The surprise of Christmas
- FATHER GEORGE W. RUTLER
"There is no more dangerous or disgusting habit than that of celebrating Christmas before it comes."
It would be hard to think of any writer in the last several generations who celebrated Christmas as heartily as G. K. Chesterton. It was precisely because of this, and not in spite of it, that he said with a severity not characteristic of his benign personality: "There is no more dangerous or disgusting habit than that of celebrating Christmas before it comes."
Dangerous, that is, because the rush neglects the deepest mysteries of life which are the stuff of Advent meditations: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell; and by that neglect we are abandoned to a life of anxiety, unable to know why we were made or what we are to become. Disgusting, that is, because rushing Christmas spoils the appetite for higher things and tries to replace holy joy with entertainments that quickly become boring.
Advent is the time to get ready for the surprise of Christmas, and that would seem to be a paradox for there can be no preparation for a surprise. But because Christ is "ever ancient, ever new," we know ahead of time that his eternal presence will always surprise us, the way he has surprised every generation, by "making all things new." Note that he does not make all new things, for that is what fashion designers do, which is why they quickly go out of fashion. Rather, he takes what exists already and breathes new life into it. He does that with a weary world, and he does that to all those who give him permission through humble submission to his grace.
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Acknowledgement
Father George W. Rutler. "The surprise of Christmas." From the Pastor (December 7, 2014).
Reprinted with permission of Father George W. Rutler.
The Author
Father George W. Rutler is the pastor of St. Michael's church in New York City. He has written many books, including: The Wit and Wisdom of Father George Rutler, The Stories of Hymns, Hints of Heaven: The Parables of Christ and What They Mean for You, Principalities and Powers: Spiritual Combat 1942-1943, Cloud of Witnesses — Dead People I Knew When They Were Alive, Coincidentally: Unserious Reflections on Trivial Connections, A Crisis of Saints: Essays on People and Principles, Brightest and Best, and Adam Danced: The Cross and the Seven Deadly Sins.
