In western Christianity, the church year begins with a preparatory four-week season called "Advent." The word "advent" comes from the Latin word adventus, which means "arrival" or "coming." It referred to the appearing of a great king or even a god. In Christian usage, it refers to the appearing of Jesus Christ in two ways - His first appearing as the Child born of the Virgin Mary and His second appearing in glory on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead. You see, Advent isn't only about getting ready for Christmas; it's about getting ready for Jesus' final appearing in glory only the Last Day.

We live in the in-between days, between Christ's first and second advents. He is always present with us, and always has been since the beginning. His presence is made audible and visible to us by the preached Word and the Sacraments. Only briefly did the Son of God show His face some 2000 years ago. Only at the end will we see His face again when He appears in glory. Until then, we watch and wait for His advent.

The celebration of Advent has its origins in France and Spain in the 4th and 5th centuries. People recognized the need for a period of solemn fasting in preparation for the feasts of Christmas and Epiphany. The overarching principle is "fast before feast," which makes a lot more sense than our way of feasting followed by guilt-ridden dieting. As early as AD 380, the Council of Saragossa urged faithful Christians to attend church every day from December 17 to Epiphany (January 6).

Today, Advent has four distinct Sundays. The first Sunday in Advent focuses on Christ's appearing in glory with the image of His triumphal ride into Jerusalem. The second Sunday brings John the Baptizer, the prophetic voice calling Israel to the wilderness to "prepare the way of the Lord." The third again focuses on John the Baptizer, this time on his preaching and greatness. The fourth accents Jesus' immaculate conception, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. During the final week of Advent, it is customary to pray the "O Antiphons", a series of ancient prayers addressed to Christ in terms of Old Testament prophesy.

Advent is a season of anticipation. The One who once came in humility by way of Bethlehem's manger, David's donkey, and Calvary's cross, who now comes to us hiddenly in His holy Word and the sacrament of His body and blood, will come visibly in blazing glory to raise the dead and give eternal life to all who call on His Name. The tone of Advent is one of joyful expectation, a mixture of holy fear and expectant joy, like that of a mother-to-be awaiting the arrival of her first baby. We await the coming of our Savior Jesus, who will raise the dead from the grave and give eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Advent is a time of sober watchfulness and patience. Sadly, our culture with its instant gratification seems to have had more influence on the Church than the Church has had on the culture. Advent has been gobbled up by the frenzy of the "winter holidays." By the time Christmas arrives, most of us are too weary to worship and too burned out from decking the halls to celebrate the birth of our Savior with any degree of joy. Remember, Christmas is a twelve day feast, beginning on December 25th. In celebrating Advent in all its somber, sober watchfulness, we Christians can give a priceless gift to each other and to the world by showing the patient hope we have in Jesus' coming.

Advent has its own peculiar customs and traditions. One cherished tradition is the Advent wreath. This evergreen wreath with four candles is a tradition from northern Europe. Each candle stands for one of the four Sundays in Advent. The closed circle is a symbol of God's eternality. Like the circle, our Lord is without beginning and without end. The evergreen branches represent the eternal life that is ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a life that transcends death itself. Just as the evergreen remains alive and fresh even in the dead of winter, so Christ fills us with new life even in death. "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26).

The candles remind us of Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world, the Light no darkness can overcome. They also represent all baptized believers in Jesus who reflect His light into the darkness of this world and proclaim Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9-10). Each successive week in Advent, another candle is lit. Sometimes smaller candles or little red berries are added to count off the days between Sundays. As the days grow shorter and darker, the candles on the Advent wreath burn ever more brightly with the approach of Christmas, reminding us that the coming of Christ draws ever closer. Good news indeed! He comes to judge the world in His righteousness, and the verdict will be "innocent" in His atoning death. Your faith in Him will not be in vain. He comes to save!

Lo, He comes with clouds descending, once for every sinner slain! Alleluia! And we, together with all who patiently await His appearing, pray: "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"