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The Season of Advent
The Season of Advent
The season of Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year. It begins in late November or early December - four weeks before Christmas.
Advent is a period during which Christians wait in hope and prepare for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
Advent is a period during which Christians wait in hope and prepare for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
A Season of Preparation
A Season of Preparation
Scripture readings and music at Advent Masses, speak of adherents' expectation, their longing for the coming of the Messiah and their desire for his second coming (CCC, #525). John the Baptist prepared the Jews for the beginning of Jesus' ministry. He preached a baptism of repentance and forgiveness. The Church invites Christians to prepare for Christ's coming in the same way.
Symbols
Symbols
The Advent wreath symbolises waiting in hope for the birth of Jesus.
As a new candle is lit at each Sunday Mass before Christmas, to serve as a reminder that Christ's coming is drawing closer.
The Church uses the colour purple during Advent to remind people of the importance of preparing for the birth of Jesus by being genuinely sorry for their wrong-doings and failings and being committed to lead better lives.
The ritual of Christmas
The ritual of Christmas
Origins
Origins
Christians celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25, even though no one knows the true birth date of Jesus. This is a major feast in the liturgical year, second only to Easter. It commemorates the incarnation or coming of Christ as a human being.
The celebration of Christmas originated in Rome and dates back to around 330 CE. At that time, the Romans celebrated the birthday of the sun god on December 25 in the middle of winter. By choosing that date to celebrate Christmas, the Church turned an existing celebration into a Christian one.
Liturgy
Liturgy
The Feast of Christmas has four traditional Masses: the Vigil Mass and the Masses at midnight, dawn and during the day. Unlike other feasts, the readings for the four Masses are the same every year. The theme of the readings progresses with the time of day.
... from the theme of expectation, to the narrative of Christ's birth, to the proclamation to the shepherds and their presence and witness, to the overarching eternal plan of God.
... from the theme of expectation, to the narrative of Christ's birth, to the proclamation to the shepherds and their presence and witness, to the overarching eternal plan of God.
- T. Carson et al., New Catholic Encyclopaedia, 'Christmas and its Cycle', Volume 3, p.555
- T. Carson et al., New Catholic Encyclopaedia, 'Christmas and its Cycle', Volume 3, p.555
The Ritual
The Ritual
Four Masses are celebrated for the feast of Christmas, and each is given its own set of readings to help adherents contemplate Christ's birth.
The Gospel for the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve is taken from the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew.
The Mass at midnight proclaims the birth of Jesus using the Gospel of Luke.
The Mass at dawn on Christmas morning continues the story of the birth of Jesus as found in Luke's Gospel through the shepherds' visit to the infant Jesus.
In each of these Gospel readings, the congregation hear portions of the Infancy Narratives with which all are familiar.
The Gospel for the Christmas Mass during the day is taken from the beginning of John's Gospel, but this Gospel is not an Infancy Narrative like those found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Instead, John's Gospel begins at the beginning, as it were, and presents the Creation story as the framework for announcing the Incarnation.
John's opening words, “In the beginning . . .,” echo the opening verse of the Book of Genesis.
This framework invites people to view Jesus' birth from God's perspective. Each of the Gospels makes clear that Jesus' birth was the result of God's initiative. However, John's Gospel highlights that this was the divine intention from the very beginning, from the moment of Creation.
PRAYER
PRAYER
The opening prayer at the midnight Mass is particularly striking. It takes up the theme of darkness and light and implies that Jesus is the 'true sun' who brings new life.
SYMBOLS
SYMBOLS
The Church uses white to symbolise the joyful and celebratory nature of Christmas. Carols are sung as well as hymns, offering thanksgiving to God for the birth of Jesus. Churches are generally decorated with symbols, such as the nativity scene and the Christmas tree. These remind people that the Son of God took on our human nature and was born in humble circumstances to bring life to the world.
LINKS TO READINGS
LINKS TO READINGS
Christmas - Morning
Christmas - Morning
How long does Christmas go for?
How long does Christmas go for?
The Christmas season ends in early January with the feast of the Epiphany which celebrates the homage paid to the infant Jesus by the three wise men from the East. On the feast of the Epiphany, Catholics celebrate that Jesus, the Son of God, is the saviour of the whole world, and that salvation is for everyone, whether rich, powerful or poor (CCC, #528).
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