Advent and Christmas - Amazon Simple Storage Service · A N OWW KYYOUU IKNNOOWW MMEEDDIAA S T U D Y G U I D E Advent and Christmas Presented by Fr. John Baldovin, S.J

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Advent and Christmas

Presented by Fr. John Baldovin, S.J.

A D V E N T A N D C H R I S T M A S S T U D Y G U I D E

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Table of Contents

Program Summary ............................................................................................................... 4

About Your Presenter ........................................................................................................... 5

Topic 1: Sunday: The Heart of the Liturgical Year ....................................................... 6

Topic 2: Advent: The Beginning of the Liturgical Cycle .............................................. 8

Topic 3: The Great Prophetic Figures of Advent Preparation ..................................... 10

Topic 4: Advent and the Blessed Virgin Mary ............................................................ 12

Topic 5: Advent as a Season: Theology and Practice .................................................. 14

Topic 6: Immediate Preparation for Christmas: The Last Week of Advent ................ 16

Topic 7: The Holy Night .............................................................................................. 18

Topic 8: Mass at Dawn and During the Day ............................................................... 20

Topic 9: The Companions of Christ............................................................................. 22

Topic 10: A Theology of Christmas .............................................................................. 24

Topic 11: Epiphany ........................................................................................................ 26

Topic 12: The Baptism of the Lord................................................................................ 28

Suggested Readings ........................................................................................................... 31



Program Summary

Advent is a season of expectation – both for the final coming of the Lord

and for the annual celebration of his birth at Christmas. This series tries to

capture the spirit of Advent through its liturgical prayers, Scripture readings,

music and poetry. Special attention is given to the three great figures of Advent:

The Blessed Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and the Prophet Isaiah. One topic

focuses entirely on the two great Marian feasts of Advent: the Immaculate

Conception (December 8) and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of

the Americas (December 12).

As a season of expectation Advent encourages us to reflect on the

place of Christian hope in our lives as well as on the great message of social

justice preached by John the Baptist and by the prophets of the Old Testament.

The final week of Advent with its “O Antiphons” inspires us to pray ardently:

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Christmas is the most popular season of our Christian liturgical year. It

celebrates the birth of the Lord Jesus on December 25 as well as a number of

feasts associated with his Incarnation. By means of the liturgical prayers, the

Scripture readings and the poetry and music of Christmas, you can grow in

appreciation of the meaning of its celebration for our lives and in our world.

Through this series, you will focus on the “Holy Night” on which our

Savior was born and on the origins of Christmas in the city of Rome. Explore

the other two Masses of Christmas Day with their rich collection of prayers and

readings. Christmas Day is followed by the “Companions of Christ,”

celebrations that deepen our appreciation of Christmas. Christmas is further

enriched by the celebration of Epiphany with its emphasis on the revelation of

the Lord to the nations. Two other feasts complete this celebration of the

Incarnation: the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the Sunday (sometimes the

Monday) following Epiphany and is the formal completion of the Christmas

season. The Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on February 2 and is a kind of

informal conclusion to the season before the beginning of Lent.

This course will give you newfound Christmas joy and understanding.



About Your Presenter

Father John F. Baldovin, S.J., Ph.D. is Professor of Historical and Liturgical

Theology at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. He’s a

leading expert on liturgical theology and history and has been teaching for 28

years. Father Baldovin is past president of the North American Academy of

Liturgy and the international ecumenical Societas Liturgica. He’s currently

president of the International Jungmann Society for Jesuits and the Liturgy. His

previous Now You Know Media series is entitled, The Catholic Mass Today and

The History of the Mass. His most recent books are Bread of Life, Cup of

Salvation: Understanding the Mass and Reforming the Liturgy: A Response to

the Critics.



Topic 1: Sunday: The Heart of the Liturgical Year

I. Vatican II and the Centrality of Sunday, the Lord’s Day - Liturgy Constitution #106

II. The New Testament - Acts 20: 7-11

III. John Paul II - “On the Importance of Keeping the Lord’s Day” (Dies Domini), 1998

A) The Day of the Lord - celebrating the creator’s work.

