In the old pre-Vatican II days, the season of Advent was more obviously penitential in character. The Gloria was not said at Mass and the use of flowers and the organ were much reduced; the liturgical colour of purple is reminiscent of Lent and even Christmas Eve was a day of fasting and abstinence. Such privations gave way to great joy and feasting following the solemn singing of the Gloria in excelsis at midnight Mass. Feasting and fasting were features of the liturgical and calendar year, balancing the human desire for celebration against the value of self-denial.
Secular society, and its associated commercialism, seems to place the start of Christmas around the middle of November. Booking a venue for a Christmas party now is well-nigh impossible, although a lot of data suggests that younger people (the “Gen Zs”) are partying with much less excess, if at all, than previous generations. Asceticism has gained a new following with gym-goers and broader sections of society. Sober October has now joined Dry January as months where participants willingly forgo drinking any form of alcohol. Intermittent fasting has become more than just a passing fad (in metropolitan circles at least), and the practice of Yoga is viewed by its followers as a route to inner peace and wellbeing. Religious orders such as the Carmelites and Cistercians have a long history of linking spiritual enrichment, and personal fulfilment, with corporeal asceticism.
It was appropriate to remind the boys at assembly this morning about the importance of preparation at the start of the Advent season. As the seasonal song goes, I wish it could be Christmas every day; the reality is that it would get boring and tedious very quickly. Practising patience (particularly challenging for the author of these Notes) and delaying gratification is not designed to make us miserable. Quite the opposite, in fact: it helps us to appreciate the finer things of life and to discern that which is most important, namely family, friends, and relationships. Self-regulation and self-control is the route to nirvana whether practised on the yoga mat or in a place of worship.
Categories: Uncategorised
