SIX days from today, Christians world-wide will be celebrating Christmas, the day which reminds them of the significance of Jesus’ coming to earth and the importance of allowing Him to guide and direct their lives.
Before this very important day, however, Christians have been praying and fasting while meditating about Jesus’ humble entry into this world in a season known as Advent.
Advent on some of the Christian calendars covers a period of four weeks before Christmas Day and is religiously observed with various traditions and rituals.
The fact that Advent itself begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, or the nearest Sunday to November 30 every year, and ends on Christmas Eve makes it not part of the Christmas season.
Yet the Catholic Church in particular is passionate about observing this season, although it is true other liturgical groups such as the Anglicans, Lutherans and Methodists also observe Advent.
To those Christians who observe Advent, the season literally means ‘arrival’ or rather ‘an appearing or coming into place’. Christians may even talk of it as Christ’s ‘first advent’ and ‘second advent’, meaning Jesus Christ’s first and second comings to earth.
Jesus’ first Advent is often referred to as the Incarnation, that is, Christmastime. The Advent celebration is thus both a commemoration of Christ’s first coming as well as an anticipation of His second coming.
Biblically, just as the people of Israel longed for their Messiah to come, so do Christians long for their Saviour to come again.
Many times, this longing, often coupled with prayer and fasting before Christmas Day, is seen as a time to prepare one’s heart for Christmas and for the eventual return of Jesus Christ and, consequently, the judgment He will bring to the world.
One of the most important traditions or rituals common among churches that observe Advent occurs on the first Sunday of Advent, when churches and homes are decorated with green. This symbolises the eternal life that Jesus Christ brings.
Those people who are familiar with the Catholic tradition of observing this season say that this comes with an Advent wreath, usually an evergreen circle with four coloured candles surrounding a white one in the middle placed in a prominent spot.
The candles are then lighted one at a time, on successive Sundays that is. The first candle is referred to as the candle of ‘hope’ or ‘expectation’.
On Christmas Eve or even on Christmas Day itself, the centre white candle is also lighted, and this is what is known as the ‘Christ Candle’, a reminder that Jesus, the Light of the Word, has now come.
Now as to whether Christians should celebrate Advent is purely a matter of personal conviction. Of course Christians are not obliged to observe Advent. Neither does observing Advent make one a better Christian or more acceptable to God.
In any case, few people even in Israel where Jesus Christ was born recognised Him as the long-awaited Saviour. Yet the fact is He was and He is still the King of all the earth.
We may, therefore, conclude that there is certainly nothing wrong with commemorating Jesus’ birth and anticipating His return (Advent), for such commemoration and anticipation should be an everyday part of the Christians’ lives.
So celebrating Advent can be a good reminder of what the season is truly all about, and therein lies its greatest value.