The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-12-16
Just Among Ourselves


During the first two weeks of Advent the
Church, in reciting the Divine Office cries out,
LET us adore the Lord coming as King" And
during the last two weeks of this season of expec-
tation the Church prays repeatedly ''The Lord
is already at hand; come, let us adore Him"
Even during this short time of Advent, our
Wise Mother Church finds it useful to vary her
rallying cry to the faithful, and to give a new
impulse to the spirit of longing which was stir.
red nightly on the very first day of the season.
None knows our Inconsistency so well as this Motn.
er; none is so clearly aware of our weakness,
our tendency to grow lax in devotion, our need
of being constantly prodded to spurts of fervor.
'It is time" says St Paul, ito rise from sleep"
True, and we recognize the justice of the ad'
monition But how easy it is to fall back into
sleep. We hear with JOY that the Lord is coming,
the great King of our souls. But we need now
further word TO warn us from relapsing into
lethargy and to keep us alert to reap the graces
of this hour. And therefore the Church reminds
u.s. not only that He is coming, but that He is
now at hand.
If we had lively appreciation of our Faith
we should be filled always with the wonder and
joy of it, But, alas, one of the sad effects OF the
original fall is the darkening of under
standing. Our slow minds require endless urgings
TO notice what treasure we possess. We so
quickly tire OF giving attention; we so readily
browse in the very sight and presence OF that
which makes the angels sing forever in glory
and exultation
Our patient Mother the Church does not up
braid us with sternness we we'll deserve. She
keeps steadily on with wise and loving remind
ers,t kindly admOnitonS tireess exhortatons
She has confidence that centuries of experience
cannot shake in our fundamental Christian decen-
cy which will, she hopes, make us someday real
ize great privilege and so recognize our press
ing obligation.
Any mother that has kept daily at the task of
getting family into action in the morning will
understand the unfailing hope and the
ing care of the Church in getting her family into
action for the work Of living the faith. First CALI
TT is time to rise from sleep" Second CALL '"The
Lord is coming" Third call, THE Lord is now
nearly here" Patience marks the urging OF
Mother Church; patience, and tireless persever-
ance.
We of the household have no excuse for be-
ing lax or remiss And certainly we have no
excuse for forgetting the meaning Of this sea
in the fuss and furry of business that goes
around us in the world. For live by the
light of divine faith and at our peril we permit
the light to be obscured in the alien and un-
substantial brilance of commercial promotions
and mere seasonal observances.
Doubtless there was much excitement in the
village of Nazareth when the people prepared
to go, each into his own city, to be enrolled at
the order of the emperor Beyond question, there
was much to distract the mind in the crowd
ing at Bethlehem, the want of accommodations,
the fear of Shelterless night But we may be
sure that no item Of the excitement, the fear,
or the distress could turn away the minds of
the holy Pair from the Great Event which was
imminent for them and for all the world
Could Our Lady forget, amid the wild dis
fractions of place and circumstance the word,
Thou shalt bring forth Son; thou shalt call
His name Jesus, for He shall save His people
from their sns?" Could the loving Spouse of
Mary be unmindful, even as he was rejected at
the inn and thought in desperation of seeking
shelter in a hillside cavern,--could Joseph be un-
mindful Of the wondrous words, THAT which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost?"
The Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph made
ready for Christmas in the very thick of worldly
clamors and the rush of political business. They
stand forever as models for ourselves. We need
their great example, for we live in world of
wild and noisy ado which is only increased
on the occasion of Our Lords approaching birth
reasonably expect it TO be-
The people of Bethlehem, that first Christmas
Day, were wholly unaware of the Event that
was To be the central fact in all human history
But the people of our time, in every place, are
we'll aware of the meaning of Christmas. And
yet the hubbub OF Our material life is undated
in this time of holy recollection; nay il is vastly
increased How shall this thing be explained?
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II explanation is possible for the world at
large there is surely none possible for the chill
dren of the Church who disregard the time in
its true character, and make it, as the heather
and publican season Of mere secular activity.
The cry Put Christ back into Christmas" is ut
tered not only for the world at large il is uttered
also for the people who claim to be Christians.
And 1t expresses an effort that has not until
now been crowned by very remarkable sue
cess.
The Catholic knows that the celebration of
Christmas is the celebration of Christ coming
among us to dwell And Christ dwels still in the
Tabernacle The Catholic knows that the call,
Let us go over TO Bethlehem and see this
Word" can be answered perfectly by visiting the
nearest Church where the Blessed Sacrament is
preserved The Catholic knows that the only true
celebration of Christmas essentially involves
Holy Mass and Holy Communion,--w good
and fervent Confession by way of preparation.