Christians should celebrate Advent,Christmas and Ephipany

.

 Our culture tends to skip Advent and start celebrating Christmas after Thanksgiving—if we’re lucky to make it that far! Then it’s all packed up and stored away by New Year’s. This year, consider returning to the ancient practice of seeing the whole Christmas “cycle”—the period that embraces both the Advent and Christmas seasons—as one unit of joyous celebration. Preparation comes first, then comes celebration extending a few weeks after Christmas Day.

The focal point of the Christmas cycle is obvious: God becoming one of us in Jesus, the Incarnation. All three phases of the cycle—Advent, Christmas and Epiphany—hinge on and celebrate that point. These celebrations help us to name the ways our lives are caught up in the “big story” of Christ. And these feasts tie our lives to Christians throughout history. The tradition of the Church, the living gospel, is the real-life experience of Christians like you and like me, and those who have gone before us.

During Advent, which begins  on December 2, we emphasize the joy that some would compare to the months before a child is born: excitement, wonder, joy, expectation, even exhilaration at the life that is in our midst right now, yet also a hope and longing. We have 9 months to prepare for the birth of a child. Can we not give at least 4 weeks of our time to prepare ourselves for the Birth of Christ. I urge all of you Catholic or not to learn more about Advent. With our technology all you need to do is google about it.
This week in our home we are getting ready by making Advent Wreaths and hopefully a Jesse Tree, another tradition. I have not even thought about putting up a tree or other decorations yet. Im not saying decorating and putting a tree up early is bad or wrong. After all it is all for the Glory of God. I am just encouraging you to do more. Prepare your hearts for the birth our Lord.

During the Christmas season we celebrate the wonder of the Incarnation. How wondrously we are made that the Word of God would become one of us! God shows us how to live fully: by pouring out our lives for others. That is what the days of Christmas are all about.

 

And even after Christmas Day it doesnt end there! Oh no. We have The Epiphany. On the Epiphany and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord celebrate Christ becoming manifest—that is, present—to all peoples. On Epiphany we focus on the three Wise Men symbolizing the many races for whom Christ was born. The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his public ministry. God’s “Christmas gift” of the Incarnation is a gift for everyone! ...

 

 

Last year I made this Advent Wreath and hung it from my light. IT is called a Chandlear