Advent in San Diego

With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, the first Sunday of Advent, also known as the Christmas Season, is upon us. This is, by far, my favorite time of year even though the sun is directly in my eyes whenever and wherever I’m driving.

Advent is all about preparation. We are to prepare our hearts and minds to receive the salvation that was promised. In Christianity, salvation comes in the form of the baby Jesus. In paganism, it comes from the rebirth of the sun on December 25th. 

The reason I am constantly squinting is that the sun is descending to the south. It will continue to descend until December 22, when it will enter its grave. It will stay there until December 25, which is the first day the sun can be observed to be moving back north. Yes, this gets muddy with Jesus rising from his grave after three days.

Whatever your belief, this remains a season of reflection upon themes of rebirth and salvation, home and hearth, family and faith, culture and value. The music for this season reflects these topics but is all based on the Christian tradition.

Although technically outside the liturgical weeks of Advent, J. S. Bach’s Wachet Auf has come to be a staple of the season. The text is taken from Mathew chapter 25 in which ten virgins are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom. Five are wise and have brought extra oil while five are foolish and have not. The bridegroom is late in arriving and the five foolish ones miss him because they went back to town for more oil. 

In this season, we plan and prepare for the arrival of the beloved be they family or friend. We decorate, we bake, we purchase, we wrap, we wait for the moment with the beloved to arrive.

The primary piece of Advent music is the ancient hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. The text hails from the monastic traditions of the 8th or 9th Century. The tune is from 15th Century France. 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel;

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

This is a season to rejoice even if we find ourselves mourning in lonely exile. Salvation will come to us. We do not go find it. This is a season of both preparation and waiting. We must prepare and then wait. That is the magic of Christmas.