For Catholic Christians, Advent is the beginning of the Church Year. It always begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas day and ends on Christmas Eve. Historically, the primary color of Advent is violet, the color of royalty, to welcome the Advent of the King. The violet of Advent is also the color of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week. This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The Nativity, the Incarnation, cannot be separated from the Crucifixion, the Atonement. The purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world, of the “Word made flesh” and dwelling among us is to reveal God’s love to the world through Jesus’ life, teaching, suffering, death and resurrection.
The focus of the entire season of Advent is the celebration of the birth of Jesus; the long-awaited Christ, in His First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in His Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a historical event. It is really about our celebrating a truth about God, namely, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled with God. Scripture readings for Advent will reflect this emphasis on the Second Advent, including themes for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life.
Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, is present in the world today, and will come again in power. So, the universal church celebrates God’s entering into history in the incarnation, and anticipates a future fulfillment of that history for which “all creation is groaning, awaiting its redemption.” It also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and love you neighbor as yourself.”
Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, or preparation, of longing. Part of the expectation anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God and set the world right. We see in the Gospel of Saint Mark 13:33-37 “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” Thus, because some of the readings of Advent contain a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment on sin, the season has throughout much of church history, focused on a spirit of fasting and penitence for sins. In more recent years, however, a different emphasis has developed. Advent has come to be celebrated more in terms of expectation or anticipation. Christians long for God’s actions to restore all things and indicate the just. So, while our Advent experience should include a spirit of penitence and a change of heart, our primary focus is that of a people who possess a joyful sense of expectancy. Therefore, unlike Lent with its focus on mourning and fasting, Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as Christians await the Second Coming of a King who comes to rule, save and judge the world. “O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.”
Here, at St. Aedan's, the violet colors of Advent have appeared. The first candle on our parish Advent wreath has been lighted, reminding us that Jesus is the light of the world and He is coming to dispel the darkness of our individual lives and our world in order to bring us newness, life and hope. As the popular song proclaims, for Christians “It’s that most wonderful time of the year” as we anticipate so many special activities, which help us to not only observe but celebrate Advent, soon followed by the holy and joyous celebration of Christ’s birth on Christmas.
As your pastor, I invite you to make this Advent season a truly special time of prayer, spiritual renewal and humble preparation for Christ’s second coming. With grateful hearts, let us all take advantage of the opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation, especially on Reconciliation Monday, December 18th (2-4 & 6-8 PM) and make more time for prayer, scripture reading, personal meditation, and works of charity. Let us also try to focus more clearly on our relationship with God and neighbor by being more Christ-like in our thoughts, words and actions. By living each day of our lives as an “Advent People” who are watchful and alert, may we find ourselves more upbeat, our outlook on life more cheerful and our ongoing journey of faith one of joyful anticipation. “Then cleansed be every soul from sin, make straight the way of God within, prepare our hearts a home, where such a mighty guest may come.” A Happy and Holy Advent to everyone!
Prayerfully in Christ,
Msgr. Emmet R. Nevin, Pastor