in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior,” as we pray at Mass. Children (and big people, too!) need to learn how to patiently wait. Here are some suggestions to let that lesson sink in.

Put up an Advent wreath. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Greenery on a plate with four candles works well. Let the kids take turns lighting the candles each day, and summon up a little courage to belt out a verse of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” or ‘“The King of Glory.”

Hold off on Christmas decorations. Nativity sets and Advent calendars are wonderful, especially for children. We put up greenery and wreaths early, but they're adorned with purple, not red, bows. We'll switch to red on Christmas Eve.

If you haven't been able to get family prayer going regularly, now is the time. Focus on how you can prepare your hearts for the baby Jesus. Tell your children Advent marks the beginning of the new Church year, so they don't have to wait until Jan. 1 to turn over a new leaf.

Finally, ask God to let a true love for Jesus be born in the heart of every child in your home.

Tom and Caroline McDonald are family-life directors for the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama.

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