The church year in the West begins with with a preparatory season called “Advent.” The word “advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “appearing” or “coming,” referring to the appearing of a great king or even a god. In Christian usage, it refers to the appearing of Jesus Christ in two ways - His first appearing as the Child born of the Virgin Mary and His second appearing in glory on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead. You see, Advent isn’t only about getting ready for Christmas; it’s also about getting ready for Jesus’ final appearing in glory only the Last Day.
We
live in the last days, between Christ’s first and second appearances.
He is always present with us, and always has been since the beginning.
His presence is made audible and visible to us by the Spirit through the
preached Word and the Sacraments. Only briefly did the Son of God show
His face some 2000 years ago. Only at the end will we see His face
again when He appears in glory. Until then, we watch and wait for His
second advent even as we celebrate His first.
St.
Bernard wrote this concerning the coming of Christ: “In the first
coming, Christ comes in the flesh and in weakness; in the second, He
comes in Spirit and power; in the third, He comes in glory and majesty;
and the second coming is the means whereby we pass from the first to the
third.”
The
season of Advent has its origins in France and Spain in the 4th and 5th
centuries. As early as 380, the Council of Saragossa urged faithful
Christians to attend church every day from December 17 through Epiphany
(January 6). Early calendars in both the East and the West indicated a
40 day period of fasting, beginning on November 14. The liturgical
principle is “fast before feast,” following the pattern of Lent and
Easter. Before a major feast there is a period of fasting - solemn,
repentant preparation. This stands in sharp contrast to our consumerist
culture that feasts first and then diets afterward, resolving to “do
better” in the new year. Joyful feasting and disciplined fasting go
hand in hand.
Advent has four distinct Sundays themed by the readings from the holy Gospel:
The
1st Sunday in Advent focuses on Christ’s appearing in glory with the
image of His triumphal ride into Jerusalem as the messianic King.
The
2nd Sunday brings John the Baptizer’s prophetic voice calling Israel
out to the wilderness to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
The
3rd Sunday again focuses on John the Baptizer, this time on the content
of his preaching of repentance and his greatness as the forerunner of
the Messiah.
The
4th Sunday emphasizes Jesus’ immaculate conception by the Holy Spirit
in the womb of the Virgin Mary. During the final week of Advent, it is
customary to pray the “O Antiphons” from December 17 to December 23, a
series of ancient prayers addressed to Christ in terms of Old Testament
prophesy.
Advent
is a season of quiet anticipation and expectation. The One who once
came in humility by way of Bethlehem’s manger, David’s donkey, and
Calvary’s cross, who now comes to us hiddenly in His holy Word and the
blessed Sacrament of His body and blood, will soon come visibly in
blazing glory to raise the dead and give eternal life to all who call on
His Name. The tone of Advent is joyful anticipation, a mixture of holy
fear and expectant joy, like that of a mother-to-be awaiting the arrival
of her first baby.
Advent
is a time of sober patience. Sadly, our instant gratification culture
seems to have had more influence on the Church than the Church has had
on the surrounding culture. Advent has been gobbled up by the frenzy of
the “winter holidays,” which now begin after Halloween! By the time
Christmas arrives, most are too weary to worship and too burned out from
decking the halls to celebrate the birth of the world’s Savior with any
degree of joy much less energy. Remember, Christmas is a twelve day
feast, beginning on December 25th. In celebrating Advent in
all its somber, sober watchfulness, we Christians can give a priceless
gift to each other and to the world by showing the patient hope we have
in Jesus’ coming.
The
season has its own peculiar customs and traditions. One cherished
tradition is the Advent wreath. This evergreen wreath with four candles
is a tradition from northern Europe. Each candle stands for one of the
four Sundays in Advent. The closed circle is a symbol of God’s
eternality. Like the circle, our Lord is without beginning and without
end. The evergreen branches represent the eternal life that is ours
through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a life that
transcends death itself. Just as the evergreen remains alive and fresh
even in the dead of winter, so Jesus fills us with new life even in
death. “I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me will
live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will
never die” (John 11:25-26).
The
candles remind us of Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world, the
Light no darkness can overcome. They also represent all baptized
believers in Jesus who reflect His light into the darkness of this world
and proclaim Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous
light (1 Peter 2:9-10). Each successive week in Advent, another candle
is lit. Sometimes smaller candles or little red berries are added to
count off the days between Sundays. At Christmas Eve, the Advent wreath
is replaced with a single white Christ candle, signifying the appearing
of Christ in the world.
As
the candles on the Advent wreath burn ever more brightly with the
approach of Christmas, we are reminded of how near is the coming of our
Savior Jesus Christ. Good news indeed! He comes to judge the world in
His righteousness, and the verdict will be “innocent” in His atoning
death. Your faith in Him will not be in vain. He comes to save!
Other
Advent customs include the Advent calendar with its little doors or
pockets each concealing a gift or Scripture verse and counting the days
to Christmas, and the “Jesse Tree,” depicting the family tree of Jesus
as the promised Branch from the stem of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1). Advent
calendars and Jesse Trees make fun family projects during the season of
Advent.
The
intent of Advent is not to “take the fun” out of Christmas but to
restore the joy and celebration to Christmas by having a period of
prayerful preparation and to put the holy back into the December
"holidays." As we celebrate Christ’s first coming by way of the Virgin
and the manger, and as we delight in His sacramental coming to us in the
Word and Supper, we await His coming in glory at a day and an hour no
one knows.
E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come
And night shall be no more
They need no light, no lamp, nor sun
For Christ will be their All!
1 comment:
When I count my blessings tonight, I will count this quote twice. “In the first coming, Christ comes in the flesh and in weakness; in the second, He comes in Spirit and power; in the third, He comes in glory and majesty; and the second coming is the means whereby we pass from the first to the third.” St. Bernard
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