On the Liturgical Season of Advent

The Liturgical Season of Advent

The liturgical season of Advent begins the liturgical year in the calendar of the Catholic church. It prepares Catholics for the feast and commemoration of the birth of the Christ-Child at Christmas.

The season of Advent is a short liturgical season. It comprises four Sundays before the feast of Christmas on December 25. The four Sundays of the Advent season are movable feast-dates unlike other feasts in the Church. The Immaculate Conception is always celebrated on December 8, and Christmas Day is always celebrated on December 25.

The significance of Advent

Advent is a time of serious preparation: a time of preparation for the coming of Christ. Though the themes of the readings speak mostly on the first coming of Christ on Christmas Day, it also includes themes from the second coming of Christ. It is in this liturgical atmosphere of waiting and anticipation that Christians are called to prepare themselves for Christ's coming: not only for the commemoration of the Christmas season, but also for His second coming when He comes to save us completely from our sinful situation.

Reconciliation as a preparation

Much of the preparation done during this Advent season has to do also with the sacrament of reconciliation. As the Church lights the four Advent candles on the Advent wreath to signify the waiting for Christ's coming, and the joy of receiving Him on Christmas, Catholics are called everywhere to return to God and prepare. One of the readings of the Advent season is John the Baptist calling people to turn from their sinful ways and to repent. It is thus a fitting opportunity for all Catholics to go to the sacrament of reconciliation and reconcile themselves back to God.

The Advent wreath and the four Advent candles

Seasoned Catholics in many parts of the world know that it is Advent because of the presence of the Advent wreath. The four Advent candles represent the four Sundays of Advent: the first two are violet, the third is pink or rose, and the last is violet. Violet or purple, like the liturgical color used also for the Lenten season, signifies preparation, penance and reconciliation. The third candle is colored rose or pink, to signify the tradition of the third Sunday of Advent, classically called Gaudete Sunday. This Sunday emphasizes the theme of joy and expectation, since the coming of the Christ-child is near. There is a more joyful and expectant liturgical spirit involved in the theme of the readings during Gaudete Sunday.

The Advent readings

The Advent readings revolve around the 3-year liturgical cycle of readings: cycle A, B and C. In year A or cycle A, the first readings of the Mass are taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The second readings are taken from the letter to the Romans and from the letter of James. Then the gospel readings are taken from the gospel of Matthew.

For year B or cycle B, the first readings of the Mass are taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah and the second book of Samuel. The second readings are varied, as they are taken from 1 Corinthians, 2 Peter, 1 Thessalonians, and Romans. The gospel readings are also varied as they are taken from: Mark, John and Luke.

For year C or cycle C, the first readings are taken from the book of the prophets: Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah, and Micah. The second readings are taken from Philemon, Hebrews, and 1 Thessalonians. As for the gospel readings, the whole four Sundays of Advent, cycle C, are taken from the gospel of Luke.