The word advent comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means coming. Pagans used it to mean the coming of their god. It is now used to connote the period of preparation for the coming of the King of Kings.

Advent is the period preceeding the Christmas season. It begins on the Sunday nearest November 30th, the feast of St. Andrew the apostle and covers a period of four Sundays. The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in his first Advent and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.       Advent is thus far more than simply marking a 2000 year old event in history. It is the celebration of a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God.

Advent also symbolises the spiritual journey of the whole Church, as we affirm that Christ has come, that He is present with us in the world today and that he will come again in power to judge.

THE HISTORY OF ADVENT

Advent has been observed since the fourth century. Originally, it was a time when converts to Christianity prepared themselves for baptism. During the middle ages, however, it became associated with preparation for the second coming. In early days, Advent lasted from November 11, the feast of St. Martin to the 25th of December.

Advent was considered a pre – Christmas season of Lent when Christians devoted themselves to prayer and fasting.

Advent has now come to be thought of as a time of anticipating the Nativity (the birth of Christ) and the parousia (the future coming).

COLOURS OF ADVENT

Historically, the primary colour of Advent has been purple. This is the colour of penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty to welcome the coming of the King.

The purple of Advent is also the colour of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week. This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth    and death. The incarnation cannot be separated from the crucifixion.
The purpose of Christ’s coming and dwelling among us is to reveal God and his grace to the world through Jesus’ life and teaching, but also through his suffering, death and resurrection. To reflect this emphasis, originally Advent was a time of penitence and fasting just like Lent, and so shared the colour of Lent.

On the third Sunday of Advent (known as rejoice Sunday or Gaudate in Latin) the colour shifts to rose or pink. The shift from the purple to pink or rose for the third Sunday of Advent reflects the lessening emphasis on penitence as attention is turned more to celebration of the season.

ADVENT WREATH

Advent wreaths have their origin in the folk tradition of northern Europe, where in the deep of winter, people lit candles on wheel–shaped bundles of evergreen. Both the evergreen and the circular shape symbolized ongoing life. The candlelight gave comfort at this darkest time of the year as people looked forward to the longer days of spring.

Later, the whole of Europe (Christians) adopted this practice. By the sixteenth century, they were making advent wreaths much as we know them today.

The circle of the wreath reminds us of God, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end.

The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life.

The candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of his Son.

Four candles are chosen to represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ.

CONCLUSION

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by the Israelites in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter experiences. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance.

It is that hope which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with justice, righteousness and peace. His coming is near.

Listen to the one who cries out in the desert “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” (Mk  1 : 3)