B) The Day of Christ - the Day of the Risen Christ and the Gift of the Spirit - Easter and Pentecost.

C) The Day of the Church - the Day of the Church’s Assembly - gathering and dispersing.

D) The Day of the Human - the Day of Rest - the Christian Sabbath - John Chrysostom on Sunday

Eucharist and social justice.

E) The Day of Days.

IV. Music

A) Henry Baker, “On This Day the First of Days” (19th c. translation of an 18th c. Latin hymn.)

(All texts and tunes can be found on the internet: www.cyberhymnal.org)

V. Prayer

A) Eucharistic Prayer Preface for Sundays in ordinary Time I.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What makes Sunday central to the Christian celebration of time?

2. How do the day of rest and the day of celebration relate to one another?

3. Is Sunday a special day for you? Your family? Your friends?



Topic 2: Advent: The Beginning of the Liturgical Cycle

I. The Beginning of the Annual Liturgical Cycle

A) Feasts and readings.

B) The four Sundays prior to Christmas.

II. The Two-Fold Character of Advent

A) Christ’s first coming and his coming at the end of time.

III. Music

A) Charles Wesley, “Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending” (18th c.).

IV. First Sunday of Advent Lectionary

A) Three year cycle: Gospels about the final coming – Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21.

B) Romans 13: “You know what time it is.”

C) Isaiah 2: The mountain of the Lord.

D) I Thessalonians 3: the Lord keeping us until the end of time.

V. Prayer

A) Preface for the First Part of Advent.

B) Antiphon for the 1st Sunday of Advent- Psalm 25.

C) Opening Prayer (Collect): running forth to meet Christ.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why is there a double focus to Advent?

2. What is the biblical vision of the end of time?

3. Which of the 1st Sunday’s Scripture readings appeal to you? Why?


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Topic 3: The Great Prophetic Figures of Advent Preparation

I. Isaiah: Several Prophets in One Book – Before and After the Babylonian Exile

A) 3rd Sunday: Is. 61: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”

B) 2nd Sunday: Is. 40: “Comfort, give comfort to my people”

C) 2nd Sunday: Is. 11: “A shoot shall spring from the stock of Jesse.”

D) Edward Hicks: 19th c. American painter – “The Peaceable Kingdom”.

II. Music

A) Catherine Winkworth, “Comfort, comfort ye my people,” 19th c. translation of a German hymn (the

beginning of Handel’s Messiah).

III. John the Baptist: Last of the Prophets

A) Figures in all six gospel selections for the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of Advent and many of the daily

readings.

B) John at the Jordan

1) Referring to Isaiah 43: “I am about to do a new thing.”

C) Called “the Forerunner” in the Christian East.

D) Second Sunday, Mark 1.

1) “See I am sending a messenger ahead of you.”

IV. Music

A) Charles Coffin, “On Jordan’s Bank”, from an 18th c. Latin text.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What passages from the Prophet Isaiah resonate with you?

2. How do you see John the Baptist?



Topic 4: Advent and the Blessed Virgin Mary

I. Special Feasts of Mary Celebrated During Advent

A) Immaculate Conception - December 8

1) Solemnity: patronal feast of the United States of America.

2) Origin: Dedication of Church of St. Ann in Jerusalem, 6th c., on September 8.

(a) Becomes Nativity of Mary, minus nine months.

3) Other dedication feasts and Mary:

(a) August 15 (outside Bethlehem).

(b) November 21 (New St. Mary’s, Jerusalem).

4) Immaculate Conception: a dogma of the Church: Pius IX, 1854.

II. First Reading

A) Genesis 3, the sin of the first parents.

III. Second Reading

A) Ephesians 1, being chosen in Christ before the world began.

B) Gospel: Annunciation, Luke 1. “Hail, full of grace.”

