So what IS Advent?

Advent is a season of the liturgical year and is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas and the return of Jesus at the Second Coming. Advent is the beginning of the Western liturgical year. 

The term is adopted from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming" or "arrival", translating into Greek as parousia. (More on this this on December 2nd) the season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: the physical nativity in Bethlehem, the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the Second Coming. The characteristic note of Advent is therefore expectation, rather than penitence, and the fundamental message of Advent prayer remains ‘Maranatha’ – ‘Our Lord, come’ (1 Corinthians 16.22). 

The Four Sundays in Advent each celebrate a different theme, symbolised by the Advent wreath candles, usually three violet or purple and one pink. The pink candle is lit on the Third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday after the opening word, Gaudete which means "Rejoice". (More on this on 1st December!) Some add a fifth candle (white), known as the Christ Candle in the middle of the wreath, to be lit on Christmas Eve or Day. There are a variety of themes represented by the four candles, 

1. The Patriarch's Candle, symbolising hope, with a parallel theme of God's Kingdom
   

   "Rejoice greatly, your king comes to you"  Zechariah 9.9, 10

2. The Prophet's Candle, symbolising faith; with a parallel theme of John the Baptist and preparedness.
   

   "A voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’ So let us listen, and turn to the Lord in penitence and faith."  John 1.23 

3. Shepherds' Candle, symbolising joy; This is rose, the liturgical colour for joy.
   

   "Alleluia, alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."  Isaiah 40.3–5 

4. Angel's Candle, symbolising peace and love, with a parallel theme of the Virgin Mary.
   

   "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Luke 2.14

Advent Prayer

Many Christians use the expression "Maranatha" during the Advent season, a key watchword and prayer among the early Christians. It is an Aramaic word which is a combination of two words “marana - tha” which literally mean “the Lord comes” or in the imperative case “Come, Lord!” Paul the Apostle used this Aramaic word at the end of his First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 16, verse 22: “Come, Lord!” This prayer is related to the prayer Jesus gave his disciples: “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 5: 10; Luke 11:2). When we pray for the Lord’s kingdom to come we ask God to send his Son, the Lord Jesus to come and reign over us as King and Lord of All. We pray for him to come and fulfill his work of redemption – to unite all things in Christ and to make all things new.  

Collects for Advent

Collect for the First Sunday in Advent (from The Church of England)                              

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent (from The Church of England)                         

O Lord, raise up we pray thee thy power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be honour and glory, now and for ever.

Photo by David Tomaseti on Unsplash

Collect for the Third Sunday in Advent (from The Church of England)                                

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee: grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Advent (from The Church of England)                            

O God our redeemer, who didst prepare the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of thy Son: grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour, so we may be ready to greet him when he shall come again to be our judge; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Photo by Janosch Diggelmann on Unsplash