Templar Edification

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unt...

     Every culture that knows winter knows a winter feast. And the themes of such feasts are dictated by the season: light in the midst of darkness, warmth in the midst of cold, generosity in the midst of scarcity, joy in the midst of depression, and life in the face of death. Winter festivals are acts of defiance, of subversive jubilation. That’s why we love them so. A December fire in the hearth sparks far more wonder than any summer grill.      The earliest Christians concerned themselves with but two holidays: Sunday, the day of Resurrection; and Pascha, the Passover of Our Lord, which served as Sunday for the entire year. The liturgical calendar which we know and love today, with all of its festivals and feasts, arose over time and grew out of these original two. The most glaring ancient omission from our postmodern perspective would appear to be Christmas.      Yet Christmas is not quite the latecomer some would have us believe. Christi...

The liturgical year of the Western Church begins anew at Advent, the season of four Sundays preceding the Nativity of Our Lord. It is a time of hope and expectation, of preparing our hearts and our homes for the King. In it, we await and we watch for light amidst the dark. When it comes to Yuletide celebrations, the Church often seems out of step with the surrounding culture. We laugh, a bit bitterly, regarding the appearance of Christmas decorations even before Halloween. My children cast covetous eyes upon those homes which have decorated their trees well ahead of Thanksgiving. And who could blame the advance guard? Perhaps you may be one yourself. It’s been a rough few years, a rough couple of decades. Who am I to begrudge someone their joy? If Christmas makes you happy, well, it makes me happy too. And we could all use some good holiday cheer both early and often. Yet Advent offers to us something a little different, something more than simply delayed gratification or finger-waving...