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DECEMBER 2021

TO UNDERSTAND THE DUAL NATURE OF ADVENT – from the Latin adventus, which means “arrival” or “coming” – it’s helpful to consider the season within the context of the full liturgical year and to know its evolution since it was first celebrated over 16 centuries ago.

Understanding the feasts and seasons of the liturgical year strengthens our Catholic Christian identity. According to the Dogmatic Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), “Within the cycle of a year ... the Church unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from his incarnation and birth until his ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the Lord’s return.” [SC 102] The liturgical year presents us with a sacred message and gives profound meaning to past events.

Even though our liturgical year begins with the season of Advent, the actual development of the liturgical calendar began around the second century with the first observations of Easter – the heart, center, and seed of the Christian faith. Advent and the Nativity didn't exist yet as events in the Church's calendar. By the end of the fourth century in Gaul and Spain, when the celebrations of Christmas and Epiphany were introduced, the Advent season began to be observed as a time of preparation. It involved prayer and fasting in anticipation of the birth of the long-awaited savior.

Toward the middle of the sixth century, the celebration of Advent became the custom in Rome. As Christmas took on more importance toward the seventh century, Advent evolved. At this time, the season was less about preparing for Christmas and had more of an eschatological focus, as a time to return to the Lord.

In these early centuries, fasting was an essential aspect of Advent – but it is important to remember that fasting was also an essential custom of Christian life in general. Advent was viewed as a penitential time. Purple vestments and omission of the Gloria from Masses during Advent became common by the twelfth century.

In our own time, the understanding of Advent has evolved once again. After the Second Vatican Council, the Universal Norms for the Liturgical Year (1969) provided understanding for us:
“Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnity of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devout and expectant delight.” [39]

The lectionary readings for Advent, as well as the liturgical texts, reflect hopeful waiting and focus on both the Second Coming and the birth of Christ.

These days, the beauty and spiritual fruits of Advent are often eclipsed because our secular culture plunges into Christmas as soon as Thanksgiving Day. In order to embrace what the Church is inviting us to, we need to intentionally enter into the season of Advent and prepare our hearts for the living mystery of the Nativity of the Lord. We should consciously avoid what can be a stressful, hectic time, and notice the richness of what God has to say to us in and through the liturgy: “Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ.” [Collect, First Sunday of Advent]

In a unique way, Advent can be a time for fasting and feasting. Fasting has spiritual benefits and does not mean only going without food. We can fast from the hectic pace of “holiday” preparations and feast on the sacred journey toward Christmas – delight in the images of the light breaking through the darkness, longing for the Lord, and the hope-filled expectations of something new. “We pray, almighty God, that, as the feast day of our salvation draws ever nearer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly to the worthy celebration of the mystery of your Son’s Nativity.” [Prayer After Communion, Fourth Sunday of Advent]

The four weeks of Advent hold a profound message for the world today, namely, Be watchful and wait in joyful hope. In other words, Discern. Attentive listening to what the Lord is doing in our lives and prayerful reflection of the readings call us to feast on strength and fast from anxiety, allowing the Lord to be born into our hearts, and ourselves to be completely satisfied. Most profoundly, we are invited to move toward the child Jesus with Our Blessed Mother. Ponder in your heart all that is happening and all that is to come at the end of time.

As St. Paul told the Philippians (4:4), and will tell us all on the Third Sunday of Advent: “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
 

Donna M. Eschenauer, PhD
Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology
St. Joseph’s Seminary