"There is no more dangerous or disgusting habit than celebrating Christmas before it comes.”

Musings of a Pertinacious Papist ^ | December 1, 2013 | Fr. George W. Rutler

[NYer]

Fr. George W. Rutler (The Judge Report, December 1, 2013) writes:

... Without Advent, the only thing to do is to “rush” Christmas, with celebrations without much purpose. That turns Christmas inside out and can even make it depressing. Superficial Christmas is “joy without a cause” as G.K. Chesterton said in 1911 in his epic poem, The Ballad of the White Horse. He also said a couple of years earlier: “There is no more dangerous or disgusting habit than that of celebrating Christmas before it comes.

”Our Lord spoke of people who “loved the dark rather than the light” (John 3:19), and we see that today in those who would ban any mention of Christmas. The tendency to set up Christmas decorations before Christmas is at least a clumsy way of expressing a desire for light rather than dark, but it is futile without a moral awareness of what light and dark are.

Advent is awkward because its mysteries are not the sort of things entertainers dressed as elves sing about. While the Church calls attention to reality, avuncular clergymen often succumb to fantasy themselves, with Christmas parties in Advent and wreaths without reason. Of course, this is illogical, because it contradicts the way the Logos arranged the world. The Logos, or the Word, is Jesus himself, who uttered all things into being by saying, “Fiat” — “Let there be.” And the first thing he let there be was light: “Light from Light” as the Creed chants it. But the only way to recognize the illogic of Christmas without Advent is to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

The choice of darkness rather than light is a preference for the Prince of Darkness rather than Christ the Light. The best way to walk in the Light is to get rid of the darkness in the soul, and so Advent is a prime time for confessing sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Then the penitent is re-united with the Light of the World. Christ sheds light on Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell, giving moral cogency to the mystery of life itself. “He is before all things, and by him all things are held together" (Colossians 1:17). As the highest truths are very simple, the simplest logic is this: Without the Christ of Christmas, all things fall apart.

[roamer_1]

This is very muddled - Christianity is not a diffused mixture of Judaism and Christianity.

No, what is muddled is figgering out how to add a whole bunch of holidays and sacraments, and take away the Holy Days, the Sabbath, and ALL the commandments, and not add to or take away from the Torah.

The new Testament fulfilled the old - it is integral but there is not a fusion of the two.

The old is not yet fulfilled. And it can't be until the Prophets are fulfilled (Way past the Millenial Kingdom)... Until it is ALL fulfilled, every jot and tittle, not one letter is removed from it.

This is a clear demarcation.

No it isn't - it is an extension, not a demarcation. He said to do and teach the Torah. That brings the earlier covenant into the new, along with every other covenant too, btw... Just like always. And if He came to teach people to disregard the Torah, He can be nothing but a false prophet, as 3500 years of precedent (and the Torah) affirms.

It comes out of John Chapter 1 verse 4 In him was life: and the life was the light of men. This is sacred scripture!!!

Sure it is, but your use of it is not. Yeshua is standing there saying 'I am the Light of the World' right in the middle of Hanukkah, and somehow THAT is an indication that He was born on the darkest day, like all His foes? Why not look to Hanukkah, the 'Festival of Lights' for your meaning? Just like He came down and tabernacled among us. Why in the name of all that is Holy would one ignore the Holy Days for the profane?

[RichInOC]

God forgive me, but I laughed at it. It’s a guy and fraternity alum thing, I guess.

I take the point about concentrating on the lessons the Church is teaching during Advent, and especially as a catechumen I’m trying my best. That said, I’m still going to enjoy what I’ll probably always think of as Christmas parties. I’m looking forward to this Saturday. 5:30 PM Mass, then on the road to visit some old college friends, a fraternity brother and little sister of mine, Catholics and just good people. This is the first time I’ve seen them in person since I started RCIA. Her joy and energy in particular could power a small town. She was already in the habit of running up to hug me. I fully expect to get sacked this weekend.