HumorPunditry

It's the most wonderful time of the year

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Don’t you just love this time of year? When atheists sue cities over Nativity scenes and atheist parents complain to prevent mentions of the Gospel via Charlie Brown.  Just something about all this suing that warms the cockles of my heart.  You have to warm heart cockles because it is really hard to find them otherwise.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With atheist’s lawyers suing
And everyone telling you “Don’t spread that cheer”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
It’s the most litigious season of all
…

This is not going to be a “War on Christmas” post.

The Madeline Marray O’Hare style of making friends via court actions is a rising trend among the so-called new atheists. The micron-thin skin of the new atheist with a hair-trigger offended reaction to any sign of piety even of the commercial materialistic leftovers of Christmas.   Survival of the fittest becomes survival of the offended.  It is hard for me to understand this mindset.  As an atheist I was quite happy with the trappings of Christmas even if I had not understanding of the theological underpinnings.  Getting stuff was a fine enough reason for me for a holiday. Greed was good enough for me. If other people believed in some phony sky god, big deal as long as I got stuff.  Sure other trappings of Christmas were fun and led to the atmosphere of this special season, even if I could not point out to you why it was special.

So while I can’t quite understand the mindset, I can appreciate perhaps some of what drives it.  For the atheist that wants to live in a pure religion-free world Christmas is a horrible blot on an otherwise secularist society.  You just can’t escape Christmas.  Believers are upset by the commercialization of Christmas and atheists are upset that there was anything regarding it to be commercialized in the first place. Maybe one day we will reduce Christmas to the contents of a Hallmark or ABC Family Channel Holiday movie and so even militant atheists will find nothing  to get offended about. “Family is important and hey look – snow.”

The new atheists have become the new puritans and H.L. Menkens “A Puritan is a person who lives in the fear that someone, somewhere, may be having a good time.” can easily have the word puritan substituted.

It is interesting that Christians have tried to accommodate non-Christians which we see with the elevation of Hanukkah.  Heck we even accepted Kwanzaa, a holiday invented by a felon who tortured women.   I like a generous reaction to those who don’t share your faith when it does not end in political correctness. Trying to make others comfortable with all the attention on a Christian holiday can be a fine thing.  Yet what have we done to make the militant atheist comfortable?  Where is the fake holiday they can celebrate?  Sure there is the Jerry Seinfeld “Festivus”, but it is hard to celebrate satire.

When atheists successfully sue cities so that they can get their own display up on public land, the displays run towards mockery of Christianity and not any kind of representation of their own positive beliefs.  No nativity, just negativity so they must crush the creche and mangle the manger.

Really we need to create an atheist holiday that just so happens to occur during the Christmas season. Although “holiday” would have to be stripped because it really means “Holy Day.” What word do you use for “Excuse for a day off?” Certainly a winter solstice based commemoration with it’s appropriate calendar date  and astronomical ties is a nice fit.  A series of traditions that take off on Christmas traditions would help to unbaptize the commemoration.

What to call it though is difficult. I would be tempted to name it “Christless” since that is rather accurate even if not acceptable.  Celebrating Christless and gathering around the Christless Tree to open Christless presents is an all to accurate depiction of what many Christians do. So maybe just call it “Solstice” if only it didn’t sound too much like soul-stice. Maybe just call it “Materialistic” as in have a “Merry Materialistic”, but alas again too many are already having a materialistic celebration.  I would be really upset by atheists screwing up Christmas if we hadn’t screwed it up first.

Regardless whatever you call it some materialistic seasonal template around which to build atheist traditions can help them get through this painful period and reminder that theists still exist. Don’t say noel, just say no! Why is there no “Charlie’s Brown’s debunking of Christmas”? Or is that on the History channel? Why can ‘t the Grinch have a happy ending by actually stealing Christmas? Why shouldn’t the hero in “Miracle on 42nd Street” be the atheist mother? Instead of Andy Williams, Bill Maher singing “Oh come all ye faithless”.

Now while as usual I am jesting it is also a reminder concerning St. Augustine’s “Our hears are restless until they rest in thee” and to remember our atheist brothers and sisters as we celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation.  While are mangers remain empty until Christmas Eve, their mangers remain empty and the attempt is made to fill them with anything other than Christ.  I can only speak of my joy at the Incarnation and my being saved from my sins and that now I can actually celebrate Christmas and not my own vices.

