Noticing the Hiddenness of Christ at Christmas

The past few years I have found Advent to be more meaningful than the Christmas season.  The sense of anticipation that accompanies Advent focuses my attention on the presence of Christ.  I light candles.  We light the Advent wreath and sing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!"  We sing "People, Look East!"  The kids make Jesse Tree ornaments while I read Bible passages to them.  By the fourth week of Advent, we have a rhythm and a sense of peace begins to steal over the house.

Then, Christmas comes and that routine collapses.  We eat cookies and candy and unwrap presents.  The kids play video games and watch t.v.  We still sing at dinner and our Nativity scene is set up, but theses activities are peripheral.  They are afterthoughts and spirituality is no longer a central feature of our daily lives.

This year, I had a definite feeling of let-down with the arrival of Christmas.  Where had that sense of peace gone?  How was it that in the celebration of Christ's presence our family had become completely distracted from it? 

During Advent I read this quote from Pope Benedict:

"'Advent' does not mean 'expectation' as some may think. It is a translation of the Greek word parousia, which means “presence” or, more accurately, “arrival” — that is, the beginning of a presence. In antiquity the word was a technical term for the presence of a king or ruler, and also of the god being worshipped, who bestows his parousia upon his devotees for a time. “Advent,” then, means a presence begun, the presence being that of God."

Benedict suggests that Advent is not a time of anticipating Christ's presence, but a time for recollecting that presence.  We need this time to prepare for Christmas because most of the time we are not aware of Christ's presence in a day to day, moment to moment way.

On the Sunday before Christmas, when I was preparing lunch for my mother-in-law I was reflecting on the disruption of my focus on Christ.  I was also listening to the "Adore te devote" of Thomas Aquinas.  I suddenly became aware of the words:

"Devoutly I adore thee, O hidden God,  Truly hidden beneath these appearances.

My whole heart submits to you, and in contemplating you, is completely overwhelmed.

Sight, touch, taste are all deceived in their judgment of you. 

Hearing suffices firmly to believe.  I believe all that the Son of God has spoken. 

There is nothing truer than this word of truth. 

On the cross the divinity was hidden.  Here the humanity is also hidden. 

I believe and confess both..."

Truly hidden beneath these appearances...on the cross the divinity was hidden...here the humanity is also hidden.  I believe and confess both....

Advent is a time for focus, for becoming aware of the Presence of Christ.  Christmas, the time when that Presence of Christs bursts upon the world is also the time when the Presence of Christ becomes hidden.  When He was born, His divinity was hidden.  His presence was revealed by a star and by angels not by his appearance.  Now, his humanity is also hidden.  We believe and confess both.

Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth, but it is also the moment of His hiddenness.  Advent prepares us to notice Christ's presence in our lives, even when it is hidden.  If we find Him to be hidden at Christmas, Advent has prepared us to look for Him nonetheless.