Today is the first day of advent but what is advent exactly? If you are like many Christians you know that advent is the beginning of the Christmas season. The Church follows a six-season liturgical calendar. The six seasons are:
- Advent – four weeks of preparation before the celebration of Jesus’ birth
- Christmas – recalling the Nativity of Jesus Christ and his manifestation to the peoples of the world
- Lent – a six-week period of penance before Easter
- Sacred Paschal Triduum – the holiest “Three Days” of the Church’s year, where the Christian people recall the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus
- Easter – 50 days of joyful celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead and his sending forth of the Holy Spirit
- Ordinary Time – divided into two sections (one span of 4-8 weeks after Christmas Time and another lasting about six months after Easter Time), wherein the faithful consider the fullness of Jesus’ teachings and works among his people
Advent (from, “ad-venire” in Latin or “to come to”) is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. While advent serves as an anticipation of Christ’s birth it is actually more than that.
“The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Advent is more than a birthday celebration
Advent is a time of preparation that should direct our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming as well as his birthday. Hope is a predominant theme of Advent. The Israelites hoped for a Messiah to come, and Christ entered the world. We are hopeful for the arrival of Christ again into the world. Scripture warns us not to predict his second coming advent is not about speculating it is about spiritual readiness. This spiritual readiness for Christ’s second coming is why advent should be not only a time of celebration but also a time of penance and quieting and disciplining our hearts for the fullness of the Christmas season.