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HumorPunditry

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Don’t you just love this time of year? When atheists sue cities over Nativity scenes and atheist parents complain to prevent mentions of the Gospel via Charlie Brown.  Just something about all this suing that warms the cockles of my heart.  You have to warm heart cockles because it is really hard to find them otherwise.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With atheist’s lawyers suing
And everyone telling you “Don’t spread that cheer”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
It’s the most litigious season of all
…

This is not going to be a “War on Christmas” post.

The Madeline Marray O’Hare style of making friends via court actions is a rising trend among the so-called new atheists. The micron-thin skin of the new atheist with a hair-trigger offended reaction to any sign of piety even of the commercial materialistic leftovers of Christmas.   Survival of the fittest becomes survival of the offended.  It is hard for me to understand this mindset.  As an atheist I was quite happy with the trappings of Christmas even if I had not understanding of the theological underpinnings.  Getting stuff was a fine enough reason for me for a holiday. Greed was good enough for me. If other people believed in some phony sky god, big deal as long as I got stuff.  Sure other trappings of Christmas were fun and led to the atmosphere of this special season, even if I could not point out to you why it was special.

So while I can’t quite understand the mindset, I can appreciate perhaps some of what drives it.  For the atheist that wants to live in a pure religion-free world Christmas is a horrible blot on an otherwise secularist society.  You just can’t escape Christmas.  Believers are upset by the commercialization of Christmas and atheists are upset that there was anything regarding it to be commercialized in the first place. Maybe one day we will reduce Christmas to the contents of a Hallmark or ABC Family Channel Holiday movie and so even militant atheists will find nothing  to get offended about. “Family is important and hey look – snow.”

The new atheists have become the new puritans and H.L. Menkens “A Puritan is a person who lives in the fear that someone, somewhere, may be having a good time.” can easily have the word puritan substituted.

It is interesting that Christians have tried to accommodate non-Christians which we see with the elevation of Hanukkah.  Heck we even accepted Kwanzaa, a holiday invented by a felon who tortured women.   I like a generous reaction to those who don’t share your faith when it does not end in political correctness. Trying to make others comfortable with all the attention on a Christian holiday can be a fine thing.  Yet what have we done to make the militant atheist comfortable?  Where is the fake holiday they can celebrate?  Sure there is the Jerry Seinfeld “Festivus”, but it is hard to celebrate satire.

When atheists successfully sue cities so that they can get their own display up on public land, the displays run towards mockery of Christianity and not any kind of representation of their own positive beliefs.  No nativity, just negativity so they must crush the creche and mangle the manger.

Really we need to create an atheist holiday that just so happens to occur during the Christmas season. Although “holiday” would have to be stripped because it really means “Holy Day.” What word do you use for “Excuse for a day off?” Certainly a winter solstice based commemoration with it’s appropriate calendar date  and astronomical ties is a nice fit.  A series of traditions that take off on Christmas traditions would help to unbaptize the commemoration.

What to call it though is difficult. I would be tempted to name it “Christless” since that is rather accurate even if not acceptable.  Celebrating Christless and gathering around the Christless Tree to open Christless presents is an all to accurate depiction of what many Christians do. So maybe just call it “Solstice” if only it didn’t sound too much like soul-stice. Maybe just call it “Materialistic” as in have a “Merry Materialistic”, but alas again too many are already having a materialistic celebration.  I would be really upset by atheists screwing up Christmas if we hadn’t screwed it up first.

Regardless whatever you call it some materialistic seasonal template around which to build atheist traditions can help them get through this painful period and reminder that theists still exist. Don’t say noel, just say no! Why is there no “Charlie’s Brown’s debunking of Christmas”? Or is that on the History channel? Why can ‘t the Grinch have a happy ending by actually stealing Christmas? Why shouldn’t the hero in “Miracle on 42nd Street” be the atheist mother? Instead of Andy Williams, Bill Maher singing “Oh come all ye faithless”.

Now while as usual I am jesting it is also a reminder concerning St. Augustine’s “Our hears are restless until they rest in thee” and to remember our atheist brothers and sisters as we celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation.  While are mangers remain empty until Christmas Eve, their mangers remain empty and the attempt is made to fill them with anything other than Christ.  I can only speak of my joy at the Incarnation and my being saved from my sins and that now I can actually celebrate Christmas and not my own vices.

