Waiting for the Lord: Advent Resources
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Advent (which means "to come" in Latin) is the beginning of the Church's liturgical year and the season leading up to the celebration of Christmas. Advent is a season of preparation and penance that reminds us of Christ's birth as well as His second coming at the end of time. There are many resources to help you prepare your hearts and minds as a community, as a family, and as an individual. Check with your local parish for penance services or other special events.
The final days of Advent, from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas). It is during those days that the Church sings the "O Antiphons," the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer. Sung since the eighth century, they use imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ.
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Advent Calendar and Jesse Tree
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There are many traditions people have during Advent to count the days in anticipation of Christmas.
Advent calendars have tabs or drawers for each day in Advent. Each tab reveals an image, trinket, or reflection of the season of preparation.
A Jesse tree is decorated with ornaments representing the people, prophesies, and events leading up to the birth of Jesus. The Jesse tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”
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