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Thursday Thoughts
November 27, 2008
Carlton Rider, Principal |
Happy
Thanksgiving and a Happy New Year!
I hope that all of you have a very happy
Thanksgiving and that you can take time out
to give thanks to God for the many blessings
that we enjoy and sometimes take for
granted. There may be other countries that
celebrate Thanksgiving, but I know for sure
of only Canada (celebrated in October) and
the United States that make this special day
a tradition.
You may think that I am a few weeks ahead as
regards wishing a Happy New Year but, in the
liturgical sense, this coming weekend is the
beginning of a new church year with the
start of the Advent season. So, in the
history of the Catholic Church, when did the
season of Advent begin?
In an article provided by The Marriage and
Family Life Office, Diocese of Columbus, the
feasts and seasons of the liturgical year
all developed from the Church’s desire to
remember, celebrate, and live the great
mysteries of our faith. The seasons of the
church year originated centuries ago and
developed independently in different places,
spreading, combining, and sometimes dying
out.
The first sure indications of a time of
preparation came from Bishop Perpetuus of
Tours in Gaul(France) in the fifth century,
when he issued directives for fasting three
days a week from the feast of St.
Martin(November 11) to Christmas. Some
scholars believe that this may have been
rooted in an older practice of preparing for
Baptism at Epiphany, just as Lent originated
as a time of preparation for Baptism.
In Rome the first indications of an Advent
season came from four sets of Sunday Mass
prayers and readings that anticipate the
celebration of Christmas. This was a festive
period, in contrast to the fasting in Gaul,
but some of the penitential nature of the
season spread to the Roman celebration, such
as purple vestments and the omission of the
Gloria. The length of Advent varied for
centuries, usually between four and six
weeks. By the 11th century most of the West
accepted Rome’s practice of four weeks.
The important question is how we keep Advent
in such a way that prepares us to rejoice in
the Incarnation of Christ and leads us to
wait in joyful hope for his coming at the
end of time.
Till next week . . .
Previous Messages:
November 20, 2008
November 13, 2008
November 6, 2008
October 30, 2008
October 23, 2008
October 16, 2008
October 9, 2008
October 2, 2008
September 25, 2008
September 18, 2008
September 11, 2008
September 4, 2008
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