News and Events: Advent

This week is the second week of Advent.  Advent is a latin word meaning 'coming'. Advent is the begining of the liturgical year in the Church.  You could say that it is the Catholic version of New Year's Day. We begin our Church year by looking forward to the birth of the Messiah.

Advent also reminds us that Jesus will come again.  So this season has both the joyful aspect of the anticipation of Christmas combined with the pentitnial aspect of preparing ourselves for the second coming of Jesus. That is why the purple is worn by the priest during Advent.  Purple is the tradition color that symbolizes a pentitial spirit.

So contrary to the popular culture, the Twelve Days of Christmas do not start before December 25th.  Advent is a time when we prepare for the great feast day of Christ's birthday.  Here in our convent we don't put up any Christmas decorations in our chapel until December 24.  Our Christmas tree goes up a week or so before Christmas and stays up until a few days after the New Year.  After all, we are celebrating the Birth of the Messiah.  But we celebrate after He is born, not before.

Regardless of when you begin decorating and celebrating, I hope that this Advent season brings each of you many graces and blessing.