C) Preface for the Solemnity.

IV. Opening Prayer

A) “You prepared a worthy dwelling.”

B) Our Lady of Guadalupe - December 12

1) Origins in Mexico in 1531 with the vision of the peasant, Juan Diego.

2) The woman from the Book of Revelation.

3) Patroness of Mexico and of all the Americas

4) Opening Prayer – symbol of hope for the poor.

V. Music: The Marian Hymn is the Magnificat

A) “Immaculate Mary”: the Lourdes Hymn.

B) Vincent Stucky Stratton Coles, “Ye who Claim the Faith of Jesus”, 19th c.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What makes Mary such a good “fit” for Advent?

2. How does devotion to Mary lead us to Christ?

3. Do you associate Mary’s special feasts with any particular practices?



Topic 5: Advent as a Season: Theology and Practice

I. Origins of Advent

A) A monastic fast beginning with St. Martin’s Day (Nov. 11)?

B) In some places originally six Sundays.

C) Feasting and fasting: the Ember Days.

D) 7th c. Gregorian Sacramentary: 4 Sundays of Advent, beginning with the Sunday closest to

November 30th.

E) Colors of Advent

1) Purples and rose (the third Sunday: “Gaudete”).

II. The Advent Wreath

A) Advent and the northern Hemisphere – and the Southern.

B) Advent and the American Thanksgiving.

III. Music

A) Charles Wesley, “Come thou long-expected Jesus,” 18th c.

B) Philip Nicolai, “Wake, Awake, The Night is Flying” (from J.S. Bach).



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What does fasting mean to us today?

2. How is Advent a special season for social justice?

3. How do you integrate “the holidays” with the spirit of Advent?



Topic 6: Immediate Preparation for Christmas: The Last Week of Advent

I. The “O” Antiphons

A) Sapientia - Wisdom - Dec 17

B) Adonai - Lord - Dec 18

C) Radix - Root - Dec 19

D) Clavis - Key - Dec 20

E) Orien - Dawn - Dec 21

F) Rex - King - Dec 22

G) Emmanuel - Dec 23

H) Ero cras: “I will be there tomorrow.”

II. Music

A) John Mason Neale, trans., “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, 8th c. Latin hymn.

B) John Mason Neale, trans., “Creator of the Stars of Night”, 9th c. Vespers hymn.

III. Lectionary for the Fourth Sunday

A) A: Gospel Annunciation to Joseph from Matthew’s Gospel (Joseph the Dreamer).

B) B: Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary from Luke’s Gospel.

C) 1st reading - 2 Samuel. “I will build you a house.”

D) C: The Visitation of Mary from the Gospel of Luke.

IV. Dec 17th – Christmas

A) Daily readings from the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke.

V. Prayer

A) The Second Preface of Advent - Mary and John the Baptist.

VI. Antiphon: “Drop down dew from above, you heavens.” (Isaiah 45)

VII. Opening Prayer

A) The Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. The last week of Advent is the busiest week of the year for most people. Is there any way to maintain an

Advent spirit?

2. How can we appreciate the richness of the titles given to Christ in the “O Antiphons”?

3. Can you spend some time meditating on the opening chapter Matthew’s Gospel? Of Luke?



Topic 7: The Holy Night

I. “O Holy Night”

A) Popular French Christmas carol: “til He appeared and the soul felt its worth”.

II. History of Christmas

A) The Calendar of 354 - December 25 - “Christ born in Bethlehm”.

B) Pagan feast of Unconquered Sun (Natalis Solis Invictus) - December 25th.

C) Sermon of Pope Leo the Great (ca. 450).

D) The winter solstice.

E) Computation from March 25th as coincidence of death and incarnation (John Donne, “Upon the

Annunciation and Passion Falling upon One Day”).

F) Modern history of Christmas - the Puritans.

G) The liturgical celebration of Christmas Eve compared to Christmas Day.

H) Three celebrations in ancient and medieval Rome:

1) During the night - St. Mary Major.

