First Sunday in Advent

Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming (adventus) of Christ in his incarnation, and also looks ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time. The readings and liturgies not only direct us towards Christ’s birth, they also challenge the modern reluctance to confront the theme of divine judgement:

Every eye shall now behold him

robed in dreadful majesty.

(Charles Wesley)

The characteristic note of Advent is expectation, rather than penitence, although the character of the season is easily coloured by an analogy with Lent.  The appropriate sense of alert watchfulness, is important in Advent and there the main prayer is ‘Maranatha’ – ‘Our Lord, come’ (1 Corinthians 16.22).

In the northern hemisphere, the Advent season falls at the darkest time of the year, and the natural symbols of darkness and light are powerfully at work throughout Advent and Christmas. The lighting of candles on an Advent wreath was imported into Canada via Britain from northern Europe in the nineteenth century, and is now a common practice.

There is always a lot going on in Advent as we prepare for Christmas, see our liturgies and events here.