Three Surprising Saints from the Old Testament for Advent
(December 24th, Christmas Eve, is the traditional commemoration of the ‘ancestors of Christ’, in particular Adam and Eve, whom we recall on this day, as we make last-minute preparations for the birth of the new Adam, the sinless One, Who takes away all our sins. Here is a reprise of Mike Schramm’s recent article on a few Old Testament saints).
The month of December and the season of Advent provide for us so many great Saints and celebrations in the Church! We have the great missionary to Asia, Saint Francis Xavier on December 3rd, St. Ambrose, the bishop who evangelized and baptized St. Augustine, on December 7th, St. Juan Diego on December 9th, and St. John of the Cross today, on December 14th. Then, there are the great Marian feasts of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th (but this year on Monday the 9th) and Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12th.
Oh yeah, and there is also that St. Nick, guy on December 6th. Suffice it to say, there are many “New Covenant” Saints to help us prepare.
However, it is the Old Testament that is all about preparation, so who better to help us prepare during the season of Advent than some Old Testament Saints? These holy men and women all show us a special way to look forward for the long-awaited Messiah and have special recognition during Advent:
The Seven Brothers of Maccabees: I’m not just including this one because it’s one of my favorite Bible stories. These seven brothers all were tortured and killed for refusing to break God’s law. Part of their witness included saying they were willing to lose their lives because “the King of the universe will raise us up” and they “hope to receive them again” (2 Macc 7:9, 11). These brothers, whose story is recorded in the Old Testament books of Maccabees, which becomes the basis for Hanukkah, gave their lives for the promise of the Messiah, whom we recognize in Jesus.
Ruth: In the Old Testament, Ruth was yet another unlikely candidate to receive God’s favor. She is a Moabite widow who must travel far just to survive. She then is recognized for her kindness and, later married again, bearing a son who would become the grandfather of David (so if you’re keeping score that makes her the great-grandmother of David). His importance in the Bible is well known in Judaism and Christianity alike. Her name is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus and is read during Advent every year, this year on December 17th.
Adam and Eve: Even though we mainly think of these two as the reason Jesus came into the world, they are also good examples of repentance and hope. They also have historically been celebrated in the Church. Their feast day is…December 24! The Church would celebrate this feast day by putting on plays to reenact the “reason for the season.” This reenactment included a tree, some round bulbs to represent fruit, and a streamer wrapped around it to represent the serpent. These should sound familiar to anyone decorating a Christmas tree.
There are a lot of power stories and compelling figures that point us to Christ. As we try to make this season before Christmas a time of preparation, let us remember those whose entire lives were lived in preparation for the Messiah, whom we get the joy to recognize in Jesus!
Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress
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My Name is Bernadette
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The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus
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Canonizing Sister Faustina and Divine Mercy
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Saint Gemma Galgani
On this April 11th, in 1903 – the same year that the Italian Guiseppe Sarto was elected Pope later that summer as Pius X – a lovely, young Italian woman died, by the name of Gemma Galgani. She lived a brief life of 24 years, as did a number of other young saints, including Pier[…]Continue reading→