Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. It is a time for reflection in darkness, for renewal of hope and for a movement towards a beginning.
It is a season of expectation and preparation as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ.
The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming”.
Christmas is the season in which we celebrate the arrival of the turning point in God’s plan of redemption— the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. In today’s culture, the Advent season is marked by the four Sundays preceding Christmas, with each assigned a particular theme: first, hope; second, love; third, joy; and fourth, peace.
