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Advent 2 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Canton OH Anticipate His Coming

December 6, 2009 The Rev. Barbara L Bond

I am occasionally asked why we don't sing Christmas carols in Advent.  After all, the malls are full of Christmas music, getting the shoppers in the mood for the coming season.  Would it hurt us so much to let in a little Christmas cheer? The liturgical churches may seem a little stodgy on this point – that’s Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and yes, Episcopalians.  The official answer is yes, it would hurt us.  It would take away from a specific season, Advent, and turn it into pre-Christmas.  Advent is a real season, not just a warm-up.  If we dumped Advent and went into Christmas along with the secular society, it would be like celebrating Easter in Lent. Advent is about joyful anticipation.  The baby can’t be born until the baby is ready.  Advent is something like a gestation period, and you are meant to be a little antsy about it. You are meant to yearn for the sound of Christmas carols.  You are invited to sit with that delayed gratification, and enjoy the anticipation. About 12 years ago, I worked as a chaplain in a Roman Catholic hospital in Boise, Idaho – St. Alphonsus Hospital – we called it St. Al’s.  I enjoyed setting out the hospital’s official nativity set – nearly life-size figures. Around mid-December I would lovingly arrange the figures in the lobby, grouped around an empty manger.  Soon people would start asking where the baby was.  (Actually, the baby figure was locked in a closet, waiting for Christmas Eve).  We decided it was a teaching moment.  We wrote a graceful sign and placed it in the manger, which stated, “Anticipate His Coming!” Christmas season doesn’t begin until Christmas.  The 12 days of Christmas, in the famous carol, are about the 12 days after Christmas, not the 12 days before. Well, gee!  This is no fun!  Oh, I don’t know about that.  There are wonderful ways to enjoy Advent.  One of them is to mark the special saints’ days.  December 13 is St. Lucy Day in Sweden, and we have celebrated that one with candle-lit processions.  Dec. 12 is the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, and we will be observing that one this coming Saturday when we participate in the Downtown church tour.  St. Andrew’s feast day, Nov. 30, often falls at the beginning of Advent, and we have brought out the bagpipes for that one.  And today, Dec. 6, is my personal favorite, the feast day of St. Nicholas.  In this parish, we have made a huge fuss about St. Nicholas, and I’m sure that by now, all of you know that St. Nicholas was a real person, who lived in Turkey in the third century.  He was wealthy and generous, and liked to give gifts anonymously.  Many legends and traditions have built up about him through the centuries, and for the secular world, he evolved into Santa Claus and became grafted onto Christmas.  But, even as the church doesn’t do Christmas during Advent, we also don’t short-change this wonderful saint and turn him into a jolly old elf.  No, we hold his feast day of December 6 as a special day, observed with joy, and especially with children. Today we present our third annual rendition of the Legend of Saint Nicholas, with an all-star cast. THE PLAY This is the story of Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a real person.  He lived a long time ago, about three hundred years after the time of Jesus.  Nicholas lived in Myra, which is in the country of Turkey. Nicholas grew up with very generous parents.  When he was still young, his parents died.  Nicholas was very sad.  His parents left him a lot of money.  Nicholas decided to share this wealth with other people, so that he could be generous like his parents were.  And Nicholas was a Christian.  He wanted to share the love of Jesus. One day when Nicholas was a grown man, he was walking by the home of a rich merchant.  The merchant was the father of three daughters who were looking forward to being married soon.  The merchant had a hard time in his business and could not care for his children. The father said to his first daughter, “I am so sorry.  My business has failed.  You must be sold into slavery.” Oh no!  The first daughter was very frightened! That night, when everyone was asleep, Nicholas went to the father’s bedroom window, and he threw in a bag of gold.  When the father woke up, he was overjoyed!  Now the first daughter did not have to go into slavery!  The mysterious gift of gold had saved her. The next year Nicholas was walking by the house again, and he heard the father say to the second daughter, “I am so sorry.  My business has failed.  You must be sold into slavery.” Oh no!  The second daughter was very frightened! That night, when everyone was asleep, Nicholas again went to the father’s bedroom window, and he threw in another bag of gold.  When the father woke up, he was overjoyed!  Now the second daughter did not have to go into slavery!  This mysterious gift of gold had saved her. The next year Nicholas was walking by the house again, and he heard the father say to the third daughter, “I am so sorry.  My business has failed.  You must be sold into slavery.” Oh no!  The third daughter was very frightened!   That night, everyone was asleep except the father.  He thought, “I wonder who has been so kind and generous to us in the past.  I think I will stay awake tonight and see if he comes again.” And sure enough, Nicholas again went to the father’s bedroom window, and he threw in another bag of gold.  This time, the father raced after the generous stranger and caught him.  “Oh, Nicholas!” he said.  “It is you who has served my family!  Now none of my children has to go into slavery!  Thank you for your generous gifts!” All the children hugged Nicholas and thanked him for rescuing them.