For all of my father’s failings, one thing he did consistently well (and this is a comparatively rare trait) is knowing what sort of gifts I would appreciate. When I graduated from high school, among the gifts he gave (aside from a trip to Florida to visit himself) was a set of Bible cds as well as the PC version of Final Fantasy VII. Although it is rare to find a connection between the Bible and a role playing game, in this particular case, there is a connection that is somewhat striking although a bit odd. Needless to say, the Bible was a practical gift and the game was definitely well-appreciated, both appealing, in their own way, to my interest in heroism as well as self-sacrifice, which his a trait that is not often noticed around us in our contemporary age.

A few years after Final Fantasy VII came out, there was a sequel movie of sorts that I watched called Advent Children. The theme of this particular movie involves the younger generation that has come along in the aftermath of saving the world, and allows the hero a chance to let go of the strange girl he loved who gave herself up to save everyone else. Although I did not realize it at the time, because I did not grow up with a context of keeping Christmas [1], the word Advent carries, for many people who consider themselves Christians, some particularly serious relevance for this time of year, as it celebrates the birth of Jesus, and is often focused on passage reading that deals with the first coming of the Messiah as a helpless babe.

Yet in looking at what children could be considered Advent children, it is remarkably clear that one child was born nowhere near where most people keep Advent, and that child was Jesus Christ. Based on textual and historical grounds, the best way to honor the first coming of Christ would be to do one’s advent readings as one approached the biblical Feast of Tabernacles (or Yom Teruah in Hebrew, for those so inclined). Given the timing of the course of Abijah, which occurs just before Pentecost, the timing of the conception of John the Baptist in early summer and the conception of Jesus Christ some six months later in early winter leads to a birth in early fall, right around the Feast of Trumpets, when it was possible for Judean shepherds to be in the fields, something that was not the case in winter, when sheep and their shepherds were in winter quarters.

To honor someone with a day that is months after their birthday and in ways that were previously used to honor false heathen deities would not appear at first glance to be something that would bring pleasure to Christ. Getting the day wrong is bad enough, celebrating God in a way that he specifically asked not to be worshiped in, through the customs of the heathen, is even worse. Yet people often contrast Advent with the American Christmas as if anything about the festival is pleasing to God and in accordance with God’s ways. Alas, that is not the case, not by a country mile. At least it would be nice if people celebrated Advent in the right season.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/christmas-and-mawlid-al-nabi-some-strange-parallels/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/krampus/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/the-reason-for-my-view-of-the-season/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/putting-the-saturn-back-in-saturnalia/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/you-cant-put-christ-back-where-he-never-was/