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Advent kicks off the Liturgical year in the Western churches. During this time the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves to celebrate the Lord’s First Coming into the world as Savior, by receiving Him in the Eucharist and in many other occasions of grace, and also to be ready for His final coming as Judge, both at death and at the end of the world. In the midst of the ‘holiday’ frenzy of the secular world, let us make sure that we are growing in holiness and staying on task for mission.
Few things are more sobering than the prospect of earthly death and heavenly judgment. Few things can bring party conversations to a screeching halt than to bring up our weakness and mortality. Yet, as witnesses to the kingdom and intentional disciples, our task is to be ‘salt’ and ‘leaven’ the world around us with this unearthly perspective. This is not to say that we shouldn’t enjoy or celebrate the season: it's only to make sure that we understand that the true Christmas season begins on December 24th, and that the time immediately preceding is best used as preparation, and not wasted in culinary and shopping excesses.
THE COMING OF THE KING
Advent derives from the Latin adventus that translates the Greek parousia, a term used in the emperor cult to describe the sudden coming of the King or Emperor. This term is commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ, the King of the Universe. For Christians, the season of Advent therefore anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. It offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for His Second Coming.
It is not a coincidence that the Gospel readings for several Sundays leading up to Advent already are sounding the drums of vigilance, preparation, and judgment. The theme of Advent is to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. Special readings over the four week period direct our thoughts to the first coming of Jesus Christ as Savior and to His second coming as Judge. The usual liturgical color in Western Christianity for Advent is either purple or blue. The purple color is often used for hangings around the Church, on the vestments of the clergy, and often also the tabernacle. On the 3rd Sunday of Advent, Gaudete (‘rejoice, be glad’) Sunday, the festive rose color may be used instead, referencing the rose used on Laetare (‘rejoice’) Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Lent. It indicates a break in the gloom of penance by the Son’s rays of glory and reminds that we are people of hope.
PENANCE
From the 4th century, the season was kept as a period of fasting as strict as that of Lent. The feast day of St Martin of Tours on Nov.10th was akin to Mardi Gras before Lent, and was a time of excess and heavy eating, since the 40-day Advent fast began the next day. This fasting rule was gradually relaxed in the Anglican and Lutheran churches and also eventually the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Church however, still today, keeps Advent as a season of penance. The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches still hold the tradition of fasting for 40 days before the Nativity Feast.
Advent is four weeks given to the Church so that she may remember who she is and where she is going. The Church exists between the two comings of Jesus. The first coming occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, the Second person of the Trinity, came as Savior, to live among us, to suffer and to die, thereby drawing all men to Himself. The second time Jesus will come as Judge to close the Age and judge the Living and the Dead. So that we may be on the right side of judgment, the Spirit is given to us to gain victory over a new way of life and gain victory over sin
The Advent season arrives as our annual wake-up call. Throughout these weeks, the Scriptures tell us to “awake and be vigilant”. Advent calls us to conversion, expressed also in part by our watching and waiting for His return. While secular society is already celebrating its excess fueled “winter holidays”, the liturgy of Advent is sober – calling us to repentance and conversion. Indeed, the entire purpose of Advent is to reawaken our thirst for God.
NEED FOR SACRAMENT OF RECONCILATION
Along with our pre-holiday shopping and partying, we should all make time to go to Confession, if only to remind ourselves that Jesus is, after all, the reason for the season. Because He came the first time at Christmas, Jesus can offer us healing, reconciliation, peace and comfort, if only we approach Him with trusting faith. A good confession can bring Christ to birth once again in our lives. Confession unties the hopeless thicket of rebellious knots, and helps us make good on our baptismal promises.
WE HAVE OVERCOME
As is made plain in the Book of Revelation, we can conquer the world, the flesh and the devil by the blood of the Lamb. Period. There is no other way. No other power can achieve this victory, not our own strength, nor our own power, nor by our own capacity to transform ourselves, or impose our own truth on the world. Our victory is in the name of the Lord Jesus and through the power of His Holy Spirit.
WHAT TO DO
With so great a Savior and such deep grace that sanctifies and sets us free for mission, let's make our purpose this Advent to celebrate the first coming of the Lord in a humble stable in Bethlehem as our Savior and, of course, the second coming of the Lord in glory as our Judge. However, let us not forget to celebrate the quieter third coming of Him in our hearts, through conversion and discipleship. What mission has He set before you?
Lavinia Spirito is the Founding Team Teaching Leader for Catholic Way Bible Study, currently distributed in over 42 states and internationally.
Though she grew up in Rome, Italy, Lavinia received her B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish from the University of Michigan; obtained her J.D. from The University of Kentucky College of Law; as well as a Masters in Theology from The Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. She is also Adjunct Lecturer for the Saint Meinrad Permanent Deacon Formation Program.
Lavinia prepares and delivers all the lectures for Catholic Way Bible Study, an in depth study of the Scriptures as applied to daily life. She travels and speaks nationally and internationally giving retreats, Priest Retreats, Parish Missions, and Days of Reflection.
She is co-host of “Real Living” a weekly podcast on Breadbox media on relevant issues facing today’s Catholics, as well as blogging and writing articles for various websites. Lavinia collaborates with Renewal Ministries in various ways, including id916. Finally she leads groups in pilgrimage to Rome, the Holy Land, and other interesting places.
She and her husband Michael live in Lexington, Kentucky and have two adult daughters.
