They presented Jesus with treasures of “gold, frankincense and myrrh”. While staying the night, the Wise Men had a dream that contained a divine warning that King Herod had murderous designs on the child. Resolving to hinder the ruler, they returned home without notifying Herod of the success of their mission. Matthew then reports that the family next fled to Egypt to escape the murderous rampage of Herod, who had decided to have all children of Bethlehem under two killed in order to eliminate any local rivals to his power. After Herod’s death, Jesus and his family returned to Bethlehem.
Another aspect of Christ’s birth which has passed from the gospels into popular understanding is the announcement by angels to nearby shepherds of Jesus’ birth. Some Christmas carols refer to the shepherds observing a huge star directly over Bethlehem, and following it to the birthplace. The Magi, who Matthew reports seeing a giant star as well, have been variously translated as “wise men” or as “kings”. They are supposed to have come from Arabia or Persia, where they could have gotten their gifts of “gold, frankincense and myrrh”. Some astronomers and historians have proposed to explain what combination of traceable celestial events might explain the appearance of a giant star that had never before been seen, but there is no agreement among them.
Preparing for Christmas with Advent  
Preparing for Christmas with Advent
It cannot be determined with any degree of certainty when the celebration of Advent was first introduced into the Church. The preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord was not held before the feast itself existed.
One of the earliest references to Christmas being celebrated on December 25th appeared in Antioch in the middle of the second century. At that time, Christians were still persecuted. An official determination was made in the fourth century, when the Roman emperor Constantine embraced Christianity, thereby ensuring the legality of Christmas celebrations. The Council of Tours in 567 established the period of Advent as a time of fasting before Christmas. They also proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany a sacred, festive season.
According to present practice, Advent is a period of preparation (penitential period) beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30th) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as November 27th, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as December 3rd, giving the season only twenty-one days.
The popular idea that the four weeks of Advent symbolize the four thousand years of darkness in which the world was enveloped before the coming of Christ finds no confirmation in the Liturgy.
The familiar carol “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” belongs to the Advent season since it celebrates the expectation of Christ’s coming rather than His actual birth.
During the last eight days of Advent, it is useful to reflect on the different titles given to the Lord who is to come. The titles are Old Testament titles, here conferred on Jesus, showing he is the promised Messiah. The “O” Antiphons are a beautiful tradition of the Medieval Church. They are the opening words of the songs sung in the Evening Prayer of the Church during the last days of Advent. They are a beautiful mosaic of Old Testament biblical themes. These themes, as always in a Christian reading of the Bible, are more broadly understood as referring to Jesus as the Messiah. They stress the brightness of Hope with the coming of the Savior, Jesus. Jesus is addressed under a series of titles, drawn largely form the words of the prophet Isaiah, but in a sequence that must have been very carefully planned by the medieval composer. They move historically from the beginning before creation, to the very gates of Bethlehem. It seems more than coincidental, too that the titles given to Jesus make an ascrostic (the first letters spell out a phase) in Latin, which when read backwords means: “I will be tomorrow (Ero Cras)”— in the Medieval mind an allusion to Christmas Evening. The Antiphons and titles of Jesus are: O Sapientia (Wisdom), O Adonai (Lord), O Radix (Flower), O Clavis (Key of David), O Oriens (Dawn), O Rex (King), O Emmanuel (God is with us).
The “O” Antiphons were designed to be sung at the Vesper Service before and after the beautiful biblical prayer of Mary called the Magnificat (How blessed or great). Many Catholic Churches are celebrating the evening prayer of Vespers with the gathered Assembly, but individual and families may use these prayers as a part of their meal prayers or their Advent Wreath Service. These Prayers are prayed beginning with December 17th and ending December 23rd with a specific prayer for each day. Ending on the day before Christmas Eve makes the ascrostic “It will be tomorrow” understandable, since Christ will come on the evening Mass of Christmas Eve.
December 17th: “O Wisdom”
St. Paul tells us that God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom. He is saying that it is hard to imagine the Wisdom of God, who knows all things, because God has created all things. This title of God reminds us especially of the Book of Wisdom in the Old Testament - a beautiful hymn in which wisdom is personified, and is active in the world.
