First Sunday in Advent

This morning, while I was studying my service bulletin before church, I noticed the Collect (or prayer) for the day:

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way of Your only Son that, at His second coming, we may worship Him in glory for all eternity.  He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

That is a bit different than the traditional wording from the Book of Common Prayer, 1549:

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy people;  that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Historically, the latter prayer was said on the last Sunday before Advent, so it should have been said last week, not this week.  That got me wondering if "Stir Up Sunday" (another name for the last Sunday before Advent) is a fixed feast on the Church calendar.  Apparently, it isn't.  Some churches include the aforementioned Collect in worship on the first Sunday in Advent;  others place it on the third Sunday of the season;  still others say it, or some other prayer that begins with the words "stir up," on the second Sunday in Advent.  Personally, I prefer the traditional schedule, that of reciting the prayer on the last Sunday before Advent.  It seems to make more sense there, asking God to motivate us, His people, to acts of love and service before the season actually begins.

That said, the former prayer reminds us of the true "reason for the season," if you will:  to prepare for the second coming of Christ.  Yes, we commemorate the first coming of Christ, His birth in Bethlehem, because without that birth Christ could not die for our sins at Easter;  but the actual purpose of Advent is to engage in a period of self-examination, an annual check-in, if you will, to see how each of us is doing in our walk with Christ.  Are we loving God with our whole heart and are we loving our neighbors as ourselves?

Advent is twenty-eight (28) days long this year, one of the longest possible time spans, because Christmas falls on Sunday.  Rather than viewing the season as a count down to one day, December 25th, try viewing it as a count up to Christmastide, the twelve days from December 25th to January 5th, a time of celebration after the quiet self-reflection of Advent.  Consider holding your holiday get-togethers during that later time so your schedule will be more open to engage in some self-examination.  It may seem unnatural to eschew the festive atmosphere of December, but the party is only delayed...and it may be all the sweeter for it.

Read more about Stir Up Sunday.