The Sunday after next, 28 November, is the First Sunday of Advent, when the Church enters into a short but magical season that prepares us for the Coming of Christ.
Advent has a two-fold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ’s first coming to us in Bethlehem is remembered, and as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time.
Advent is thus a period of hope, of devout and joyful expectation. At Sunday Mass, the Gospel readings each have a distinctive theme:
- the Lord’s coming at the end of time (First Sunday of Advent)
- John the Baptist (Second and Third Sunday)
- and the events that prepared immediately for the Lord’s birth (Fourth Sunday).
The Old Testament readings are prophecies about the Messiah and the Messianic age, especially from the Isaiah.
On weekdays, there are two series of readings: one to be used from the beginning of Advent until 16 December, the other from 17 to 24 December. In the first part of Advent there are readings from Isaiah, distributed in accord with the sequence of the book itself and including those texts that are also read on the Sundays. In “late Advent,” the last week before Christmas, the events that immediately prepared for the Lord’s birth are presented from Matthew and Luke.
For most of us, Advent is a busy period. The challenge is to find time for prayer and reflection. Why not start planning now so as to find time to keep a sense of true perspective during the holy season and thus be able to find from the Lord much joy and happiness? Our Advent and Christmas Resources page will be updated to help you do this.