A dump cake of thoughts about Advent

I remember being at a friend’s house during middle school and her mother having a recipe book that included a recipe for something called “dump cake,” which I thought sounded horrible.

Turns out dump cake is a type of cake (you can Google it) that involves dumping all a cake’s ingredients, dry and wet, into a pan, without having to mix it. Somehow it all cooks that way. Per some takes on the recipe there is also an element of dumping whatever ingredients you’ve got in there, like a sort of cupboard clearing (or maybe I made up that last part?). That’s also how I view fruitcake - it’s just a bunch of stuff, edible and not, that someone poured into a pound cake mold.

So, in the spirit of a dump cake (or a fruitcake) - and because I think Advent is too multifaceted and full of wonder to be focused on just one aspect - below are my thoughts as we enter the Advent season, and to help you think about which devotions, prayers, or practices will be helpful to you this Advent.

First, I start with a throwback: my article from several years ago, Five Ways to Make the Most of Advent. There’s suggestions for prayer and charitable activities in there.

Read Bishop Burbidge’s reflection, Advent as Joyful Remembrance.

Sign up for Pray More Novena’s Advent retreat. Each week has a few pre-recorded teachings, and this morning I listened to the by Dr. Edward Sri on the importance of cultivating an interior life. I have never listened to a Dr. Edward Sri talk, and it was a delight.

For the first Sunday of Lent, yesterday, Bishop Robert Barron gave a homily on three different perspectives from which you can understand Advent - the three coming of Christ, in history, today, and at his final coming.

Lastly, I offer tentatively, because it’s an intense take: a couple years ago Fr. Mike Schmitz recorded a video wherein he offered that we could see another side to Advent and the notion of a second coming, to be the second coming of Jesus into our lives - at our own deaths. He offers that we could live Advent as if we knew we would die on Christmas - how would you live differently? I don’t love this approach, because the inexperienced or overzealous could take it too far. But, this is a dump cake, so you’re getting the whole cupboard.

One more thought: you may hear the term “Advent figures,” as in, those “figures” who we associate with Christ’s birth, who played a role in his birth, and upon whom we can mediate. They include: the angels, the shepherds, the Magi, and Mary and Joseph. You may find it helpful to take some time through contemplative/imaginative prayer and either live through the last few week’s of Mary’s pregnancy with her, or stand with the shepherds in the field as the angels announce Jesus’s birth, follow the star with the Wise Men, or walk for miles beside the donkey carrying Our Lady with Joseph. Who do you relate to most, least? What feelings come up - fear, hope, trepidation, confusion, wonder?

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5

Have a holy Advent, and a happy Christmas.