Advent begins on the Sunday closest to the feast of Saint Andrew, and gives us four Sundays to prepare anew for the coming of Christ into our hearts.
Advent is a time of preparing to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ coming into our lives, in history at the first Christmas, in Mystery by His Grace in our souls, and in glory at the end of time…
Advent is a season of penance, to prepare the Way of the Lord in our souls.
Advent is a time of sanctifying our Christian hope, to be able to look forward to the fulfillment of all things and our eternal communion with Christ in heaven.
‘The glorious advent of Christ has come, and is present in His miraculous signs that attend His proclamation in His Church. Yet Christ’s reign is yet to be fulfilled with great power and glory by the King’s return to earth…
Christ’s reign is still under attack by evil powers, even though they have been defeated definitively by Christ’s Passover.
Until everything is subject to Him, until there be realized new heavens and a new earth in which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments and institutions, which belong to this present age, carries the mark of this world which will pass, and she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and travail and await the revelation of the sons of God. That is why Christians pray, to hasten Christ’s return, by saying to Him, Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!’
See more on the Advent season in the Catechism of the Catholic Church § 671- , and in Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s Credo.
And, sign up to our freely accessible parish subscription to Formed, and follow along with their great Catholic content for all ages through the Advent Season and Christmas at watch.formed.org/advent-and-christmas .
The Canadian Catholic Bishops also offer a series of Advent Reflections on our Sacred Scripture, Journey through Advent, available here.