A well known Irish theologian has hit out at the practice of anticipating Christmas in the month of December, and ignoring Advent as a time of waiting, with prayer and fasting. In the December issue of The Word, theologian Fr Vincent Twomey SVD warns that while “Christmas is a time of joy and good cheer”, many, nonetheless dread it.
Instead the Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at Maynooth urges people to “take another look at how we prepare for, and how we celebrate, the great Feast of the Birth of Our Lord.”
Fr Twomey continues: “For many, Christmas comes as something of an anti-climax after all the hustle and bustle of the pre-Christmas round of parties, shopping, and carols. Some even dread the family tensions that might break out during the one day in the year when all are together and there is no escape to the pub.”
The former doctoral student of Pope Benedict adds: “For historical reasons that are too complicated to go into here, the Irish Church does not know how to celebrate Advent properly. It should be a time of fasting and prayer, like Lent, though not so rigorous, so that we can truly break into festive joy on Christmas night and sustain it for the following 12 days, days which today in Ireland are marked mostly by the Sales.”
The Word’s Editor-in-Chief suggests: “Part of the feeling of Christmas as an anti-climax is due to the fact that we have anticipated it too early. This applies in particular to the phenomenon of pre-Christmas parties.”
Instead, says Fr Twomey, Advent should be “a time of prayerful waiting for the coming of the Lord. Some fasting is also recommended. More serious is the Irish practice of holding carol services or concerts during Advent. This amounts to singing Christmas hymns before Christmas, which is absurd.”
“Piped music in shops and stores as well as radio programmes play these carols before Christmas for the same purpose: to create the right “atmosphere”.
No carols should be used in Church until Christmas Eve. And carol services should be restricted to the Christmas season. Instead, Advent services with suitable music could be introduced, which would also help people to prepare properly for the Feast of the Nativity.”
He underlines that the crib should be at the heart of Christian prayer in this season: “We must find time at Christmas for prayer – and this includes contemplating the Christmas crib.”
And he calls for a more open and welcoming attitude towards those who might be lonely at Christmastime.
“Finally, no one should be lonely at Christmas. It is up to us to ensure that anyone living alone be welcomed into our homes on the day that Christ came into the world.”
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