With our celebration of the First Week of Advent we enter into a new liturgical year. We can wish each other Happy New Year and be correct in doing so.
Would it surprise you to know that the Church hasn’t always celebrated Advent with three purple candles and one rose colored candle? Or that She hasn’t always sung “O Come O Come Emmanuel”?
Advent took a long time to develop. Writings in the first 200 years after Christ showed that the early church didn’t celebrate birthdays because it was a pagan custom. That means there wouldn’t even have been a Christmas!
But that doesn’t mean the church fathers didn’t argue about when Jesus was born.
Some said it was August 28, for others it was May 25, still even others, April 20 or 21. It wasn’t until the year 336 when the December 25 date was written down,
possibly in connection with when the Roman’s celebrated the winter solstice.
Advent as we know it has evolved over the centuries, from 5 weeks to four, from a time only focused on penitence and fasting until Vatican II ( three cheers for Vatican II) directed us to celebrate it as a season of hope and promise. The church respects the art and simplicity of Advent. Advent speaks of candlelight and peace, of deep blues and prayer. Advent is not a way to kill time before Christmas! The weeks of Advent are a bit quieter as we take the time to prepare for Christmas. We won’t be singing the Gloria, the hymn of praise not because there is anything wrong with it, but it is or should be kind of an energetic hymn and so best left to other church seasons.
You will notice our Advent wreath in church with its three purple candles and one rose candle. We will light each candle on successive weeks to mark the time until Christmas. We begin using Scripture Cycle C readings from now until Christ the King Sunday November 22, 2025.
So here we are, at this time of preparation to remind us to get ready for the second coming of Christ and also, remain awake and aware of Christ’s presence among us now. Come Lord Jesus!