Advent is the period before Christmas to prepare for celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth. It starts the Sunday closest to November 30th. Some churches and families celebrate Advent with special candles, scripture readings, and songs. The Advent season is observed with various traditions and rituals by Roman Catholics, and different liturgical and evangelical groups. This season lasts four Sundays, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It ends on Christmas Eve, marking the start of the official Christmas season, which includes the twelve days of Christmas leading to Epiphany and continues through the first Sunday after Epiphany. Advent is a season of preparation, while Christmas is a season of celebration. Epiphany commemorates the visit of the wise men to worship infant baby Jesus.
The word ‘advent’ means arrival or coming. Christians use it to refer Jesus Christ’s birth and the Second Coming to earth as prophesied in the Bible. Jesus came to earth to save people because we can’t save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can’t eliminate sinful nature present in all of us.
Advent calendars, popular in other countries, count days until Christmas. Many parents in Western homes use them to teach children the true meaning of Christmas, through secular versions also exist. Advent typically features covered windows t hat are opened daily until Christmas. Each open window reveals a season-related picture, poem, Bible verse, or treat.
This festive tradition commonly features evergreen wreaths, branches, and tress. On the first Sunday of Advent, churches and homes are adorned with green to symbolize the eternal life Jesus brings. An Advent green wreath with four colored candles is prominently displayed around a white one in the center. The candles are lit one by one on successive Sundays.
The first candle represents hope or expectation. The remaining three candles have various meanings depending on church tradition. On Christmas Eve, the white candle at the center, known as the Christ Candle, is lit to remind us that Jesus, who is the Light of the world, John 8:12, has come. Churches decorate their sanctuaries with liturgical Advent colors in purple or royal blue.
The season’s joy is further emphasized by switching the color to rose on the third or fourth Sunday. However, many still observe fasting and focus on prayer and penitence. This period is meant to prepare one’s heart for Christmas and the anticipation of Christ’s eventual return and His judgment.
Christians are not bound to observe Advent, and doing so does not enhance one’s standing with God. Whether Christians should observe Advent is a matter of personal conviction. However, celebrating Advent serves as a valuable reminder of the season’s true purpose. The biblical principle in observing feasts or special days is outlined in Romans 14:5-6, “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.” – whether someone observes a special day or treats all days alike, their goal should be to honor God. this reiterates motivation an action is as important as the action itself.
Furthermore whether you follow a particular tradition or not, the Divine will always love you.
