Advent is a rich liturgical season celebrated in the church and especially among monastics, as a preparation for the coming of the Lord. Advent offer a critique of our consumer approach to Christmas. It is a time to go inward, to open our hearts to the birth of Christ. Advent invites us to discover those inclinations in our inner and outer lives that may impede this Holy Birth.
Here are some offerings to help your preparation for the coming of the Lord:
Technically Advent is a penitential season: the liturgical color is purple. But there can be a distinction in that color – it often tends toward a mid-night blue. Like the clear midnight blue of the sky, Advent anticipates a new dawn, the coming of Christ, the Prince of Peace. So the penitential aspect here is more of a cleaning out, making room and preparing a space for the arrival of a new birth. Any sacrifice is marked with anticipation and joy.
