Advent

Well, the tree is finished. Three days of placing 300+ ornaments on the Walmart made dendrite have produced a passably festive objet d'art. Being the only Catholic in the house, Christmas begins after Thanksgiving; Advent is not something Baptists pay much attention to. (In Catholic tradition, the tree, nativity scenes, etc. are not put up till Christmas Eve) For that reason (since most of my readers are Protestant) I thought i'd talk a bit about the Advent season. (I don't really have much to say to Catholics, nearly every time I have shared some great new insight the reply is something like "well, yeah, why do you think the Church has taught that all along". )

Contrary to expectation (mine anyway) Advent is not nearly so concerned with Christ's first coming as His second. The gospel readings in the lectionary almost all deal with eschatalogical events. One very practical value in this is by recalling the return of our Savior and celebrating the redemption of our bodies, we are better able to deal with the abscence of loved ones during the holiday season. (Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on.) A second value is keeping the big picture in view. The Gospel is not just Christ's death, but His Incarnation, birth, life, death, Ressurection, Ascension, and final return. Christ's second Advent is the great hope of our salvation. Preparing for Christmas by remembering His coming keeps the totality of Christ's mission in view.

I hope this gives you something to consider over single-malt (I reccomend a Speyside, Glenlivet 12 or his eighteen-year-old brother) and a good cigar or pipe (Kendall brown flake).