Advent: Light up your soul
During my five years stint in the Philippines — a largely Christian country — it was delightful to witness that Filipinos begin Christmas preparation already by the end of September. In the United States, Christmas holiday season begins after the day of Thanksgiving, which falls on the last Thursday in November (November 24 this year). In many other countries too Christmas carols with Christmas tree and other decorations are out by November end.
While such external preparations mark a most widely celebrated festival both in culturally Christian countries as well as those that are not traditionally Christian, within the Church there is a call for spiritual preparations for Christmas expected of each Christian.
In fact, this specific time to welcome the Christ Child is preceded by four weeks of special prayers, hymns and liturgy, which is known as the Advent season. During this time the readings from the Bible in the Holy Mass are all geared towards proclaiming the birth of the Messiah who is supposed to initiate the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Just as the financial year begins in April in our country, in the Church the new liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent.
The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, “to come to”, and refers to the coming of Christ in three different ways. That is, to Christ’s birth at Christmas; second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.
We are reminded to keep in mind the penitential and preparatory nature of Advent. Sadly though the Advent season these days is almost spent in buying Christmas presents and shopping.
One of the best-known symbols of this season is the Advent wreath. Consisting of four purple and one red candles arranged in a circle with evergreen boughs and often a fifth white candle in the centre for Christmas, the Advent wreath corresponds to the four Sundays of Advent.
The light of the candles signifies the light of Christ, who will come into the world during Christmas. There is also a Christmas Novena, which starts from December 17 in Churches and is recited in families too till December 24. Those who are serious about their spiritual life gather around the Advent Wreath lighting the appropriate candle(s), read from the daily Advent meditation and sing songs.
Be it Lent or Advent or for that matter, preparation for and celebration of any festival in our various religions,
what we need to really focus on is how well we dispose ourselves spiritually to receive God’s love and grace. This alone can help us to let our lives be guided and lived according to the will and plan of God, our creator and
sustainer.
Father Dominic Emmanuel is currently the director of communication of the Delhi Catholic Church.
He can be contacted at frdominic@gmail.com
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