When the Homily is about Immunology

A Yearning for Advent Amidst a Billion Speeding UPS Trucks (Part 2)

There is indeed, I sense, a new yearning for Advent in many evangelical circles. I stumbled across the "Internet Monk's" blog (no, he is NOT a real monk) who says he is "on a post-evangelical journey" (being "post" is very hip...as you know), and he has an interesting post about celebrating Advent.

There are some excellent suggestions that we can ALL take note of, but what interests me is that I also see many suggestions that are pointing evangelicals to ancient traditions which they may surprised to learn are alive and well and PRACTICED.

But number 6 is in actuality a sad one: the notion of buffet line traditions kinda makes my stomach churn. I'm sorry but you cannot hop down to your local Orthodox Church to be blessed by the Christmas Vigil and then walk away only to return the following year. It is not supposed to work that way. Such activities are exactly the very thing he warns against: "entertainment."

Our traditions and our practices are not stand alone components that can be pirated and expected to yield the same fruit as intended. If I may say, it is a part of package deal. You do not "audit these courses", you commit to and live them full-time. And when you do, they truly become alive...otherwise, they are no different than the "massive pageants." On the other hand, I would not dissuade anyone from coming and seeing...I would just condemn the attitude that one can make a regular practice out of experimental tradition gleaning. It's a bad idea and is the pinnacle of the all too common spiritual self-diagnosis and prescription.

You'll also note in the comments of that post that someone actually devoted a whole blog to "adevent4evangelicals." I will not over-burden you with further links, but anyone familiar with the Po-Mo blogs and such will recognize a movement toward more traditional Advent practices of some sort. It's quite the fad, really.

Now, one common aspect in evangelical yearning for Advent is a push against materialism in in exchange for social charity as is seen at Advent Conspiracy. This is indeed a very noble endeavor, but it is nothing new we must recall. The Church has ALWAYS prescribed periods such as Advent and Lent to be times that include almsgiving. Why? Well, in part because they are also times of repentance....times NOT to see the rampant materialism around us, but to see the rampant materialism WITHIN us. This is the Orthodox way, and I would say it is the way of our Lord. Do we not see in our Lord the one who will - with great love - pierce our own hearts and souls whenever we come to Him with complaints about others or the world around us?

As I was saying, Advent isn't only about almsgiving and escaping the materialism around us. Buying nothing on "Buy Nothing Day" may plant a seed, but it doesn't nurture the garden of your soul and it certainly doesn't weed it.

A large component in the Advent "package" is Fasting, and as I spent what little time I could afford going through evangelical "resources" for Advent, I could find absolutely nothing about fasting. I often find myself surprising people with the notion that some Christians have (STILL HAVE I should say) regularly scheduled times of prescribed fasting. "Huh," they will say (here in Seattle), "I thought only Muslims did that sort of thing." Gee, people, how is it they know more about Muslim Ramadan that traditional Christian Advent and Lent? Maybe it's a Seattle thing. Anyway, Fasting is very much like weeding the garden and nurturing the good seeds.

And of course, it is a time for intense prayer and participation in additional services. Again, tending the garden.

For myself (and perhaps to you other Orthodox out there), I am reminded of the treasure we have in the traditions and practices of our Holy Church. The wisdom of the ages, handed down to us. Brothers and sisters, that which others are yearning for and actively seeking is laying clearly right before us. Let us make sure we are engaging them fully, for we rob ourselves otherwise. And, in focusing on our traditions, we perhaps won't have time or need to worry about whether the clerk at Walmart is allowed to say "Merry Christmas" or what a mess the UPS trucks are making of our dirt roads.

To those yearning for Advent: taste and see. In the Orthodox Church, that which is good for you during Advent is even better for you year round.

The Church now calls us to meet Christ Who comes from heaven. What can we do in order to meet Him like the Magi, and not like Herod? "Ye that desire life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking guile. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." It tends to be hard to do this; we are weak when it comes to everything good. But the Son of God even came for this: in order to strengthen us. Not for naught was He born in Bethlehem, which signifies "house of bread." He feeds us with heavenly food, His flesh. "God, the Lord and Creator of all, as a babe in the flesh, is worshipped in a poor manger, crying out: eat My body and through faith be made steadfast." These words of the divine Babe are directed to us. Let us hearken to His call! Let us follow the Magi; let us hasten with the shepherds! Our churches are now that cave of Bethlehem. Not illusory, but in reality does He, Who is now being born in His most pure flesh, rest in them. Let us worship Him; let us offer as a gift our thoughts and desires; let us confess our sins, and let us taste of His immaculate Body and Blood. Whoever did not do this earlier, let him at least accomplish it now, when the star of Bethlehem is already shining! Our minds will be enlightened and the heart will hear:

"Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will among men!"


-St. John Maximovitch