The Advent of HOPE and the Object of Our Faith.نموونە

The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “a coming, approach, or arrival.” It is a time of expectation and preparation for the coming of Jesus.

Advent starts on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30). It can begin as early as November 27 or as late as December 3.

The Advent season has two meanings:
• The celebration of Christ coming into the world as a man.
• The expectation of His second coming when the Lord returns again.

The first portion, from the First Sunday of Advent until December 16, focuses on preparing for the second coming of Christ. The second portion, from December 17 to 24, prepares us for Christmas — the birth of our Savior.

The origins of Advent date back to around 390 AD and are rooted in the early church in France. This is where the Advent wreath tradition began. Advent wreaths are circular and usually made of evergreen, representing eternal life. Four candles are lit throughout the Advent season, each representing a different week. Many wreaths also include a white candle in the center — the Christ candle — lit on Christmas Eve. The four candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

The first candle is Hope — the anticipation of Christ’s coming. Hope is a predominant theme of Advent. We celebrate with hope, honoring Christ’s birth because Jesus came into this world for us and would become the Savior of the world.

What is your Hope rooted in?