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Punditry

The modern Maccabean revolt

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

From the Weekly Standard:

President Obama declares Hanukkah “an opportunity for people of all faiths to recognize the common aspirations we share.”

“He made this comment in his statement on the Jewish holiday emailed to the press:

Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Hanukkah around the world.

This Hanukkah season we remember the powerful story of the Maccabees who rose up to liberate their people from oppression. Upon discovering the desecration of their Temple, the believers found only enough oil to light the lamp for one night. And yet it lasted for eight.

Hanukkah is a time to celebrate the faith and customs of the Jewish people, but it is also an opportunity for people of all faiths to recognize the common aspirations we share. This holiday season, let us give thanks for the blessings we enjoy, and remain mindful of those who are suffering. And let us reaffirm our commitment to building a better, more complete world for all.

From our family to the Jewish Community around the world, Chag Sameach.

In which Simcha Fisher responds:

Big words from a guy who doesn’t seem to realize that, in the Hanukkah story, HE IS ANTIOCHUS.

Exactly.  This is not the first ironic statement about religious freedom from the President and won’t be the last.

I remember reading through Maccabees  in the lead up to Advent since it is part of the Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours.  I was thinking about these parallels in consideration of the HHS mandate.  One of the connections I considered was that it was not as if Antiochus IV Epiphanes immediately went about outlawing Jewish rites and practices and enforcing the worship of Zeus. The introduction of  gymnasia, Olympic-style games, mystery rites and such was welcomed by many Jews to some extent. So often we see in the Old Testament Israel being tempted by something from the outside and wanting to incorporate it into their own culture.  For example demanding to have a King instead of the Judges so they can be like other nations. We have the same tensions within the Church.  People wanting to adopt the wider culture into religious practice to such an extent that there is hardly any difference between the culture and the religious practice of these adherents.

While with the HHS mandate we see some revolt such as the groups and institutions that sued in response, mostly we see very little resistance to the state.  The modern Maccabees are those fighting against this usurpation of religious liberty. For the large part instead of people imitating Judas Maccabees, they are imitating Judas Iscariot instead.  Name one Jesuit institution involved in the lawsuit? An easy question: a big fat zero.  Too many are willing to worship the bureaucratic version of Zeus in big government.  Big government is a jealous god that does not like rivals and would restrict the cult of worship to itself. Caesar soon leads to seizure of both your money and religious freedom.

Thankfully the modern Maccabean revolt is happening in the courtrooms and not the battlefield, but it is still a battle that must be won. This battle also needs to play our via prayer and fasting.

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The Weekly Benedict

The Weekly Benedict eBook – Volume 41

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Weekly Benedict

This is the 41st volume of The Weekly Benedict ebook which is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I post at Jimmy Akin’s The Weekly Benedict. The post at Jimmy Akin’s site contains a link to each document on the Vatican’s site and does not require an e-reader to use.

This volume covers material released during the last week for 23 November, 2012 – 3 December 2012.

The ebook contains a table of contents and the material is arranged in sections such as Angelus, Speeches, etc in date order. The full index is listed on Jimmy’s site.

The Weekly Benedict – Volume 41 – ePub (supports most readers)

The Weekly Benedict – Volume 41 – Kindle

There is an archive for all of The Weekly Benedict eBook volumes.  This page is available via the header of this blog or from here.

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Humor

Mercedez-Benz M class popemobile

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Pope Benedict XVI Takes Delivery of New Popemobile

It is really quite fun to say “Mercedez-Benz M class popemobile.” Popemobiles are just plain fun and proves the perfection of Catholicism. There are no DalaiLamamobiles ar ArchbishopofCanteburymobiles.

Obviously the “M” in “M class” stands for Magisterium.

I do wonder if it has “soft Corinthian leather” in it’s interior. Or should that be St. Paul’s leather to the Corinthians? Though maybe this joke needs context for those unaware of the Cordova commercials in the 70’s. At least there is a Catholic connection as Ricardo Montalban was the spokesman.

Not surprisingly, Daimler did not go into detail as to what exactly the vehicle’s security features included, but you can bet it has similar features to those found in the Mercedes-Benz Guard Models.

