Gaudete! - Rector's Rambling for December 15, 2024

     We are over the mid-point of our Advent observance, which means we have come to Gaudéte Sunday, sometimes known as Rose Sunday.  It is a chance for us to “lighten up” in the heaviness of a penitential season, which is signified liturgically by the use of the rose colored vestments and altar hangings in the place of the “heavier” purple.

In recent years there has been a push to make Advent less penitential in nature.  Lent is the grand penitential season of course, with its precursor “-gesima” Sundays.  There was a third penitential season, observed by the devout, centuries ago.  It was from early August to September 14 (Feast of the Holy Cross), but it was not universally observed.

One way that portions of the Church has differentiated the penitential aspect of Advent from Lent is to replace the purple with blue.  I see this frequently in Episcopal and Roman parishes.  Blue for Advent is said to be an adaptation of the color scheme for the season from the Sarum Rite.  But mixing Rites is generally discouraged, and I certainly wouldn’t want to wear the burnt brick orange of Trinitytide from the Sarum use from June to November.

We need to be penitential.  Not only do we have to frequently (even daily) acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, but we also need to spend extended periods (a season) in a penitential mode in order to be prepared for the glories of the great gift of Holy Days like Easter, and of course Christmas.  But of course being in a state of repentance for our sins is also important as we look forward to the return of Jesus Christ at the end of time to judge the quick and the dead.  We may be lightening up today with rose vestments and hangings, but in the bigger picture, we are still preparing through repentance and amendment of life for that which is to come.

 

Advent 2 and Conception too - Rector's Rambling for December 8, 2024

     Today we have two overlapping “Feasts” to celebrate on Sunday.  First, and primarily, today is The Second Sunday in Advent.  

    In the Book of Common Prayer there is something called the Tables of Precedence (p. li) which spells out for us which Holy Days always take precedence and can’t be bumped by another Feast Day occurring on the same day. If the Feast of St. James (July 25) occurs on a Sunday then that it the primary celebration that Sunday (Collects and Lessons) rather than The Sunday after Trinity. However, the Sundays in Advent always take precedence

Today is one of those days that overlap.  December 8 is the Feast of the Conception of St. Mary, but because it occurs this year on Sunday we observe the Second Sunday in Advent instead.  Today’s other Feast Day will be observed tomorrow at the 12:15 Service.  This holy day celebrate the conception of Mary by her parents St. Anne and St. Joachim.   Her birthday is celebrated on September 8th (9 months later).   St. John the Baptist’s conception is mentioned in scripture too, and of course Our Lord’s miraculous conception is celebrated on March 25th as the Feast of the Annunciation.

Each of these conceptions have different but interrelated theological implications.  John the Baptist’s conception is in preparation of him being the forerunner of Christ and occurs to a woman beyond childbearing years.  Mary’s conception is celebrated because it will be from her flesh, through her own womb, that the second person of the Trinity will take human flesh to dwell among us.  And of course Jesus’ conception by Holy Ghost is the incarnation of God.

These feast days are also an important reminder that from the moment of conception we are the Lord’s and therefore every life is sacred.

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Next Sunday we have our official visitation by our Diocesan, required by Canon Law every 3 years.  The Rt. Rev’d Bonnie Perry was last with us in 2021 when she preached at Choral Morning Prayer. This time she wants to do the Holy Communion Service.  She will be leading and preaching at the 10 AM Service and will be present at coffee hour as well.