Advent is a season of preparation that has a twofold purpose. Advent begins with Evening Prayer I of the Sunday falling on or closest to 30 November and ends before evening prayer I of Christmas. We prepare ourselves not only for the coming joy of our celebration of the birth of the Christ child; we also prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of Christ.
For Catholics, Advent is the beginning of the new liturgical year. The seasons of that year have always led me on a journey with Christ each year, and I gain so much in the consistency of the seasons and readings. We begin with Advent, awaiting the birth of Christ, then celebrate the Christmas Octave and season, Epiphany, and then soon begins Lent, in preparation for Easter. Then, after the Easter season ends with Pentecost, we have the bulk of Ordinary Time until the end of the liturgical year, and Advent again.
The readings at Mass reflect these times in the life of Christ. They take us through his birth, baptism, ministry, Passion, Death, and Resurrection. I find Advent and Lent especially to be times that help me prepare to meet Jesus in deeper and more profound ways.
Many Christian denominations celebrate Advent, perhaps in ways a little different from those of us who observe a liturgical calendar and cycle. But the focus, the point, is to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/advent-rediscovered-by-southern-baptists/
We will have posts for each Sunday of Advent, beginning this weekend. I ask that you save political comments for the other posts. Please, give people a place to think about and discuss something else. I hope these posts will be an aid to all who stop in here during this busy season, an invitation to take a moment and find the reason we prepare for Christmas.
What began as intellectual curiosity of the Catholic faith, has become an incredible journey of fulfillment. I’m in the process of conversion. I have a grateful heart.
God bless you and your journey. You will not be disappointed.
I don’t know what is taught in RCIA and do not want to interfere, but…
Learn about the Saints…my favorites are, after Our Lady….St. Bernadette (an incorruptible who’s eyes saw the Blessed Mother), St. Francis, St. Anthony, Padre Pio and St. Christopher. Before I go to work, I say a short prayer…”St. Joseph, keep my house safe, St. Francis, keep my critters safe, St. Christopher, guard my commute and Mary keep me in your mantle”.
If I am looking for something, St. Anthony always helps me find it. Always…
I am a cradle catholic…and learned of the angels, saints and our Lady…all of whom are powerful intercessors in our daily lives. There are many times, that I believe I was ‘saved’ on the highways, by divine intervention…the most recent was last Monday, when sideswiped by a huge truck, at 60 mph, sandwiched between it and a car merging onto an expressway.
May this Advent be especially impactful for you.
Like you Aggiegirl, by birth , during my older age now..I reflect on where I’ve started and where I am now a lot 😀.. when I was young.. I would hope for 2 things in my life.. find a good steady job.. and a wonderful wife .. 😀… at 30 I married and started teaching school.. both wishes fulfilled 😀👍..all could not happen w/out God’s Blessing 🙏👍..and I thank Him everyday 🙏👍
🇺🇸💪😀👍
I like St Teresa of Avila the best. Her book Interior Castles was a major guide along my spiritual journey.
Have you ever gone to Avila and see her ring finger? We lived in Spain a few years and had the opportunity to visit Avila. Wonderful experience bestowed on us by God.
I am not Catholic, but I do pray to St. Anthony and he is pretty cool I have to say. Amazing the things he has helped me find.
And there is nothing like the feeling of Divine Intervention.
Happy Adventing Aggiegirl.
Convert here…45 years.
Your conversion will never end, only grow more fulfilling.
God bless you.
If you love music, I suggest listening to Handel’s Messiah. The first part is the “Christmas” part, the story of the birth of Jesus. The text are the readings you hear in church during Advent. And no, Halleluiah chorus is in the second part, the Death and Resurrection. The last aria for bass and trumpet is a dialog between the two: The Trumpet Shall Sound” hope to the world. A true masterpiece written by Handel in 24 days!! It has to have been divine intervention.
“Said” by Handel himself upon completing his masterpiece:
‘Upon completing it, Handel cried, “I think that I did see all heaven before me and the great God Himself!” ‘
(quoted from The History of Handel’s Messiah at https://www.christchurchmemphis.org/stories/history-of-handels-messiah)
This work is so sublime that I am convinced that it is on the continuous performance list of the Heavenly orchestra and choir.
I’m so happy for you sonoftrump! May your spiritual journey and conversion always bring you great happiness and provide you with a closer relationship with God as it has for me as a cradle Catholic. I truly love everything about the fullness of our faith because of how it teaches and aids us through active participation to help us give glory and focus on God in our daily lives to bring us closer to Him.
I’m sure you’re discovering there’s so much rich history that helps nourish our souls. It amazes me how much. I’m still discovering after years of Catholic education and upbringing. Whether it’s scripture, the sacraments, traditions or devotions they’re all glorious gifts from our Heavenly Father that come to life as we practice our faith. They sure help me to never feel separated from Him and I pray you will feel that too. Many times I’m overcome with emotion during Mass that I can’t hold back the tears. It’s a feeling hard to describe but whether it’s Mass, Adoration or alone time, church is my happy place. May the peace and joy of Advent and Christmas be with you and everyone else here at CTH always!
