1st Sunday of Advent

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is a four-week season in which we prepare for the celebration of the coming of the Lord. It is a dual anticipation in that we prepare for celebrating our commemoration of the Birth of Jesus over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, and we also prepare for his Second Coming at the end of time. The word “advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming.” Advent is a time full of reflection, excitement, and hope. Advent is also a season in which we should be particularly mindful of our need for repentance and good works as we listen to the long-ago cry of John the Baptist: “Prepare the way of the Lord!”

In place of an Advent Parish Mission this year, I am inviting our parishioners and guests to participate in a spiritual journey called “The Search.” At all Masses this weekend, we are distributing copies of the book, “The Search” by Chris Stefanick. This book accompanies a series of 30-minute videos that are accessible through our parish subscription to Formed (go to www.formed.org to set up your personal log in at no cost). For the past several years we have lived with unprecedented changes and unprecedented challenges, not least of which has been the social upheaval caused by the coronavirus. But there are even more fundamental questions perhaps tugging at our hearts. Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want? How do I relate to God? “The Search” is a search for meaning and for answers to these and other questions. During this Advent season I invite you to join “The Search” and discover a greater understanding of your own life, and a greater appreciation for others who are likewise engaged in a search for meaning.

In addition to prayerful reflection and introspection, we see certain liturgical changes during the season of Advent. Most noticeable is that the priest and deacon wear purple (violet) colored vestments and the “Gloria” is omitted at Sunday Mass, although the “Alleluia Verse” is still sung just prior to the proclamation of the Gospel (unlike during Lent when the “Alleluia Verse” is omitted). In our church and in many homes, it is common to have an Advent Wreath. Traditionally, the Advent Wreath is a circle of evergreen branches. Both the evergreen branches and the circular shape are symbolic of eternity. The circle, without beginning or end, reflects the eternal existence of God who is without beginning or end, and is a physical representation of God’s eternal love for us.

The Advent Wreath has four colored candles three purple for the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent, and one rose (pink) candle for the third Sunday. Sometimes a fifth candle that is white is placed in the center of the wreath for Christmas. The candles represent coming as the light in the darkness. One candle is lit each Sunday until all four candles are lit. Each of the candles represents an aspect of preparation during the season of Advent. The First Sunday, a purple candle is lit and it is the Candle of Hope. On the Second Sunday, a second purple candle is lit and it is the Candle of Peace. On the Third Sunday, the rose (pink) candle is lit and this is the Candle of Joy. Finally, on the Fourth Sunday, another purple candle is lit and this is the Candle of Love. Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love these are at the heart of the Advent season.