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The Liturgical Year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, a time of joyful anticipation of the Incarnation of Christ, God's love made visible. "Advent" is a Latin word (adventus) meaning "coming." During Advent, Christians prepare for the coming of the Lord into the world through the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ, and for his final coming at the end of time. The season of Advent reminds us of the three-fold comings of Christ:

1. The first advent, the birth of Jesus
2. The re-birth of Jesus in our own lives
3. The second advent, the final coming of Jesus Christ

The Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season that we celebrate as Christians is not just an observance of events that happened long ago. It is not a sentimental birthday of the "baby Jesus." Nor is the season exclusively future oriented, watching and waiting for the coming of the exalted Christ at the end of time. The season is a celebration of God's self-disclosure in Jesus Christ, the eternal Emmanuel -- God who was with the people in the past and who is with us now and for all time to come.

No one knows the actual date on which the Child Jesus was born. The date on which the Church observes his birth is more symbolic value than anything, coming five days after the winter solstice. Thus we celebrate the Word become flesh, coming to dwell among us as the light of the human race, just after the darkest point of the solar year. And so Christmas is a holy day second only to Easter in the Roman calendar.

Advent takes its meaning from Christ's passion, death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Spirit. For three hundred years the church celebrated no other aspect of Christ than this paschal mystery. Our Christmas celebration takes its meaning from this mystery. The crib, the cross, and the crown are closely connected.

Advent is a time of joyful anticipation of the realization of God's promise. It is a grace-filled season of new hope, new life, and new love. There is a sense of urgency in Advent that wakes us up from our complacency. Advent should challenge us to prepare ourselves and our world for the full coming of the kingdom of peace and justice.

As we prepare to exchange gifts with our loved ones, we must also prepare ourselves for the true gift of God's love. Do we accept God's gift with gratitude? Do we proclaim the good news to others? Are we becoming more ADVENTurous by being more joyful, hopeful, faithful lovers of ourselves, God, and others. Are we watching and preparing for Christ's coming now and at the end of time? The preface for Advent reminds us to "Watch for the day" so that our hearts may be "filled with wonder and praise" when the Lord comes. Christ's coming will only be recognized by those who are alert to his appearance every day. May this season of Emmanuel fill you with the Lord's abiding presence.

Season of Emmanuel 
by Kay Murdy
A simple and practical lectionary-based guide
for enriching the Advent and Christmas seasons

Make sure your Christmas does not end on Dec. 26. Read this daily devotional to keep yourself grounded in liturgical spirituality. Kay Murdy, uses the Sunday and weekday readings from the Roman Lectionary as the basis for daily reflections that take you from the first day of Advent through the 12 days of Christmas to the Epiphany. Try it. You will have the best Christmas ever! You can order my book from Resource Publication -- Paper, $8.95 http://www.rpinet.com/products/fpf.html

AN Advent Prayer
Henri J.M. Nouwen

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day. We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!" Amen.

The Advent Wreath

Advent is a time to celebrate light in the midst of darkness, as symbolized best by the Advent wreath. The wreath is made of a circle of evergreen branches laid flat to symbolize the endless nature of God's love for his people. Four candles stand in the circle. Traditionally, three of the candles are purple and the fourth, the "Joy" candle is pink for Gaudete Sunday, meaning "Rejoice!" Blue candles may also be used to emphasize our hope in God's promise fulfilled in the Nativity. One candle is lit during the first week of Advent, two during the second week, three during the third and four during the fourth week. The candles remind us of the light of God coming into the world. The light from the candles grows brighter as each week comes closer to Christmas, the birth of the Savior. 

Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree is a small evergreen or a branch decorated with ornaments that teach us the lineage of Jesus starting from Jesse, the father of King David foretold in Isaiah: "There shall come forth from the stump of Jesse's tree, and from its roots a bud shall blossom." (Is 11:1)

When we make a Jesse Tree, we remember the family of Jesse and all the people through history who helped prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. These are few of the symbols depicting the prophets and ancestors in the heritage of Christ.
 

Apple . .  Adam and Eve ( Gen 3:15); Ark . . Noah ( Gen 6:8); Coat . . Joseph ( Gen 37:1-4);
Burning Bush . . Moses ( Ex 3); Harp . . . David ( I Sam 16:14-23); Crown . . Solomon ( Kgs 1:22-48);
Whale . . Jonah ( Jonah 1); Lion . . Daniel ( Dan 6:1-24); Star . . Wise Men ( Matt 2:1-12);
Lily . . Mary ( Luke 1:26-28); Hammer . . Joseph (Mark 6:3);
Chi Rho . . Greek letter Chi, X, intersected with the Greek letter Rho, P

O ANTIPHONS

The Advent hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," based on the "O Antiphons" was written sometime in the 9th Century. The hymn, as seen below, begins with the first antiphon "Wisdom".

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 
And ransom captive Israel 
That mourns in lonely exile here 
Until the Son of God appears 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, thou Wisdom from on high, who ord'rest all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, O come, thou Lord of might who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height in ancient times did'st give the law in cloud and majesty and awe. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel

 

O come, thou rod of Jesse, 
free thine own from Satan's tyranny from depths of hell thy people save and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, Thou Key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high and close the path of misery 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel 

O come, thou Dayspring, from on high and cheer us by thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadow put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel 

O come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all human kind; bid thou our sad divisions cease, and by thyself our Prince of Peace. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee O Israel 


 

In these "O Antiphons" the Church expresses her deep longing for the coming of the Messiah.

DECEMBER 18
O Adonai:  "O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your might hand to set us free." See Isaiah 4-5;33:22