Concerning the Fourth Sunday in Advent

A post and a follow-up went out on the Gottesblog a few weeks ago about which Propers to use this year on the Fourth Sunday in Advent since it falls on December 24. If you have the calendar called “Lutheran Church Year Guide,” it simply says, “Fourth Sunday in Advent” with “Vigil of Christmas” directly under it. If you look on the LCMS website and download their Historic Lectionary, it has the word “or” distinguishing between the two options.

There is really no clear instruction on any of my calendars until I looked at the 2023 Gottesdienst calendar which said to observe the Fourth Sunday in Advent in the morning and the Vigil in the evening. That seems fine enough.

But then came the post I mentioned previously. It referenced the newly developing “Lutheran Missal” which calls for the observation of The Vigil of the Nativity already in the morning. It needs to be said that the men responsible for the Lutheran Missal have not made any decisions arbitrarily or undertaken their task lightly but instead with great research and zeal. What has already been accomplished and provided to the participating congregations is to be commended and recommended to others. We are proudly a congregation that has been following along to our advantage, but in the decision to celebrate the Vigil of the Nativity on the morning of December 24 rather than the Fourth Sunday in Advent, we will not join in.

This is not a revolt or an attempt to grab attention or to act like I know more than everyone else. I am by far the least of the brethren. We are not making the move because our normal schedule already allows us the ability to observe everything without any adjustment. Each year on Christmas Eve (no matter which day it falls on) we gather at 6:00pm and again at 11:00pm. This year we will proceed with our regular schedule of both services in the morning with the Propers for the Fourth Sunday in Advent and hear John’s proclamation “I am not” while pointing to the One who is the “I AM.” That evening we will gather again for the historic Christmas Eve Propers and then toward midnight when the Glorias will ring out again.

Will this always be our practice when Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday? I don’t know. I’m not beyond being convinced to alter the schedule and to move the Vigil Propers to the morning. I’ve certainly been wrong before and have corrected the course afterward. As for this year, we go forth with the one who made straight the way of the Lord.