CHRIST-MASS PREP

With the Thanksgiving Holiday behind us, we have nothing in the way between now and Christmas. This weekend marks the beginning of our new liturgical year and our Advent preparation for Christmas. The word “ADVENT” is from the Latin ”Adventus” for "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of

preparation for Christmas. Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, (November 30) and continuing until December 24. During the Advent season the faithful remember the first coming of Christ over 2000 years ago and prepare and anticipate the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia. The color purple used in the celebration of the Advent liturgies blend themes of Jesus’ royalty, as our gracious King of Kings and the call of Jesus to penance and conversion.

Since the 900s Advent has been considered the beginning of the Church’s Liturgical Year. With the First Sunday of Advent begins the new Sunday Cycle A and Year II of the weekday cycle. Like any new year, the New Liturgical Year gives us the opportunity to let go of the past and its mistakes and the invitation to embrace the coming year with new spiritual resolutions. Let us prepare Gifts that are truly fitting for the King of Kings. SEE LETTER OVERLEAF …