Come, O Wisdom of our God most High, who guides all creation with power and love; teach us to walk in the paths of your knowledge.
December 18th: “O Lord”
A name for the Most High God, whose true name could not be uttered, and of whom it was said that no-one could gaze on the face of God and live. Adonai is the Lord of armies, who will march out to save the people in battle.
Come, O Lord of Light and Leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the Law of Mount Sinai; Come to redeem us by Your outstretched arms.
December 19th: “O Flower” Stock of Jesse
Jesse was the father of King David, and Jesus is a descendent of David. From David comes the association of Jesus as royal, of David’s line. Jesus inherits the throne of David, re-defining his role as King of the Jews.
Come, O Flower of Jesse’s stem, O Root of Jesse, the Tree of Life, who stands as the sign of God’s love for all His people; Come save us without delay.
December 20th: “O Key of David”
Jesus is not simply a ruler descended from David, but a liberator, a redeemer. This name echoes the mission of Jesus to bind and to loose, a mission Jesus passes on to his disciples.
Come, O Key of David, and Scepter of the House of Israel, who opens the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom and leads the captives from the darkness of their prison; Come free us from our slaveries.
December 21st: “O Dawn”
The sun is a sign of God’s creation, God’s endurance, and a sign of God’s glory. God’s glory outshines the sun, and will endure after the sun and moon have failed. Psalm 84 describes God as the sun:
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 NRSV)
Come, O Radiant Dawn and Morning Star, the Splendor of the Eternal Light and the Sun of Justice; Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
December 22nd: “O King”
God is the king above all kings, and the prophet Samuel is reluctant to anoint a king for the Israelites as this will seem like a rejection of God’s rule. Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king; Jesus answers indirectly, because his kingship does not accord with the expectations of the Romans, the Jewish authorities, or even his followers.
Come, O King and Ruler of the Earth, the Cornerstone of Nations, who is the source of Your Church’s Unity and Faith; Come and save us, whom You have formed out of dust.
December 23rd: “O Emmanuel”
The prophecy of Isaiah foretells a sign to be given by God: a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son whom she will call Emmanuel: a name which means God is with us. Jesus is the word made flesh, God in the midst of the people.
Come, O Come, Emmanuel, You who are with us in our midst, giving us hope for all ages; Come to save us, O Lord our God.
Emmanuel
Emmanuel—God is With Us
To be called “simple” is not usually a compliment. Yet one dictionary defines the word as meaning plain, honest and intelligible. So maybe it’s not such a bad thing to be. Nevertheless, somehow we feel suspicious when something seems too simple. “Where is the catch?” we ask ourselves. It is almost as though we need some elaborate complexities before we can accept it.
Jesus understood this human weakness very well. Throughout his life he used simple illustrations to reveal God’s plans. He used the corn, a relaxed meal with friends, fishing and wine-making, so vividly and effectively. Yet the Scribes and Pharisees constantly asked, “What’s the catch?” each time they encountered him.
Simplicity is at the heart of Christ’s message, “Your heavenly Father loves you as you are,” no strings, no catch. Even if we turn away or do not believe this, he still loves us.
During the weeks of Advent, we listen to many rousing prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. At the end of this season we are presented with a little baby. The baby Jesus might appear too simple a solution to the problems of God’s people. “What’s the catch?” we may ask.
Christ’s birth is the celebration of the great Emmanuel (God is with us) mystery. And God is with us so that we may know that we are infinitely loveable. To come as a baby was his first and greatest lesson to us, for it teaches us the most important lessons of all about God’s attitude towards us.
A child is full of freshness and trusting love. Its eyes are to the future - to growing up. Unspoilt by prejudice or bitterness, each child is a new beginning. A child’s loving confidence can make the greatest villain think again, and it can bring new life to the old and weary.
But the greatest lesson is one which we have all experienced when we have stretched out a tentative finger to a new baby - he or she grasps it with an uncanny strength. Stretch out just one finger to the Lord this Christmas and he will take strong hold of you for as long as you let him.
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