2) At dawn - St. Anastasia.

3) During the day - St. Peter’s in the Vatican.

I) The Martyrology for Christmas.

III. Music

A) John Mason Neale, trans., “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” 4th c. Latin text by Prudentius

IV. Prayers

A) Opening collect.

B) Preface 1 for Christmas.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why is Christmas celebrated liturgically at night?

2. What does our continuity with ancient Roman practices mean to us?

3. How has the celebration of Christmas changed through the ages?



Topic 8: Mass at Dawn and During the Day

I. The Mass During the Day

A) At St. Peter’s in the Vatican.

B) The original celebration with the Prologue of the Gospel of John.

II. Collect

A) “O God who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature…”

III. Second Reading

A) Hebrews 1.

IV. The Mass at Dawn

A) At St. Anastasia.

B) The Shepherd’s Mass.

V. The Churches

A) The churches act as “stations” and “stational liturgy”

VI. Music

A) Christina Rossetti,“In the Bleak Midwinter”, 19th c. poem, set to music by Gustav Holst, 20th c.

VII. Preface of the Nativity 2

VIII. Prayer

A) Mass at dawn.

B) Prayer after Communion.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why were multiple Masses celebrated in Rome on Christmas?

2. How can the beauty of some these texts, which are rarely heard on Christmas, be better appreciated?



Topic 9: The Companions of Christ

I. The Saints of Christmas Week as “The Companions of Christ” - Comites Christi

II. December 26th - St. Stephen the First Martyr

A) Jerusalem and the “Old Armenian Lectionary” (5th c.).

B) A martyr’s day as a different kind of natalis – “birthday”.

III. December 27th - St. John the Evangelist, Apostle

A) The early celebration in Jerusalem (with St. James).

B) Entrance antiphon.

C) Opening prayer.

IV. December 28th - The Holy Innocents

A) The “boy bishop” and the “feast of fools”.

B) Opening prayer.

V. Feast of the Holy Family - Sunday Within the Christmas Octave

A) Historical and social context for this modern feast.

B) Opening prayer.

VI. The Octave of Christmas - January 1 - Mary, Mother of God

A) Old feast of the Circumcision.

B) World Day of Peace.

VII. Music

A) Richard Wilbur (20th c. American poet), “A Stable Lamp is Lighted”.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. How can we keep the feasts of these companions of Christ during Christmas week?

2. How can we celebrate New Year’s Day together with the church’s liturgical celebrations?



Topic 10: A Theology of Christmas

I. The Incarnation - God, One of Us

A) The reading of I John in the Christmas season.

B) Divinization.

II. The Universal Desire for Peace

A) The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9).

III. The Importance of Family - “The Holidays”

A) The Wood of the Crib.

1) It is the wood of the Cross - Christmas and the Paschal Mystery.

IV. Music

A) Franz Gruber, “Silent Night” + St. Thomas Aquinas, “The Heavenly Word Proceeding Forth”.

V. Prayer

A) The Preface for the Nativity 3.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What does it mean to say that not only did Christ come to take away our sins, but also to unite us with

God?

2. How can we incorporate the various meanings of Christmas into our family celebrations? Our personal

prayer?



Topic 11: Epiphany

I. January 6

A) The Feast of the Lord’s “appearance”.

II. The Date of Christ’s Death

A) Possible origins of the calculation from April 6th as the date of Christ’s death.

III. A Feast of the Nativity

A) 4th-5th c. Jerusalem, the Old Armenian Lectionary and the Pilgrimage Diary of Egeria.

IV. The Epiphany as a Feast of the Magi

A) Adoption of Epiphany as a feast of the Magi (Matthew 2) in the West, along with the Baptism of the

Lord and the Miracle at Cana.

V. The Theme of Light

A) 1st reading Isaiah 60:1-6: “Arise, shine; for your light has come…”

VI. Second Reading

A) Ephesians 3.

