Keeping Christmas Spirit Alive Celebration Really Begins At Christmas Rev. Charles Skok Gonzaga University
When Rev. Charles Skok was a youngster growing up, the 12th of 15 children during the 1930s, his family did not decorate their Christmas tree until Christmas Eve.
It is in keeping with Roman Catholic tradition that celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ did not begin until the Advent journey ended.
He was reminded of that again while studying for his doctorate in Italy during the 1960s. The month of Advent is a time of penance.
“Liturgically, it is a call to conversion of mind and heart so you can enter into celebration,” he said.
Current consumerist habits have changed that. A commercial push is made prior to Thanksgiving. Trees go up and lights come on in homes weeks before Christmas Eve.
“We celebrate too soon Christmas as a symbol of light,” said Skok, a Catholic priest and professor emeritus of theology at Gonzaga University. “Now is when the light should come on.”
Parishioners at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in the Valley, where Skok is an associate priest, are being reminded of that during Masses on Christmas Eve and again today.
There is nothing inherently wrong with the gift-giving customs that overshadow the religious intent of Christmas, said Skok.
The Magi brought gifts to the Christ child during the feast of the Epiphany on Jan. 6.
“The great gift to us is the gift of Jesus,” said Skok. “Christmas is probably more of a celebration of God’s generosity to us. We then became generous to others.”
Santa Claus was born from a Dutch feast honoring Catholic Saint Nicholas who, stories tell, provided a dowry for two girls who would otherwise be sold into prostitution by their father, he said.
Even the Dec. 25 date honoring the birth of Jesus was adapted by Christians from the pagan Roman celebration, Sol Invictus, or unconquered sun.
Romans feared that the sun was disappearing when the days became shorter, said Skok. They celebrated on that date when they noticed them getting longer.
The dangers of a consumer oriented Christmas, he tells parishioners, is when the emphasis becomes the gifts themselves and not the reason for the gifts.
“It is not what we buy, but how much it costs. What bothers me is people going into debt,” said Father Skok. “We don’t need to spend anything to enjoy Christmas.”
Today’s Mass liturgy will emphasise the celebration of Christ’s birth, following the month-long penitential preparation of Advent.
“The Catholic church has a long history of celebration,” said Father Skok. “There’s nothing wrong with a good party.”
What concerns priests, he explained, is that because of present-day commercialization, Christmas now is when the celebration ends.
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