From the Sunday, December 4 worship service:
And it is in this time of preparation that we, the Lara-Lopez family, would like to share the Advent traditions of our home country, Guatemala. As we thought about it, we came to realize that, simply because something is a “tradition,” we do it, without really knowing the origins of the tradition or what it is that we are doing. As Guatemalans, we don’t really call our preparation for the coming of Jesus Advent, but we do have traditions that speak of the time of preparation that we all undergo. We have a variety of things that we do in order to prepare for the birth of Jesus. This all starts on December 7 with “La Quema del Diablo” or “The Burning of the Devil.” This is a tradition in which Guatemalans look for the unnecessary things they have at their homes so that they can make a bonfire representing how they are “getting the devil and those unnecessary things out of their houses and lives.” This is our way of cleaning our homes for the coming of baby Jesus, God.
There is another tradition that was brought to Guatemala in 1650 by a missionary from the Island of the Dogs. Do you even know where that is? Well, it’s Las Islas Canarias, or the Canary Islands. This tradition is called Nacimiento, or nativity scenes. Nacimiento is a visual representation of scenes from the nativity of Jesus of Nazareth. The Bethlehem scene is generally represented by Mary and Joseph in a manger, or, according to other traditions, in a stable, barn, or cave.
But it is in Antigua, our hometown, where some people have as a family tradition making very elaborate and beautiful Nacimientos. These families open their homes for others to come and see their Nacimientos. The Nacimiento is normally decorated with fruits of the season, like apples and manzanillas, and other natural stuff like sawdust (aserrin) of different colors. An interesting and important fact about the Nacimientos is that baby Jesus is missing from the scene. This is because it is not until December 25 that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Guatemalan traditions, in the mean time, emphasize Mary and Joseph’s quest for shelter.
To show this time of preparation for Mary and Joseph we have what it is called a Posada. This is a symbolic commemoration and reenactment of Mary and Joseph the pilgrims’ search for lodging. The Guatemalan tradition is that each participating family from a certain neighborhood will schedule a night for the posada to be held at their home. The pilgrims will walk from house to house singing the traditional Christmas songs along the way. They will ask for lodging in three different houses but it is only in the third house where they will be allowed in and where they will be invited to have supper with the family of the house. This is the big celebration where you enjoy your time together as brothers and sisters and where we see the community come closer together. This Posadas starts on December 16 and ends on Christmas Eve. At midnight on December 24, we celebrate the birth of Jesus together and Jesus can be placed in the nativity scene.
And it is in this time of preparation that we, the Lara-Lopez family, would like to share the Advent traditions of our home country, Guatemala. As we thought about it, we came to realize that, simply because something is a “tradition,” we do it, without really knowing the origins of the tradition or what it is that we are doing. As Guatemalans, we don’t really call our preparation for the coming of Jesus Advent, but we do have traditions that speak of the time of preparation that we all undergo. We have a variety of things that we do in order to prepare for the birth of Jesus. This all starts on December 7 with “La Quema del Diablo” or “The Burning of the Devil.” This is a tradition in which Guatemalans look for the unnecessary things they have at their homes so that they can make a bonfire representing how they are “getting the devil and those unnecessary things out of their houses and lives.” This is our way of cleaning our homes for the coming of baby Jesus, God.
There is another tradition that was brought to Guatemala in 1650 by a missionary from the Island of the Dogs. Do you even know where that is? Well, it’s Las Islas Canarias, or the Canary Islands. This tradition is called Nacimiento, or nativity scenes. Nacimiento is a visual representation of scenes from the nativity of Jesus of Nazareth. The Bethlehem scene is generally represented by Mary and Joseph in a manger, or, according to other traditions, in a stable, barn, or cave.
But it is in Antigua, our hometown, where some people have as a family tradition making very elaborate and beautiful Nacimientos. These families open their homes for others to come and see their Nacimientos. The Nacimiento is normally decorated with fruits of the season, like apples and manzanillas, and other natural stuff like sawdust (aserrin) of different colors. An interesting and important fact about the Nacimientos is that baby Jesus is missing from the scene. This is because it is not until December 25 that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Guatemalan traditions, in the mean time, emphasize Mary and Joseph’s quest for shelter.
To show this time of preparation for Mary and Joseph we have what it is called a Posada. This is a symbolic commemoration and reenactment of Mary and Joseph the pilgrims’ search for lodging. The Guatemalan tradition is that each participating family from a certain neighborhood will schedule a night for the posada to be held at their home. The pilgrims will walk from house to house singing the traditional Christmas songs along the way. They will ask for lodging in three different houses but it is only in the third house where they will be allowed in and where they will be invited to have supper with the family of the house. This is the big celebration where you enjoy your time together as brothers and sisters and where we see the community come closer together. This Posadas starts on December 16 and ends on Christmas Eve. At midnight on December 24, we celebrate the birth of Jesus together and Jesus can be placed in the nativity scene.
This last tradition is more than a reenactment; it is a ritual. It’s a ritual that brings us all to the human reality, the human need for hospitality, welcoming friends and strangers into our homes and lives. And today, on the first Sunday on the month, we would like to invite you all to reflect upon what Arthur Sutherland said in his book I Was a Stranger: A Christian Theology of Hospitality. “Hospitality ought to have reflection on the Eucharist. In ‘the breaking of the bread’ is the fullest expression of God’s hospitality toward us.” Also reflect upon what Ana Maria Pineda says in her chapter on hospitality in the book Practicing Our Faith: “Las Posadas [are] . . . more than [a] ritual. . . . All Christians are called to practice . . . hospitality. What is important is that each community discover[s] how to practice that hospitality in ways that are relevant to its own situation.” So we would like to invite you all to practice that kind of hospitality with your neighbors, friends, relatives, and all of those around you. And now . . . Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
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