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Written by Chris Beckham
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Wednesday, 09 December 2009 |
Advent Has Begun: Happy New Year!
Christopher Beckham
Happy New Year! Hey, does that seem early? Well, Sunday, November 29 was indeed the Christian “New Year’s Day.” Easy there, gentle reader–the Parson hasn’t slipped a cog. I know that the civil year doesn’t end until December 31, but in the Christian reckoning of the calendar, November 29 is the Christian year’s New Year Day, and with it, Advent has begun.
In the historic and traditional Christian calendar, Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. The Advent season always begins on the Fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. The Advent season ends on Christmas Day, December 25. Christmastide starts then, and lasts until Epiphany, January 6. Not long after that comes the Lenten season, Holy Week, and then Easter, the most important holiday on the calendar for Christians.
Personally, I think observing Advent is a good way to keep the focus on the real meaning of the season—for four weeks, we watch and wait, remembering that just as surely as He came once to our world, He will come again.
Colossians 1:18 says, “And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Christ’s Lordship is to extend over all of life. Giving Jesus the preeminence in our lives should certainly include making Him Lord of our calendars. That’s why I think keeping in step with the Christian year makes perfect sense.
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