On the Liturgical Season of Advent in the Catholic Church

The Liturgical Season of Advent

The liturgical season of Advent begins the liturgical year
in the calendar of the Catholic church. It prepares
Catholics for the feast and commemoration of the birth of
the Christ-Child at Christmas.

The season of Advent is a short liturgical season. It
comprises four Sundays before the feast of Christmas on
December 25. The four Sundays wherein the Advent season
is comprised of are movable unlike other feasts in the
Church like the Immaculate Conception which is always
celebrated on December 8 and Christmas Day which is always
celebrated on December 25.

The significance of Advent

Advent is a time of serious preparation: a time of much
preparation for the coming of Christ. Though the themes of
the readings speak mostly on the first coming of Christ on
Christmas Day, it also includes some themes from the
second coming of Christ. It is in this liturgical
atmosphere of waiting and anticipation that Christians are
called to prepare themselves for Christ's coming: not only
for the commemoration of the Christmas season but also
for His second coming when He will come to save us
completely from our sinful situation.

Reconciliation as a preparation

Much of the preparation done during this Advent season
has to do also with the sacrament of reconciliation. As
the Church lights the four Advent candles on the Advent
wreath to signify the awaiting of Christ's coming and the
joy of finally receiving Him in our presence on Christmas
day, Catholics are called everywhere to return to God and
prepare themselves for His coming. One of the readings of
the Advent season is John the Baptist calling people to turn
from their sinful ways and to repent. It is thus a fitting
opportunity for all Catholics to go to the sacrament of
reconciliation and reconcile themselves back to God through
the Church.

The Advent wreath and the four Advent candles

Catholics all over the world know that it is Advent because
of the presence of the Advent wreath with its four candles
in the altar area of the Church. The four Advent candles
represent the four Sundays of Advent: the first two are violet,
the third is pink or rose, and the last is violet. Violet or
purple, like the liturgical color used also for the Lenten
season, signifies preparation, penance and reconciliation. The
third candle is colored rose or pink, to signify the tradition
of the third Sunday of Advent, classically called Gaudete
Sunday. This Sunday emphasizes the theme of joy and
expectation, since the coming of the Christ-child is nearing.
There is a more joyful and expectant awaiting involved in the
theme of the readings.

The Advent readings

The Advent readings revolve around the 3-year liturgical cycle
of readings: cycle A, B and C. In year A or cycle A, the first
readings of the Mass are taken from the book of the prophet
Isaiah. The second readings are taken from the letter to the
Romans and from the letter of James. Then the gospel readings
are taken from the gospel of Matthew.

For year B or cycle B, the first readings of the Mass are taken
from the book of the prophet Isaiah and the second book of
Samuel. The second readings are varied, as they are taken from
1 Corinthians, 2 Peter, 1 Thessalonians, and Romans. The
gospel readings are also varied as they are taken from: Mark,
John and Luke.

For year C or cycle C, the first readings are taken from the
book of the prophets: Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah, and Micah.
The second readings are taken from Philemon, Hebrews, and
1 Thessalonians. As for the gospel readings, the whole four
Sundays of Advent, cycle C, are taken from the gospel of Luke.