Fr Laurent reflects on the First Sunday of Advent.
Dear people of God, welcome to the season of Advent! It’s a beautiful season that ushers in the celebrations of Christmas.
The liturgical year of the Church begins on the first Sunday of Advent. Etymologically, the term advent comes from a Latin word, advenio, which means ‘to come’. Advent is a season when Christians prepare with hope for the coming of the Messiah. It’s a period given to Christians to prepare for the Nativity of the Lord.
This season has four weeks. During these weeks, Christians recall and wait in joyful expectation for the two comings of Jesus Christ into the world. The first of these comings has already taken place – when Christ became man at the Incarnation (‘the Word became flesh and lived among us’). God used the Blessed Virgin Mary to bring Christ the Saviour into the world, who was born on Christmas day. The second coming will take place on the Last Day, when He will come in glory to judge the living and the dead.
Advent is divided into two parts. The first part ends on 16th December; the second part, from 17th December to Christmas Eve. The readings of our Masses during the first period look forward to the second coming of Christ and then, in the second period, the focus is shifted towards His first coming first coming by recalling the roles played by John the Baptist, his precursor, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, His mother.
This season—unlike that of Lent—is not strongly penitential in character. However, the proximity of Christmas joy should not take away the penitential spirit of Advent. During this busy time, full of anxiety, Christians should always find time to reflect, meditate on the mysteries of the Incarnation of the lord, and interiorise the true meaning of Advent through prayer, self-denial, and works of generosity – especially towards those living in need.
In the Gospel reading this Sunday, Jesus exhorts us all to be on our guard, and stay awake, awake doing good, so that when He comes, He will find us worthy.
I wish you a fruitful Advent season.