Advent

In Latin, the word, advenio, means “to come to.” When we celebrate Advent, we are celebrating the coming of Christ! For us Catholics, it is a period of preparation that lasts for four Sundays before Christmas. Today is the first Sunday of Advent. On each of the four Sundays of Advent we light a special candle in the advent wreath.

We also celebrate the coming of Christ into our lives through God’s grace. We celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion — where we receive the real Presence of Christ (the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus) every time we partake of this Sacrament. The Sacrament of Holy Communion and the Real Presence of Christ has been celebrated by the Church since The Last Supper. Saint Tarcisius, a boy in the 3rd century was martyred for carrying the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist to Christians in prison.

Finally, the last thing that Advent refers to is Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time.

We, as Catholic Christians, have much to celebrate each year at Advent.