As I write this on December 21, we are officially 9 minutes away from the winter solstice occurring at 10:58 a.m. EST. The shortest day and the longest night. On Wednesday, December 22, the people will–as they have for thousands of years–be celebrating the solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. This monument was constructed around 4500 years ago, likely by farmers and herders. Ancient cultures built such structures to align with the sun at specific times, some performing sacred rituals at sunset each day to ensure its return the next day. According to a Newsweek article, “When people talk about the winter solstice they are often referring to an entire day. But technically this astronomical event occurs at a specific moment in time—the point in the year when the Earth's North Pole is pointing farthest away from the sun. The solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The day on which the December solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest daylight hours and the longest night.”
How appropriate that this takes place during our Advent, our season of waiting. During Advent we quickly approach the darkest night of the year. Our days are shorter and colder. This is part of a cycle that repeats year after year, age after age. Pre-Christian peoples associated this natural phenomenon with their religious beliefs. They experienced the disappearance of the sun as a loss of life. Yet, they had rituals to lure back life and hope. Nature and mystery were combined. They seemed to suffer from, what we call, separation anxiety. They longed for light and life. They thought ritual observances would restore their precious sun. Their solution was to bring all ordinary action and daily routine to a halt.
We do experience a loss of light, perhaps even a feeling of separation during the season of Advent. Yet, we, like our ancient ancestors, have customs and rituals that symbolize our longing for Christ, our Light. At evening prayer on December 17, we chanted the first antiphon of a seven-day series. These O Antiphons are to be sung at the Magnificat on the seven days before the vigil of Christmas. As our natural world waits in stillness for a brighter dawn, our own anticipation and longing grows as even our liturgy pleads to our Savior with the cry “Come!” The fifth antiphon is addressed to the Morning Star. It falls on December 21, the darkest day of the year. “O Morning Star (Zech 6:12), brightness of eternal light (Heb 1:3) and Sun of Justice (Mal 4:2), come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”
We long for the splendor of Christmas. The excitement is palpable. Decorations are in place, special cookies are made, gifts are ready (for the most part!). We are ready. Today marks the first day of winter in the world. But, for Christians, winter is over. The time for love has come.
Merry Christmas! --Sr. Eileen O'Connell, OSB
P.S. On a personal note, I was lucky enough to visit Stonehenge several years ago. It is fascinating and does not disappoint! To learn more about Stongehenge or to view the sunrise earlier this morning, visit this website: English Heritage Stonehenge
