In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Christians prepare for this festival of Light during the so-called Advent season. What exactly does Advent entail?
Significance of Advent
Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year in the Catholic Church, starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is the time of preparation for Christmas; the time when the birth of Jesus is commemorated and His return is expected. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus that God himself became man. Advent is a period of reflection and prayer. People live expectantly towards Christmas, so that Jesus, Emanuel God-with-us, may also be born in everyone’s own life. The liturgy of the four Sundays of Advent helps people to prepare their hearts to receive Him and let Him in again.
Advent is more than remembering and expecting
Advent involves more than commemoration and expectation. It is also a time of reflection. God comes to people, but people are also called to come to God and to reflect on their way of life and their whole being. When reading the Gospels that belong to the Advent season, one sometimes gets quite a wake-up call. People are reminded again and again to take God’s message to heart: Dare to change! Don’t get stuck in fixed habits! Participate in the coming of Jesus into hearts, families, lives, etc. When He returns He calls people to account. People are called to be vigilant.
Advent wreath
At the start of the Advent season, an Advent wreath is hung in the church. This wreath is woven with pine or spruce green and contains 4 candles. One more candle is lit every Sunday. The more candles are lit, the more light there is. This symbolizes how close Jesus, the Light (Christmas) is. The Advent wreath is round and symbolizes the earth. The four candles, in addition to the four weeks of preparation, also represent the four cardinal points North, South, East and West. The wreath is used both in church and at home.
Liturgical color purple
During Advent the priest wears a purple chasuble. The liturgical color purple represents reflection, penance and repentance. The color purple is also usually incorporated in the Advent wreath by means of a purple ribbon that is twisted around it. Because Advent is a period of introspection and reflection, the Gloria song Glory to God is not sung in the church during that period. This is a song of joy sung by the angels in Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus. By leaving it out in Advent, it sounds like a new song again at Christmas.
Origin of Advent
It is not entirely clear when Advent originated. The first indications of this date from the fifth century, but that does not mean that there was no Advent period before then. The word Advent is derived from the Latin word adventus which means coming, coming. Advent literally means: God comes to us. As mentioned, the church year begins with Advent. This period always starts on the Sunday between November 27 and December 3 and ends on Christmas Eve, December 24. The Advent period always has 4 Sundays, but the number of weekdays can vary from 22 to 27. news highlighted