What is Advent?
And why it matters
Advent is the season in which we both repent and wait in joyful expectation for the Church’s great celebration of the Incarnation at Christmas, and the Second Coming in which Christ establishes his rule and reign on Earth forever. Churches often use purple vestments as a symbol of the need to repent; some churches wear blue to represent the majesty and Kingship of Jesus. Note that Advent is not a time to celebrate Christmas for an extra month. It is a time of hopeful meditation. It is a time to wait. A time to deny a bit of the joy of Christmastide so that the great feast would be even sweeter.
Advent is marked with the practice of fasting (I know it’s super hard. Christmas cookies seem to be self-replicating at this time of year), Almsgiving, Repentance, Confession, and Study. Some traditional practices include lighting of Advent Candles on a wreath for each of the four weeks and the service of lessons of carols.
The most famous Advent is surely O Come, O Come Immanuel:
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave.
O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death's abode.
O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.
O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.
-12th Century Latin Hymn
This hymn was developed from liturgical expressions called antiphons. These longing expressions name different biblical images and titles for the Christ. I would spend some time with this hymn. Look at the Scriptures. Where are these titles used? What do they tell you about Jesus? What is our hope?
Hope is the reason Advent matters. Our entire lives are caught in the great tension between the first and second coming of Christ. And yet, right now, it seems to matter more. The world seems scarier. (It’s really not. Humans are bad at running things). But we need the quite time to slip into meditation about the Christ. To dig deep into our souls and prayer and firm up our hope.