While Advent brings us contemplation of life and our own blessings…and contemplation of the journey that leads us to our salvation, it is also an opportunity to contemplate on Our Blessed Lady, the Mother of Our Savior and her participation in our salvation. She is a very important part of Advent., as is St. Joseph. The roles each played, in our salvation…the poor and unobtrusive little and Holy family. Our Lady depended on her husband, chosen by God, to be the protector of her and the Baby Jesus.
Our Lady has many titles and the Immaculate Conception is one and Feast Day. We honor Our Lady. We worship Our Lord. My grandmother was very devoted to Our Lady, so advent brings back memories of her teaching me about my faith and the Mother of Our Savior.
As a Catholic school girl…I remember the nuns teaching us, what I am not sure if it is true or not, that the only time there had been true Peace on Earth…was the moment the Savior was born.
As we begin the journey and contemplation…I wish all, especially Menagerie…peace, joy and love…and special Thank You, Menagerie.
According to my Chocolate Advent calendar, it’s already Christmas Eve.
LOL, I am not a Catholic. However, I have always followed the seasona of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our Advent calendar is not chocolate. It seems that I have been using the wrong kind. My search begins for one similar to yours.
Highly recommended … we’ve enjoyed the annual versions of this for a decade: https://www.jacquielawson.com/advent/paris
I am a cradle Catholic also and my mother grew up in communist Slovenia. Old Country Catholic for sure.
Thank you Angie and especially Menagerie.
May god bless and keep you all safe.
A really really old catholic here still looking forward to Saint Nicolas coming.
✝️🙏💕
cross posted at https://freedomaustralia.freeforums.net/thread/6392/why-celebrate-advent
This is a post that ‘links’ the video about Advent to an Australian directed site.
It can be truthfully said, Advent arrives ‘early’ in Australia because of the time difference. … Plus, Saint Claus wears sunscreen at Christmas time. [And, a >modest bathing suit!] … Advent is for everyone.
Than you, thank you, thank you for remiknding me to focus on important events in my life.
There have only been 89 advents in my life and just a few more, the Lord willing.
Favor trumps money – time, posessions,
Let us start each day right.
Thank you, treehouse
builders and
dwellers
Thirteen years of Catholic school education and this is the best, easiest to comprehend explanation of Advent I’ve read. It’s a good reminder for this lapsed Catholic. Thanks, Menagerie.
‘
👍
I so enjoy focusing on Advent, the Nativity, then Christmastime and Epiphany. Last year I set up a timeline for my grandkids: Joseph and Mary moved toward the center from the right, while the Magi moved from further out on the left. The 🌟 was in the center, and baby Jesus was added when we got home from Midnight Mass.
We have so much Good News to share, and so many people have great burdens to live with. One of the most beautiful things I’ve been inspired to do is to keep a journal of blessings during a horrific period in my life when I watched two of my grandchildren, born prematurely, die over a 3 week period. That journal enabled me to see God’s handiwork in the kindness of strangers, the power of fellowship and prayer, the amazing ripple effect those little twins had, etc. Today, it serves as a beautiful way of sharing my faith without being too preachy. I’m simply telling a story. I encourage everyone reading to think about your story. How has God worked personally in your life?
Happy Advent, Treepers.
As a confessional Lutheran, I share the historic liturgical calendar with the Roman Catholic faith. My congregation has the tradition of hosting a soup and bread supper Wed. evenings followed by our Advent Vespers service.
The first Sunday in Advent is also titled “Ad Te Levavi” which mean “Unto thee I lift up my soul” and is based on the Psalm 25 verses used in the Introit. Below is a link to one of the many YouTube videos you can find where this beautiful chant is being sung. Each of the four Sundays in Advent have a different name which is based on the Introit for that day.
Thank you. I hope many people will enjoy the Advent posts, and just pause during all the holiday rush to really prepare what matters, our heart.
I don’t intend these posts to be addressed to Catholics, but to offer something of value to all Christians. I hope more people will share their own Advent traditions with us.
Thank you; not a member of the Catholic practice of Christianity, but am a practicing Christian, one of those individuals for whom it appears ‘churches have left in the dust by their embrace of woke ideologies’, have always found both Advent and Lent to be the defining moments of preparation to receive the true gifts of both Christmas and Easter.
Looking forward to sharing in this thread as we all prepare for the birth of Christ.
