By Deacon Roger Carr-Jones, Marriage and Family Life Coordinator
Being a Christian involves belonging. As Pope Francis says, 'Our identity is one of belonging. To say I am a Christian means to say, "I belong to the Church. I belong to the People with whom God established an ancient alliance that is always faithful."' Through baptism, we belong and are embraced into the family of Christ.
This sense of belonging, anticipation and preparation made me think about the purpose of the Advent calendar. Correctly understood, this calendar is all about preparation for Christmas and each window a mini-baptismal reminder. Whilst chocolate and similar treat-orientated versions are now available, without the central theme of the nativity on the calendar these have neither shape nor form.
Baptism, for the Christian, is like the first window, in that it is a life-changing and formative event, marking our entry into the Christian life. It can only be opened once. When this is linked to the central one of the nativity scenes, God becoming flesh, it makes sense of our lives and shapes it. Baptism is a threshold moment, crossing from one state of life (the old life) into another (the new life in Christ).
Can you recall a special Advent calendar from childhood, one which held you enraptured? (For me, I must confess, one included Harlequin chocolates!) I recall the thrill of holding the calendar up to the light, so that the windows become illuminated, and the scene took on a new meaning.
The source of light for the Christian is the Holy Spirit who, through the grace of baptism, makes a home in us. In our unique Advent calendar of life, one which, over the years, will have an array of windows, it is the Holy Spirit that animates the scenes. Baptism is that sudden flood of grace, the light that gives true meaning to our complex Advent calendar.
The opening of each window is the gradual unveiling of the Spirit’s light, day by day, across our life-time. For the Christian, there are those special windows on the calendar that we call the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confirmation. Whilst we might like to have an Advent calendar filled with chocolates, the one we receive in baptism is eternally filled with light, hope and grace. This Christian calendar of light is not a countdown but an ongoing experience of God’s revelation across our lives.
Baptism is akin to opening all the window of the Advent calendar at once, linked to the central window of the nativity. It gives it meaning. As we open our Advent calendar of life, how often are surprised by what is revealed? Behind each window, the Spirit is offering us rare treasures to discover and rediscover across a life-time. The Christian Advent journey involves anticipation, overcoming challenges, and the receipt of endless gifts of grace to give shape and form to our journey towards the nativity and onwards into eternal life.
If you were to craft an Advent calendar of baptismal promises, what are the ones that have spoken most to you?