Hmm it would be cool if the popemobile got James Bond car features installed by Q.

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Humor

Hats off to Archbishop-elect Gänswein

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

(Vatican Radio) The Holy Father on Friday named Monsignor Georg Gänswein as Prefect of the Pontifical Household, at the same time elevating him to the titular see of Urbisaglia with the title of Archbishop

Finally he has a use for all those zucchettos he has stolen from the Pope all these years. All he has do do is dye them violet an he is set.

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Liturgy

Expresses love and fidelity for the faith of the Church

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

One of the reasons I started to create an ebook of Pope Benedict’s writings and speeches was to get into and  tostay in the habit of reading everything from him as released weekly.  He is such a wonderful writer full of so many insights and you just never know when you will run into something cool – or blog worthy.

For example his speech to a group of French bishops on their ad Limina visit would be something that would totally go under the radar.

Knowing the care with which you prepare your liturgical celebrations, I encourage you to cultivate the art of celebrating, to help your priests in this regard and to work ceaselessly for the liturgical formation of seminarians and of the faithful. Respect for the established norms expresses love and fidelity for the faith of the Church, for the treasure of grace that she preserves and transmits; the beauty of celebrations, far more than innovations and subjective adjustments, makes evangelization a lasting and effective work.

Well at least it was of interest to me and I loved the way he talked about adherence to established norms as expressing love and fidelity for the faith of the Church.  The reverse seems to be true at times when it come to liturgical abuses.

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Punditry

On the Service of Charity

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

There has been a little coverage of Pope Benedict XVI latest Motu Proprio “On the Service of Charity.” Catholic blog coverage has run down the lines of it being a smack down of, for example, Catholic Charities.

Reading through it, it certainly is much more than that. No doubt the Pope has recognized the problems where Catholic charitable institutions have strayed a bit from their responsibilities to the faith. This has led him to notice that the Code of Canon Law does “not expressly mention charity as a specific sector of episcopal activity.” This document is intended to provide a legislative framework that addresses this and sets forth the various responsibilities for the bishops, charitable institutions, and the faithful.

The introduction starts with:

“The Church’s deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia) and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia). These duties presuppose each other and are inseparable.” (Deus Caritas Est, 25).

It also precisely states what the problem is in that there has been a schism in charitable efforts regarding proclaiming the word and celebrating the sacraments. The “Socialworkering” of charitable efforts have flattened such institutions as secular organizations that do some good things.

These articles in the document are especially of interest (at least for pundit bloggers.)

Art. 7. – § 1. The agencies referred to in Article 1 § 1 are required to select their personnel from among persons who share, or at least respect, the Catholic identity of these works.

§ 2. To ensure an evangelical witness in the service of charity, the diocesan Bishop is to take care that those who work in the Church’s charitable apostolate, along with due professional competence, give an example of Christian life and witness to a formation of heart which testifies to a faith working through charity. To this end, he is also to provide for their theological and pastoral formation, through specific curricula agreed upon by the officers of various agencies and through suitable aids to the spiritual life.

Art. 8. – Wherever necessary, due to the number and variety of initiatives, the diocesan Bishop is to establish in the Church entrusted to his care an Office to direct and coordinate the service of charity in his name.

Art. 9. – § 1. The Bishop is to encourage in every parish of his territory the creation of a local Caritas service or a similar body, which will also promote in the whole community educational activities aimed at fostering a spirit of sharing and authentic charity. When appropriate, this service is to be established jointly by various parishes in the same territory.

§ 2. It is the responsibility of the Bishop and the respective parish priest to ensure that together with Caritas, other charitable initiatives can coexist and develop within the parish under the general coordination of the parish priest, taking into account, however, the prescriptions of Article 2 § 4 above.

§ 3. It is the duty of the diocesan Bishop and the respective parish priests to see that in this area the faithful are not led into error or misunderstanding; hence they are to prevent publicity being given through parish or diocesan structures to initiatives which, while presenting themselves as charitable, propose choices or methods at odds with the Church’s teaching.

Art. 10. – § 1. It is the responsibility of the Bishop to supervise the ecclesiastical goods of the charitable agencies subject to his authority.

Can we get an Amen?