I agree and appreciate your efforts. Satan and his minions hate music so play your favorite Advent hymns loud and proud. Sing along too even if it makes your dog whine as mine does…his attempt at singing???!!! Lutheran Public Radio is now playing Advent hymns and is one source of this wonderful music.
https://lutheranpublicradio.org/
Not Lutheran myself, but the above link bookmarked for music and podcasts of interest. Would’ve never known without you, Linda – thank you.
you are very welcome. I’m glad you found the link useful.
💕🙏✝️
Nice.
Thank you Menagerie!!
The Sunday readings change tone during Advent. The first two weeks point toward the Second Coming of Christ, as judge at the end of time. The Sunday readings then point toward his coming as a man at Christmas to culminate at his Passion to redeem us so we can be with him at the end of time.
Retired Magistrate here: The little church that we used to go to is getting ready to shut it’s doors. So we are now attending a different church which does celebrate Advent; our former church did not.
When I was growing up our family attended a church that did celebrate Advent and I have missed the anticipation and preparation over the years because the churches my husband and I did attend did not celebrate Advent. So tomorrow starts a new chapter-the first Sunday of Advent and the start of the season of joy and celebrating the birth of my Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST.
Warm holiday wishes for Retired Magistrate Marcia!
Blessings during this Advent season! 🙏✝️
Pagan to me but God is the judge.
He decides whether to accept different ways of worshipping him
What is Pagan by preparing for celebrating the birth of Jesus?
Just another day like every other in which we should be doing God’s work.
Thank you for getting the “word” out. It helps me realize what is important in life.
Lord God,
only you can see into my heart and know
that under all the busy-ness of my life,
there is a deep longing
to make this Advent one that welcomes you
more deeply into my own life.
My heart desires the warmth of your love
and my mind searches for your Light
in the midst of the darkness.
Help me to be a peacemaker this Advent
and to give special love to those
who disagree with me.
Give me the strength and courage
to forgive those who have hurt me.
Help me to free my heart
from the prison of my anger and hurt.
I am confident the Lord hears prayers such as yours. Lord answer Covertly Astute in a way that only You can.
One of my favorite ways to celebrate Advent – is to meditate on an alphabetical list of the names and attributes of GOD – Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I was inspired and started my list using The Wonderful Names of Our Wonderful God – a little book that I love so much.
I’ve listed and altered them according to the 26 letters of the alphabet. Please feel free to add any I’ve missed.
So – today I’ll post my list for the Letter A – and then one letter per day until the Letter Z and a bonus post for Christmas Day!
Meditating on our Great I AM GOD has been a comfort to me through our family’s long journey caring for our daughter, who was diagnosed 40 years ago a progressive neurodegenerative disease called Friedreich’s Ataxia.
A week before Thanksgiving, she was diagnosed with recurrent inoperable cancer – likely a recurrence of the ovarian cancer she had in 2017 – and I’ll probably be taking her home from the hospital today and hospice care.
If she wants to do it, we are going to try the alternative cancer therapy (Ivermectin, Fenbendazole, Hydroxychloroquine, vitamins and minerals recommended by holistic, functional medicine doctors. Just know that each of those names and attributes of GOD has been life, strength, anchorage for me through all those 4o years.
Please feel free to reply with any additions or a testimony of how GOD has been real to you through an experience or deliverance or comfort in one of HIS Names or Attributes!
~~~~~~~
✝️💜 ALPHABET ADVENT CALENDAR
A – Adonai, Almighty, Alpha, Ancient of Days, Advocate, Able, Avenger, Abba, Authority, Anointed, All-knowing, All-powerful, All-seeing, Author and Finisher of our Faith, Angel of the Lord, Abiding, All in All, Apostle, Altogether Lovely, Anchor for our souls.
Peace and blessings 🙏🏼💕
My Grandfather, Reverend William T Griffiths, gave me the gift of being a Congregationalist. Advent was always a special time and we moved through the liturgical calender with his guidance. As people can imagine, Catholicism was not our focus..
I enjoy my Welsh Congregationalist faith and love that all of us get to discuss everyone’s deep relationship with God here. This is a special group of people and I truly believe the prayers here have helped keep me alive these past several weeks.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this with us, Sundance.
Spiritually uplifting!
🙏🏻
Someone suggested reading one chapter of the Gospel according to Luke each day starting December 1st. By Christmas Eve you will have read all 24 chapters of Christ’s life on Earth.
Thank you for this wonderful idea … I will do this – plus, encourage several in my family that would be open to it!
Each of our journeys in life bring many tragedies and blessings. I for one have needed the grace and love of our Lord so many times. Through my faults and sins and abject stupidity I continue to struggle in this world. His grace, love and blessings continue to amaze me and lift me up each and every day. I put all my rocks in his hands and he does without a doubt lighten my burden.
I look forward with bent knee and head bowed just to see the light He will cast upon us in eternal salvation . Thank you Menagerie for opening and sharing this each year for us Treepers.
