Advent: Christ is Coming…

…and He Will Come Again!

Happy New Year!• The Church moves through a

series of spiritual seasons throughout its Liturgical Year

• Advent (from the Latin for “arrive”) begins the year– Looks back to Christ’s first

coming in the manger– Looks ahead to His second

coming in glory

Sights• Color = One of the first

indicators of season– Violet-Usually signifies mourning

or penance• Advent is not a penitential

season like Lent, but it is one of spiritual preparation, and repentance is a theme in the readings

– Rose is used on the Third Sunday of Advent

• Advent wreath usually present

Sounds• Hymns help us experience

the emotional “color” of the season:– Longing (“O Come, O Come

Emmanuel”)– Joy (“The King of Glory

Comes”)– Renewal (“On Jordan’s

Bank”)

Smells• Incense: Signifies our

prayer rising up to God– See:

• Revelation 5:8 “…with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

• Revelation 8:4 “and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.”

The Word• Most important distinguishing

mark of the season: Biblical Readings

• The Liturgy has two parts: – the proclamation of the saving

acts of God (Liturgy of the Word)– The making present of those

mysteries in the celebration of the Sacrament (Liturgy of the Eucharist)

Incarnational Faith• Our worship is Incarnational-it

engages our whole being– Body & Soul– Mind & Heart– Time & Space

• Because of Creation and Redemption– God created everything for His

praise and man’s use– Christ’s saving acts embrace all

created reality

You Have Put on Christ• Baptism makes us part of the

Mystical Body of Christ• Christ is the Head of His Body

(the Church)• Where the Head goes, the Body

will follow• The Liturgical Calendar helps us

(members of the Body) share in the mysteries of Christ’s earthly life

The Day of the Sun• Sunday is the original feast day

– Christ rose on Sunday– Appeared to disciples on

Sundays– Justin Martyr wrote in 155 AD

that Christians worshipped “on the day we call the day of the Sun” (CCC 1345)

• Church calendar counts by Sundays (Four in Advent)– Advent wreath embodies

liturgical perspective on time

Last Thing’s First• Readings for 1st Sunday of

Advent– OT: Speaks longingly of the

Lord’s coming and setting people and things aright

– NT: Exhortations from St. Paul to live as good Christians ought

– Gospel: Prophecy of Christ’s Second Coming

People of Advent: Isaiah• Isaiah is the most quoted book

in the NT• Often called “the fifth Gospel”

because it prophecies so much about the Messiah

• 2 main parts of the book:– Chapters 1-39: some bright

spots, but doom for Israel– Ch. 40-66: Restoration promised

The Prophet Isaiah, by Raphael, St. Agostino, Rome

Second to None• Readings for the 2nd Sunday

of Advent:– OT: The consolation that the

Lord brings to His people– NT: Exhortation to love,

harmony, or preparedness– Gospel: The ministry of John

the Baptist

Alexandre Cabanel, John the Baptist

Three to Get Ready• Readings for the 3rd Sunday

of Advent (Gaudete Sunday):– OT: Rejoicing/encouragement– NT: Rejoice & Patience– Gospel: The Message of St.

John the Baptist• Jesus’ testimony to John• John’s identity: I am the Voice• Practical advice for repentance

People of Advent: The Baptist• Bridge figure in Salvation

History– Last of the OT prophets– First to announce the coming

of Christ in His public life

• Jesus said there was no greater man born of woman & that he was “Elijah”

• Preached repentance in preparation for the Messiah Icon of Elijah and St. John the Baptist

Four to Go!• Readings for the 4th Sunday

of Advent:– OT: Birth of the Messiah

prophesied (a virgin shall conceive…)

– NT: The proclamation of “Jesus Christ”

– Gospel: The Annunciation and birth of Christ

People of Advent: Mary• Solemnity of the Immaculate

Conception always falls during Advent

• Appropriate, because the reason she was conceived without sin was to make her a fit mother for the Son of God

• Mary is our Model of Advent Patience, Preparation, and Rejoicing “Mary Comforts Eve” by Trappist Sisters

of Mississippi Abbey

A Mass a Day Keeps the Devil Away

• The weekday Mass readings during Advent are divided into three parts:– Week 1-2: Isaiah, lots of him– Week 2 (End)-3: The Baptist– Week 4: Events leading up to

the birth of Christ

O My Goodness!• The Alleluia verses for December

17-23 are collectively known as the “O Antiphons”

• Taken from the Antiphon before the Magnificat during Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the same days

• All address Christ directly (O…) by one of His titles drawn from Scripture (e.g. O Root of Jesse)

Roots, Keys, and Springs, O My!• O Antiphons:• Dec. 17– O Wisdom• Dec. 18—O Lord• Dec. 19—O Root of Jesse• Dec. 20—O Key of David• Dec. 21—O Dayspring• Dec. 22—O King of the Nations• Dec. 23—O Emmanuel• These are enshrined in the hymn

“O Come O Come Emmanuel”

“Look Busy”The Magnificat Advent Companion www.magnificat.comJoseph Ratzinger, What it Means to be a Christian, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).Joseph Ratzinger, Seek That Which is Above: Meditations Through the Year, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2007).Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (New York: Image, 2012).

Scott Hahn, Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and their Biblical Roots, (New York: Doubleday, 2009).