The goals of this document do not reflect the situation today in the main. So often we find heads and personnel of Catholic charitable agencies at odds with Church teaching. Especially prominent is the fact that so many of these agencies link up with other agencies that are decidedly opposed to Church teaching. The narrowing of social justice into a term charged more with political than Catholic meaning is quite rampant.

So I am very happy to see this document from the Pope. How well the implementation will go is another matter. Remember when Catholic schools cleaned up their act after the promulgation of “Ex Corde Ecclesiae”? Well maybe that didn’t happen. Although this is a slightly different situation where the bishops should have more control and have been given very specific authority regarding it.

Now the pessimist in me would point out that it is hard to expect the bishops to clean house when the USCCB’s “Catholic Campaign for Human Development” is an example of the problem this document addresses. There just has not been really any shakeup with CCHD and while some problems have been addressed I get the feeling that changes have been reluctant. The type of entities that CCHD donates to is rife with interconnecting links to seriously anti-Catholic organizations. Considering that the USCCB is currently using Cokie Roberts to raise money for retired religious or that they had Chris Matthews front and center at the Alfred E. Smith dinner there are certainly some mixed messages. It is alright to advocate the murder of innocents as long as you give your voice to some charitable cause.

Getting to the more optimistic side of me. Good bishops have just been given a legislative framework that is going to help them in coordinating with charitable institutions and correcting problems as they exist. It also means that they have just been given an even larger workload that needs to be managed. The coordination and creation of applicable training along with implementing this document is going to be no easy task. Well just another reason to pray for our bishops.

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Punditry

Sensus Infidelium

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Like many my reaction to the National Catholic Reporter endorsing Women’s Ordination was “They hadn’t already?” The positive thing to take away at least is that I would rather someone be forthright in what they believe instead of simply undermining from the edges. I am often more annoyed by the somebody where it is quite evident that they oppose Catholic teaching while not quite coming out and saying so. Still it is always sad when somebody rejects the truth.

As always with progressives they always use two things to buttress their points.

  • Make what a committee advises dogmatic and turn the dogmatic into opinion.
  • Invoke sensus fidelium.
In regards to their editorial these are both checked off.  First off we have an appeal to 1976 Pontifical Biblical Commission with the main conclusion. “It does not seem that the New Testament by itself alone will permit us to settle in a clear way and once and for all the problem of the possible accession of women to the presbyterate.”  As if a negative conclusion using scripture alone is definitive.  Our Lord’s example is meaningless to them.  That the scriptures do not support women’s ordination without gymnastic contortions also does not matter.  The fact that the Aaronic priesthood was also male also gets ignored.
 Instead they resort to the voting within the commission as being important.  This is similar to how the commission that advised Paul VI regarding contraception is treated.  In progressive ecclesiology there is simply no room for the pope other than as some symbolic figurehead that rubber stamps progressive ideas.  It is the commission that they happen to agree with that becomes the infallible method of guiding the Church.  So if you staff a commission with people picked to come to a conclusion I guess you can guide the actions of the Holy Spirit.  I don’t seem to recall the scripture passage “On this commission/committee I will build my Church.”  In fact when Jesus asked his disciples about who he was, they all got it wrong except Peter who was guided by the Holy Spirit.
They also have a very odd idea about sensus fidelium that can be divorced from the constant teaching and example of the Church.  Nobody praises the level of catechesis and understanding of the last couple generations of Catholics and yet an uncatechized sensus fidelium is suppose to trump everything. When the majority of the laity were Arians or Jansenists this did not mean that these heresies became the truth.  A sensus fidelium not grounded in Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium is no true voice at all.  While no Latin scholar by any stretch of the imagination I think the phrase just might have something to do with fidelity. Church documents regarding even the teaching authority of bishops frame it using “in communion with the Roman Pontiff.”
I would also like to know what the difference is between Protestant ecclesiology and progressive Catholic ecclesiology?  While it is true there are many strains of Protestant ecclesiology, progressive Catholic ecclesiology has the same sandy foundation.  They will talk about a parallel magisterium of theologians, but the members of this parallel magisterium must be progressive theologians to count.  But it is true we have a parallel magisterium of theologians of sorts in that as in parallel lines they never intersect and in this case don’t intersect with the authentic teaching authority of the Church.  Really though these dissenting theologians make up an anti-magisterium when there are not in unity with the Church.  The problems in Protestantism is the lack of authority where each man becomes their own pope deciding what is the truth.  Progressive Catholicism has exactly the same problem and becomes an association of like-minded people without any actual authority to define.  If I don’t have to listen to the Pope then why would I have to listen to them? It is like the people with “Question Authority” bumper stickers.  What authority do you have to tell me to question authority?  Next we will have “Dissent is the highest form of theology” bumper stickers.
While progressives love to talk about Vatican II, they don’t want to live it.  This editorial by the National “Catholic” Reporter is directly contrary to Vatican II.  Just say for example you dropped all arguments that Blessed John Paul II encyclical on women’s ordination did not required definitive assent and was not set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal magisterium.
This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking. — Lumen Gentium 25
I’m not seeing much religious submission of mind and will here.
The theology of a false fairness where every member of the body of Christ is the same appendage seems to simply ignore the words of St. Paul and say that all parts can have the same function. I will refrain from pointing out what part of the body the National Catholic Reporter is.
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Other