May God bless us all and keep us safe. Amen Amen! 🙏🏽❤️❤️
I need the full time of Advent to “prepare him room” that’s for sure.
Thank you for the spiritual reminder, Menagerie. I really needed it this year.
Above, AggieGirl wanted to know whether the claim, which she had heard from nuns in her Catholic school, that the only time when peace had reigned over the earth, was at the time of Christ’s birth, was true.
The Pax Romana – established by the first emperor, Augustus – did indeed bring peace, most of the time, from the Danube to the northern border of the Sahara, and from Spain to the Persian border. To be sure, there were interruptions, the worst being the loss of three legions in northern Germany, in what is now known as the Teutoburg Forest, around A.D. 9.
The best imperial period was the nearly 100 years of the 5 Good Emperors, from Nerva to Marcus Aurelius, i.e. A.D. 96-180.
So, the nuns were not completely wrong, if you restrict “the world” to the “Roman World” at the time of Jesus.
One can assume that typical tribal conflicts happened throughout sub-Saharan Africa and throughout the Americas.
The History of the Catholic Church begins with Jesus and the Disciples, but especially with the manically energetic, “13th Apostle,” Saint Paul, who is responsible for expanding Christianity to non-Jews and organizing them into communities throughout the eastern Mediterranean and into Rome itself.
As the church’s history deals with human beings, it is a most salient and amazing story of sacrifice and error, of piety and apostasy, of saving lives and of murder, of persecutions of Christians and of persecutions by Christians, of unity and of division.
What is amazing through the 2000+ years is that Catholic doctrine has endured, despite corrupt and even murderous popes and bishops. The basics of the Faith of the Apostle’s Creed have not changed or been changed: corrupt clergy seemed more interested in their treasure chests or their beds – or both – than in changing basic doctrines.
To be sure, we see corrupt and compromised clergy today, starting with a man who may be an illicit anti-pope, and Christ’s teachings are under attack via “modern interpretations” of those doctrines, i.e. twisting bad into good, or at least not bad.
Of course, Catholicism is not the only church experiencing these attacks, as Religion in general is in a War waged by Communists and Governments.
Fortunately, there are clergymen, nuns, sisters, and laity who are standing firm against these corrupt people.
In my 70 + years I have known and worked with priests who were living saints and priests who were terrible people.
One of the nicest, most generous priests in my experience ended up committing suicide because of a claim that he had abused somebody 30 years earlier. Another priest’s life was ruined because of such a charge from a 90 + -year-old woman in a nursing home, who – after seeing things on television – was positive that her deceased son had been abused over 50 years earlier by him.
The hierarchy of the Catholic Church deserves blame for shielding guilty clergy from their punishment, but also for not defending innocent priests from clearly false charges.
In any case, despite these events past and present, what remains is the Truth of our Faith, that God united with Humanity in the person of Jesus Christ, Who offers us something unimaginable in a second life beyond our limited understanding!
And the beginning of His Life is what we celebrate in Advent!
Thank you Menagerie!
Because of you….a new Christmas Tradition was
started in my home.
I already have my Advent calendar for this year,
and I am looking forward to your posts!
Happy Yule.
Spiritual: 🙏🕊️
Advent Season- celebrating the coming of Jesus.
Political: 🙏🇺🇲
Celebrating Divine Intervention in the incoming U.S. administration.
Peace, joy and prosperity.
🙏🌎✝️
Thank you so much for that reminder of Advent. It tends become forgotten over time, sadly.
I love Advent! Such a beautiful and prayer-filled time that allows us to slow down the rush toward Christmas.
I spend the first week thoroughly cleaning the house and front porch, then a prayerful interior cleaning to prepare for the coming of Christ. The second week is spent gathering up things I will need to make our home a welcoming place for the Lord, family and friends. Then on Guadete Sunday (the third week), when the light outshines the darkness) the tree goes up and the decorating begins. During the fourth week, we are extra attentive to prayer and enjoying a calm few days before the big celebration begins.
I also love reading about all the wonderful saints whose feast days are in December.
Love these posts, Menagerie!
Thanks for writing them.
One of the family traditions associated with Advent were the stunningly beautiful German advent calendars, similar to the (simpler) one below. Each day we opened another door into the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, behind which was a Bible verse related to the season.
I note there aren’t as many religious themed calendars in recent years as there once were.
https://www.alpenschatz.com/collections/german-advent-calendars
Thank you for doing this, Menagerie. I am also a Catholic. I finished a novena for PDJT today and am sure many others were and are continuing to pray for team MAGA. I am grateful for this time of reflection. When one thinks of it, the whole Old Testament is one big, long Advent, isn’t it? Nice to see many other Catholics and people of faith on this site. May you all be specially blessed this Advent.
Wishing all Treepers a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas!
I always feel more like at church here than often when I am sitting in a church. I also learn lots more, and love reading about everyone’s experiences and stories.