Is It Christmas Already?

No! It’s not Christmas, it’s Advent. But each year the Christmas music comes earlier and earlier – even on our local Christian radio station. And every year, I feel the pressure that I am being pushed into the season of Christmas just after Thanksgiving – and before I am ready. I resist. For Christians, this is NOT the time for Christmas – it is Advent, it is a time of personal spiritual preparation. I want to shout that out!

A week before Thanksgiving Sabine and I went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant that we greatly enjoy. They often play Italian operas for our enjoyment during dinner. But that night they were playing Rudolph, Frosty and dreams of White Christmas’s. I protested. I objected. I told them that it was not Christmas time, but Advent, a time for preparation, reflection, waiting and praying for that joyous day more than a month away. I explained that I was a Christian and not a card-carrying member of the "Freedom From Religion Party." They agreed to change the music back to La Boheme.

Now I am not the Grinch. I love Christmas, but the culture around us is trying to push me right by the four weeks of Advent and into a shopping mall. After all, waiting, reflecting and praying is not good for the economy. But it is good for the soul.

It’s not too late. We can resist. We can slow down. We began a new church year on November 29th with the First Sunday of Advent. Many of us sang the fresh words of the Advent hymns: “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel… Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!” “Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free,” and “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry, announces that the Lord is night…” and heard these words from the traditional prayers of Advent that highlight themes of grace, repentance, preparation, expectation, and the stirring power of God:

“Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now at the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility…” (1 Advent)

“Merciful God, who didst sent thy messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ…” (2 Advent)

And my favorite from the 3rd Sunday of Advent:

“Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us…”

And from the last Sunday of Advent:

“We beseech thee, Almighty God, to purify our consciences by thy daily visitation, that when thy Son our Lord cometh he may find in us a mansion prepared for himself…”

I love Christmas, but I resist giving up the preparation, waiting and reflection that the season of Advent gives to me. Is it a hopeless cause to resist the jolly time before Christmas? I don't think so. But we can do it when we inwardly prepare and turn our hearts away from the cacophony of the global economy that just won’t slow down to the quiet Christchild who will come.

One preacher called this resistance an “Advent Conspiracy.” I think he’s right, it is a conspiracy to keep this important spiritual time in our lives.

And I am one of the co-conspirators... please join me.