The Season of Advent.

In my previous post I promised to blog an explanation of the Season of Advent. The topic is easy for me but the task of summarizing and writing about it as a short article onto my blog was a difficult task. Every detail and information about this beautiful season of advent is important but I have to consider just giving the important points. Each time I was writing and typing on the keyboard, I have to keep telling myself; "Adrian, it's an article for your blog and not a half day session!!"..hehehe.

The word "Advent" comes from the Latin language (adventus) and means literally translated "arrival" or "coming into a place". The Christians use this term to signify the season of the year in which we are waiting for the coming of Christ: the time of recalling His first coming when he became man, and the time of looking forward to His second and final coming at the end of time.

Sadly many Catholic think that Advent is all about preparing (waiting) for Christmas i.e. the birth of Jesus Christ. They are not wrong and they are not fully right either. Advent is not just about 'waiting' for Christmas, it is also about the 'waiting' for Jesus' final coming. Advent has two parts; 1) From the 1st Sunday of Advent to December 16 inclusive and 2) December 17 to December 24.

If you follow the daily and Sunday readings during the 1st part of Advent, you will notice there are elements and expressions of the eschatological character of Advent: it makes us look forward to the coming of Christ at the end of time, thus for the reason that Advent is a preparation time for the final coming of the Lord. The final coming in glory is closely connected with the incarnation, in fact the second coming is the fulfillment of the first one. Advent then, should be a time of great expectation of the final coming of our Redeemer and therefore a time of great joy. Such a joyful looking forward to the day of the Lord is to a great extent missing in the life of Christians, and that is why it is important to make good use of the Advent season. The season of Advent calls for both: joy and penance, reverential fear and love and that is why there is a kind of penitential agenda for this period by which we prepare ourselves for the Christmas feast and also get ready for the final coming of the Lord.

The second part of Advent i.e. December 17 to 24 is focused as a preparation time for Christmas. During this period the weekday and Sunday readings helps us to look back at what happened during the 1st coming of Christ, His coming in humility in our human flesh. By recalling the events preceding the incarnation we should develop some special attitudes. We should come to a renewed and deep appreciation of this mystery of God becoming one of us in all things except sin. These few days before Christmas should bring us also to a better understanding of the history of salvation. Looking back how God prepared the way for his Messiah in the history of Israel we can only marvel at the wisdom and the wonderful plan.

In conclusion, the meaning of Advent: It is the time in which the Church meditates about the coming of the Lord. We recall His first coming and we yearn and look forward to His final coming.

Maranatha - Come, Lord.