Pisteutics & Culture: Here comes Merry ol' Christmas

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent 2008, the annual liturgical season that ends Christmas Eve. We Christians are celebrating the First Coming of Jesus Christ, Christmas Day itself celebrates the Incarnation, God becoming flesh in the body of Jesus, beginning with the Feast of the Nativity. Advent's weeks coincide with Mother Mary's pregnancy during which many related events of the Bible story have their own celebrations during the overall lead-up time. Where Christians are numerous in relation to the general population, Advent and Nativity are also celebrated outside the Church, in public, for the whole world to see. Already in Toronto, l+tes are up on certain festival-oriented streets and on many homes. As Advent proceeds, some streets in this metropolis will experience a steady stream of slow-moving automobiles touring to catch a glimpse of the most brilliantly decked-out lit-up homes.

Then there's the stores, and the consumers so bent on purchasing that this year one Wal-Mart store opened its doors only to experience a consumer trampled to death by other onrushing consumers. But aside from that exceptional mayhem, with a vigourous Hat Tip to Steve Bishop, the cultural uptake of the liturgical events of Christmas afford comparisons with the economic aspect of the culture as it impinges on these faith-chosen days of Winter. Steve's post from YouTube prompted me to follow suit (of course, not that Steve wears suits):



Merry Christmas and clean water to all,
Owlb