VII. Opening Prayer

A) “The guidance of a star.”

VIII. Preface for the Epiphany

A) “A light for the nations.”

IX. Poetry

A) T.S. Eliot, “Journey of the Magi”.

X. Music

A) Christopher Wordsworth, 19th c. Anglican bishop, “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What are the various events that have been celebrated on January 6?

2. How can we give the feast of the Epiphany some of the honor it is due?



Topic 12: The Baptism of the Lord

I. The Feast of Christ’s Baptism

A) The end of the Christmas Season.

II. The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2nd)

A) A kind of second ending to the Christmas season.

III. The Sunday after the Epiphany in the Revised Catholic Calendar of 1969

IV. The Baptism of Jesus and the Theology of the Incarnation

V. Lectionary

A) The “Servant Song” of Isaiah (42:1-4, 6-7): “Here is my servant whom I uphold…”

VI. Acts 10

A) “…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth”

VII. Mark’s Gospel

A) Three moments:

1) Baptism

2) Transfiguration

3) Cross

VIII. Prayer

A) Opening prayer and the Preface for the Baptism of the Lord.

IX. Music

A) Timothy Dudley Smith, 1984, “When John Baptized by Jordan’s River.”

X. The Feast of the Presentation - February 2

A) February 14th in the old Jerusalem calendar.

XI. The Blessing of Candles and Procession

XII. Lectionary

A) Malachi 3 - “Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me…”

B) Hebrews 2 - The Lord Jesus shares our human condition.



XIII. Gospel

A) Luke 2 with the prayer of Simeon, “Now, Master, you may let your servant depart in peace…” (the

Nunc Dimittis).

XIV. Prayer

A) Opening prayer and the Preface for the Presentation of the Lord.

XV. Conclusion

XVI. Music

A) Charles Wesley, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”, “born that we no more may die”.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the significance of the recovery of the feast of Christ’s baptism?

2. How might your church community celebrate the Feast of the Presentation?

3. How does the theology of a hymn like “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” influence your prayer and

devotion?



Suggested Readings

Advent

Christopher O’Donnell. At Worship with Mary. Michael Glazer, 1988.

Paul Bradshaw and Maxwell Johnson, The Origin of Feasts, Fasts and Seasons in Early Christianity.

SPCK Publishing, 2011, 196-214.

Adrian Nocent, The Liturgical Year: Volume 1 - Advent and Christmas. Liturgical Press, 1977.

Madeleine Beaumont. Days of the Lord: Volume 1: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany. Liturgical Press,

1992.

Martin Connell, Eternity Today: The Liturgical Year, Volume 1 – On God and Time, Advent, Christmas,

Epiphany and Candlemas. Continuum, 2006, 53-87.

Willy Rordorf, The History of the Day of Rest and Worship in the Earliest Centuries of the Christian

Church. Westminster Press, 1968.

Craig Harline, Sunday: A History of the First Day from Babylonia to the Super Bowl. Yale Universty

Press, 2007.

Christmas

Adrian Nocent. The Liturgical Year: Volume 1 - Advent and Christmas. Liturgical Press, 1977.

Madeleine Beaumont. Days of the Lord: Volume 1: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany. Liturgical Press,

1992.

Susan Roll. Toward the Origins of Christmas. Kok Pharos Publishing House, 1995.

Joseph Kelly. The Origins of Christmas. Liturgical Press, 2004.

Martin Connell. Eternity Today: The Liturgical Year, Volume 1 - On God and Time, Advent, Christmas,

Epiphany and Candlemas. Continuum, 2006, 88-146.

Paul Bradshaw and Maxwell Johnson. The Origin of Feasts, Fasts and Seasons in Early Christianity.

SPCK Publishing, 2011, 123-130.

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Advent and Christmas - Amazon Simple Storage Service · A N OWW KYYOUU IKNNOOWW MMEEDDIAA S T U D Y G U I D E Advent and Christmas Presented by Fr. John Baldovin, S.J