The season of Advent, which begins the Church calendar, is a short time of four weeks before Christmas. Despite its brevity, Advent can be a powerful time to experience God’s grace. The English word Advent from the Latin word Adventus is translated as coming or coming toward. Three comings are recalled in Advent.
The first focuses on the coming of the Lord in glory at the end of time when as we profess in the Creed, “He will judge the living and the dead.” This is His final or last coming in glory when He will show Himself as the Lord of Heaven and Earth and claim the kingdom. The second half of Advent focuses on the coming of the Lord born in human flesh of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea. The second half is a direct and intense preparation for Christmas.
There are certain words associated with the season of Advent: Prepare, Ready, Watch, Awake, Wait, Vigilant, Come, Rend, Show, Do not delay, Stir up, Turn toward us, Rain down, Fear not, Hope, Straighten …. I suggest that during this season of Advent, these words that capture His comings in the past in Bethlehem and in the future, at the end in glory, should find their way into your prayer. They also help focus our Advent preparation on His third coming to us now in Mystery, in the everyday.
We trust that He will come again for which at Mass is prayed, “We wait with joyful hope.” Waiting with hope for the glorious coming at the end and waiting with hope for the many showings of God to us before the glorious showing of the Lord on the last day. Advent is a time to sensitize ourselves to the many and varied “in-breakings” of God into daily life, which are referred to as His coming in Mystery.
God comes, but we may be too busy to notice. God comes, but we may be too self-centered to be aware. God comes, but we may not be ready to know. God comes, but we may not expect Him. God comes, but we have not prepared ourselves to greet Him.
Prepare is the clarion call of John the Baptist, which is heard in Advent to remind us what we are to be about in this season of grace – preparing for the comings of the Lord, at Christmas, at the end of time and in the everyday. The Collect for Mass on Monday of the First Week of Advent prays: “Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we await the advent of Christ your Son, so that when He comes and knocks, He may find us watchful in prayer.” To which we respond, “Amen.” Yes. He has come as the Infant of Bethlehem; He will come again as the Lord of Heaven and Earth. He comes in many situations and persons. Be prepared and watch for Him in the everyday.
Most Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, D.D.
Bishop of Camden