Reflecting on Advent

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Thinking about the season of Advent I was reflecting on some cool aspects of it.

First off so far liturgists have not managed to ruin it. All of the Lenten shenanigans such as emptying Holy Water fonts or filling them with sand are not really found in Advent. Not that I doubt some liturgist somewhere has tried. Plus the quality of the hymns usually goes up in Advent to some degree.

The season of Advent doesn’t really get much attention in society as it seems Christmastide starts on Black Friday and ends on December 25th. But there are advantages to Advent flying under the radar so to speak. For one there are no Advent equivalents like “Grandma was run over by the preparation for the Incarnation.” For the most part Advent has not been commercialized, just pretty much totally ignored. Although Advent Calendars have become commercialized with everything from Legos to promotions for mobile applications. People are now more likely to know what an Advent Calendar is, just not what Advent is. Just try replying “Have a Blessed Advent” when out shopping and see the blank stares like you just tried to sing a Klingon opera.

Unfortunately so many people are missing out on all the great Advent hymns. The chances of hearing an actual Advent hymn on the radio or at the Mall is pretty much zero with the possible exception of “Emmanuel” Speaking of “Emmanuel” I realize I am a total liturgical curmudgeon in that I am annoyed both that a choir doesn’t seem to know any other Advent hymns and upset when they don’t sing it. At the end of Mass yesterday I was tempted to shout encore and raise an Advent candle to the air to get the choir to come back out and to get around to singing it.

Thankfully I have been building up my own Advent music collection. I can hardly believe that not that long ago I was listening to “System of a Down” when putting up a Christmas tree and now am singing along to Advent hymns instead. In fact if you have a favorite Advent album or hymn I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Eye of the Tiber does it again with this story.

New York, NY––Local Catholic and Liturgical stickler Gerry Brownstone was offended earlier today when leaving his local Food-Mart, after the greeter wished him a “Merry Christmas.” “Who does that guy think he is, saying that to me?” Brownstone said. “Advent has barely begun. The Liturgical Calendar has a Christmas season, you ignoramus, and it begins after the Feast of the Nativity, not a month before.” A visibly irritated Brownstone continued, “I don’t wish you a Blessed Pentecost the week before the Ascension, do I? Grow up.” When asked what he preferred as an Advent salutation, Brownstone answered: “I don’t know. Maybe something about the Season of Advent, like ‘Advent’s Greetings,’ or something about the holiness of the days that are coming, like ‘Happy Holidays.’ Either of those would be liturgically more acceptable.” He concluded his tirade, “It’s like there’s a War on Advent out there.”

Several years ago I theorized that it was Militant Adventists who were stealing the Baby Jesus’ out of Nativity scenes for daring to put him in the crib before Christmas.

I really admire those who wait for Christmas Eve to put up a Christmas Tree. Although I am too weak to wait. I put one up on the first Sunday of Advent. I’ll just call it an Advent tree – yeah that’s the ticket – that mysteriously has an ontological change to a Christmas tree at some point. While I am holding off on listening to Christmas Carols I just have to have that tree up. But I do keep it up to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. I have heard some will put a tree up early, but not fully decorate it until just before Christmas. I also like that idea, but alas my tree is fully decorated.

So what do you do to make Advent not just some commercial lead up?

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