Christian Education: What is Advent?

In preparation for activities here at Providence for the Advent Season I was reviewing some of my old files from years past. I came across this great article that was given to me in one of my Christian Education classes at Presbyterian College. My notes do not indicate the source of the article so I can’t acknowledge the author properly.

What is Advent?

The Advent Season is a special season in the church year and should not be confused with the Christmas Season. While it is true the commercial world is busily preparing for Christmas, the Church is celebrating Advent. So what exactly is Advent?

Advent is the first season in the Church year. The Church year, or liturgical year, is divided into several seasons of different lengths. As we said above, Advent is the first, Christmas is second, Epiphany next, then Lent, Holy Week, and Pentecost. Then follows the time known as Ordinary Time. Each season of the liturgical year has an emphasis. The emphasis of the Advent Season is patient waiting and preparation for the coming of the Christ.

The word Advent simply means “coming” in Latin. As Christians this has a special dual meaning for us. First of all, Advent is the season before Christmas when we celebrate the coming of the Babe of Bethlehem. In this sense it is a season that recognizes the world’s long wait before the Christ came. It also signifies our need to prepare and be ready for the Second Coming of our Lord. Thus in Advent we recognize the importance of the coming of Jesus to save the world and His expected return as the Lord and Judge of the world.

Because Advent is a special season in the Church, it has a special liturgical color. The color used during Advent is purple. Purple signifies the royalty of Jesus, who was born of the royal family of David and who is also of the royal house of heaven. We use purple to remind us of the royalty of Christ and His Lordship in our lives.

How did Advent become a Church season? It is not the oldest of the Christian holidays. Easter is the oldest. In fact Advent is about the youngest of the official Church seasons. It was not until after Christmas became a Christian holiday that Advent became a Christian season. Advent was originally celebrated in either France or Spain, and lasted forty days, just like Lent. As it gained acceptance in the Church, the season was shortened to the four week it lasts at present. It has always been a season of preparation and prayer for the coming of the Christ.

The Advent Season is divided in four distinct weeks. The first week is Prophecy Week. This week emphasizes the Old Testament prophesies concerning the coming of the Christ. The second week is Bethlehem Week. Bethlehem Week emphasizes God’s working out of His purpose in history through one family. Shepherd Week is the third week, and it recognizes the shepherds who not only came to worship Christ, but also left the stable to tell the world about the Saviour. The fourth week is Angel Week. Angel Week reminds us of the abiding presence of God in our lives. These four weeks lead up to Christmas Day and the holiday celebrating the birth of the Son of God.

Like all seasons in the Church year, there are special hymns written just for Advent. Probably the best known of these hymns is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which is a collection of short verses, or antiphons, chanted in the early Church and translated by John Mason Neale. This memorable hymn is set to the music of the 15th Century French Processional, whose lilting notes lent themselves admirably to the stately words. Among the other Advent Hymns are “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” by Charles Wesley, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” “Watchman, Tell Us of the Night,” and “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates.”

As you can see, Advent us a special time in the Church year. It reminds all of us not only of the coming of the Babe of Bethlehem, but it reminds us of the return of the Lord to judge the world. Advent is a time for us to pray and prepare for our coming King. It is a joyful season that emphasizes the love and the majesty of God.

I hope this article about Advent helped you ponder this time of year as we wait for the coming of Christ. We hope to see each and every one of you here at Providence as we celebrate the Advent Season together as a church family.

Blessings to you and your family,

Rosie Robinson