Advent 2017 - 1st Week of Advent

12-03-2017Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The word Advent comes from the Latin words, advenire (to come to) & adventus (an arrival), and refers to Christ's coming into this world. The Advent season is a time of joyful expectation and preparation for Christmas, the day upon which Christ's birth is celebrated and His first coming into this world. The focus of Advent is upon the centuries of waiting and preparation by God's chosen people, which preceded the coming of the Messiah. As such, it is a time marked by expectation, hope, preparedness and penance. The later being mindful of John the Baptist's cry to prepare for the coming of the Lord with repentance (Treasury of Latin Prayers by Michael Martin).

You may have seen the gift-bearing Santa Claus kneeling in prayerful adoration before the Baby Jesus. This representation of Santa Claus, the beloved "Saint Nick" of our childhood, as actually worshiping Christ is also a surprisingly novel and rather touching attempt to "re-Christianize" what has become an essentially secular “saint." There is no lack of truly Christian symbols, however. Many traditions connected with observances of Christmas have their origins in Christian, not pagan, culture, despite what we often read.

Our heritage of holiday traditions learned from our families, which we faithfully continue to practice in our homes for our own children, helps to link both the past and the future. We can make this vital connection even stronger when such practices are informed by enthusiastic faith which most of us also received, by the Grace of God, through our families. While there are a variety of Advent and Christmas customs from many cultural traditions, I wanted to share a few of the popular expressions of faith for you to share with your family.

THE ADVENT WREATH

The custom of using Advent wreaths in homes has increased during the past couple of decades, although they have been used in churches in Europe for many generations. The wreath's symbolism of the Advent of Light into the world by Our Lord's birth is clear. The gradual lighting of the wreath, one candle each week of Advent, combined with the liturgical colors of the candles (purple is the penitential color used during Advent and Lent; rose is used only on Gaudete Sunday in Advent and Laetare Sunday in Lent) help to symbolize not only our expectation and joyful hope in Our Lord's first Advent, but also in his Second Coming. During this season we prepare our hearts and our homes to celebrate His birth into our world, of course, but especially to receive Him in preparation for our redemption.

To be continued…

God Bless,
Fr. Don Kline, V.F. Pastor

O Mary, Virgin of expectation and Mother of hope, revive the spirit of Advent in your entire Church, so that all humanity may start out anew on the journey towards Bethlehem, from which it came, and that the Sun that dawns upon us from on high will come once again to visit us, Christ our God. Amen. ~ Pope Benedict XVI

You may have seen the gift-bearing Santa Claus kneeling in prayerful adoration before the Baby Jesus. This representation of Santa Claus, the beloved "Saint Nick" of our childhood, as actually worshiping Christ is also a surprisingly novel and rather touching attempt to "re-Christianize" what has become an essentially secular “saint." There is no lack of truly Christian symbols, however. Many traditions connected with observances of Christmas have their origins in Christian, not pagan, culture, despite what we often read.

Our heritage of holiday traditions learned from our families, which we faithfully continue to practice in our homes for our own children, helps to link both the past and the future. We can make this vital connection even stronger when such practices are informed by enthusiastic faith which most of us also received, by the Grace of God, through our families. While there are a variety of Advent and Christmas customs from many cultural traditions, I wanted to share a few of the popular expressions of faith for you to share with your family.

THE ADVENT WREATH

The custom of using Advent wreaths in homes has increased during the past couple of decades, although they have been used in churches in Europe for many generations. The wreath's symbolism of the Advent of Light into the world by Our Lord's birth is clear. The gradual lighting of the wreath, one candle each week of Advent, combined with the liturgical colors of the candles (purple is the penitential color used during Advent and Lent; rose is used only on Gaudete Sunday in Advent and Laetare Sunday in Lent) help to symbolize not only our expectation and joyful hope in Our Lord's first Advent, but also in his Second Coming. During this season we prepare our hearts and our homes to celebrate His birth into our world, of course, but especially to receive Him in preparation for our redemption.

To be continued…

God Bless,
Fr. Don Kline, V.F. Pastor

O Mary, Virgin of expectation and Mother of hope, revive the spirit of Advent in your entire Church, so that all humanity may start out anew on the journey towards Bethlehem, from which it came, and that the Sun that dawns upon us from on high will come once again to visit us, Christ our God. Amen. ~ Pope Benedict XVI

1st semana de Adviento

Queridos hermanos y hermanas,

La palabra Adviento proviene de las palabras en latín, advenire (to see to) y adventus (una llegada), y se refiere a la venida de Cristo a este mundo. La temporada de Adviento es un tiempo de alegre espera y preparación para la Navidad, el día en que se celebra el nacimiento de Cristo y su primera venida a este mundo. El enfoque de Adviento está en los siglos de espera y preparación por parte del pueblo elegido de Dios, que precedió a la venida del Mesías. Como tal, es un momento marcado por la expectativa, la esperanza, la preparación y la penitencia. El último siendo consciente del grito de Juan el Bautista para prepararse para la venida del Señor con arrepentimiento (Tesoro de las oraciones latinas de Michael Martin).

Es posible que haya visto al Santa Claus que lleva regalos arrodillándose en adoración en oración ante el Niño Jesús. Esta representación de Santa Claus, el amado "San Nicolás" de nuestra infancia, como adorar a Cristo en realidad es también un sorprendente, novedoso y conmovedor intento de "cristianizar" lo que se ha convertido en un "santo" esencialmente secular. No hay falta de símbolos verdaderamente cristianos, sin embargo. Muchas tradiciones conectadas con las celebraciones navideñas tienen su origen en la cultura cristiana, no en la pagana, a pesar de lo que solemos leer.

Nuestra herencia de las tradiciones navideñas aprendidas de nuestras familias, que fielmente seguimos practicando en nuestros hogares para nuestros propios hijos, ayuda a vincular el pasado y el futuro. Podemos hacer que esta conexión vital sea aún más fuerte cuando tales prácticas están informadas por la fe entusiasta que la mayoría de nosotros también recibimos, por la Gracia de Dios, a través de nuestras familias. Si bien hay muchas costumbres adventistas y navideñas de muchas tradiciones culturales, quería compartir algunas de las expresiones populares de fe para que las compartas con tu familia.

LA GUÍA DE ADVIENTO

La costumbre de usar guirnaldas de Adviento en los hogares ha aumentado durante las últimas décadas, aunque se han utilizado en las iglesias de Europa durante muchas generaciones. El simbolismo de la corona del Advenimiento de la Luz en el mundo por el nacimiento de Nuestro Señor es claro. La iluminación gradual de la corona, una vela cada semana de Adviento, combinada con los colores litúrgicos de las velas (el púrpura es el color penitencial utilizado durante el Adviento y la Cuaresma; la rosa se usa solo en Gaudete Sunday en Advent y Laetare Sunday in Lent) para simbolizar no solo nuestra expectativa y alegre esperanza en el primer Advenimiento de Nuestro Señor, sino también en su Segunda Venida. Durante esta temporada, preparamos nuestros corazones y nuestros hogares para celebrar su nacimiento en nuestro mundo, por supuesto, pero especialmente para recibirlo en preparación para nuestra redención.

Continuará…

Dios los bendiga,

P. Don Kline, V.F. Pastor