Today marks a very special day in the life of the Church. It’s a day when we not only begin a new liturgical year, but it is also a day when we begin an extraordinary time of grace. Today, we begin the Season of Advent, a season when we focus on waiting and hopeful expectation for the Second Coming of Jesus. In the final week of this time, that waiting will change as we transition to remember the birth of the Messiah at Christmas. In fact, that brings us to the very meaning of the word Advent.

The name for this season in the Church comes from the Latin word “advenire”: ad- meaning to, venire meaning “come.” It is where we also get the word adventus, meaning arrival. Pope Benedict XVI once shared in a homily marking the beginning of this season that, “in the language of the ancient world, [Advent] was a technical term used to indicate the arrival of an official or the visit of the king or emperor to a province.” So when we look at that from a Christian perspective, we can apply that same idea to Jesus.

The Holy Father said: “Jesus is the King who entered this poor ‘province’ called ‘earth’ to pay everyone a visit; he makes all those who believe in him participate in his Coming, all who believe in his presence in the liturgical assembly. The essential meaning of the word adventus was: God is here, he has not withdrawn from the world, he has not deserted us. Even if we cannot see and touch him as we can tangible realities, he is here and comes to visit us in many ways.”[1]

As Christians we are awaiting the arrival of Jesus who is still to come. We are awaiting Jesus’ return in glory with a sense of hope and joy because that return will bring all of God’s plans for the world to completion. But we also recognize that Jesus continues to be with us in and through the Sacraments that the Church provides, that He continues to call us into relationship with Him so that we might be prepared for when He does return. That is the purpose of this season.

Even the symbols that we use during this time in the Church remind us of that reality. The color of vestments that the priest wears have changed; we now wear the color of purple. In the Church whenever we use this color, it symbolizes penance, preparation, and sacrifice. But it also is the color of hope and expectation of something yet to come.

The Advent wreath, which we will bless and light in a few moments, is also full of symbolism, meaning that should fill us with a sense of hope that God always fulfills His promises. Christians have been using the Advent wreath for more than a thousand years to remind us about that faithfulness of God, that He will remain with us and will bring to completion all those promises that He made throughout Scripture.

If we look at the wreath’s circular shape, it has no beginning or end, which symbolizes God’s presence among us for Eternity, that He has no beginning or end. It also points us to a recognition that God’s love for us has that same eternal characteristic, most beautifully expressed in the everlasting life that Jesus’ sacrifice promises to us as His disciples.

Even the different types of branches that are traditionally used in Advent wreaths communicate something to us. We use branches from evergreen trees, trees that remain green even during the coldest and darkest days of winter, to convey the message that God is always with us, that Christ’s love remains fresh and strong, that He never abandons us, even in moments of darkness, sorrow, doubt, confusion.

Traditional wreaths also sometimes include laurel and holly branches. The laurel branch was an ancient symbol of victory, gives us the theological importance of the first Christmas as well as the importance of the sacrifice made by Jesus on the Cross, reminding us that Christ came to bring victory over sin, death, and the power of the Evil One. Likewise, the holly branches with their small, prickly edges make us remember the Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus on the Cross.

The four candles of the wreath represent the four weeks of Advent, each with their own special meaning. The first candle, known as the Prophecy Candle with the theme of hope; the second, the Bethlehem Candle, symbolizing peace and preparation; the third, the Shepherd’s candle, marking joy; the fourth, the Angel’s Candle with the theme of love. Each of the candles are lit to represent Christ himself, who is the light of the world, who shows us how we are called to live as His disciples. We light the candles gradually throughout Advent because we know that the joy of salvation doesn’t come fully into our lives all at once, that it builds steadily. These things remind us that our Christian life is a journey and our relationship with the Lord is constantly being refreshed and renewed.[2]

These are the themes and the messages that we are being invited to reflect on throughout this Advent season. These aren’t just symbols with no meaning or purpose – they point us to a much deeper reality; they have deep significance for us. Ultimately, they remind us of who we are looking forward to. They point us to the love that God has for each of us, that He was willing to send His Son into the world to offer us His salvation. That Jesus, who came to us as a tiny child, as a defenseless baby placed in a manger, He is the One that all humanity has waited for, the One who brought us the greatest gift of redemption and the promise of Eternal Life with the Father. He is the King whose return we await.

This season, let’s dive more deeply into that hope and joy-filled expectation that Christ will return. May this be a time of preparation and transformation for us, that the Lord might prepare our hearts so that we might welcome Christ anew at Christmas.

[1] Pope Benedict XVI, Homily for the Celebration of First Vespers of Advent. Given Saturday, 28 November 2009, Vatican City. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20091128_vespri-avvento.html

[2] Information adapted from “Multiple Symbols in the Advent Wreath,” in Homily Packs, 1st Sunday of Advent (B) on ePriest.com.

Photo: Hope by Kelly Sikkema. Used under Unsplash license.

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