Thoughts to live by: 2nd Sunday of Advent
More than 350 miniature nativity scenes are on display at the "Belinismo sa Pamantasan: Showcase of Sir Sonny's Nativity Collection from Around the World" exhibit at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in Intramuros, Manila, on Monday, 2 December 2024. Collector Sonny says he began collecting nativity sets in 2010 during a trip to Italy. Since then, he has amassed pieces from around the globe, including works by student artists from the university.
John Carlo Magallon
Sunday, 8 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent
Readings — Bar. 5:1-9; Ps. 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; Phil. 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk. 3:1-6.
Sorry, friends, for this late sharing, but it is only 11:55 AM on Saturday here in Rome.
Some Notes on Advent —
1. The liturgical calendar of Advent focuses on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. During the four weeks of Advent, we wait for the arrival of Jesus. For this year, the Advent Sundays are the following:
First Sunday of Advent - 1 December, the start of Advent;
Second Sunday of Advent - 8 December;
Third Sunday of Advent - 15 December;
Fourth Sunday of Advent - 22 December, Advent ends on Christmas Eve.
2. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming” or “arrival” or “parousia” in Greek. During the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians on the January Feast of the Epiphany.
This Feast included the celebration of God’s Incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi (Mt. 2:1), the Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan (Jn. 1:29), and his first miracle at Cana (Jn. 2:1). Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for the celebration.
3. Originally, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas. By the 6th century, however, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ as Judge at the end of time. It was not until the Middle Ages that the Advent season was explicitly linked to Christ’s 1st coming at Christmas. Thus, presently Advent looks back to the 1st coming of Christ and looks forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people.
4. The Advent hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” represents our cry during the Advent season:
“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lively exile here Until the Son of God appears. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”Advent hymn
While Israel would have sung the song in expectation of Christ’s first coming, we now sing the song to commemorate the 1st coming and expect the 2nd coming in the future. Thus, remembrance and anticipation. The first two Sundays of Advent look forward to Christ’s 2nd coming, while the last two Sundays look backward to remember Christ’s 1st coming. The Sunday Readings reflect this Advent anticipation and remembering.
5. Two devotional practices are popular in the Philippines:
The Advent wreath;
The Nativity scene, or Belen. The Advent wreath was first created by German Lutheran minister in 1839 as a pedagogical tool to teach children the meaning of Christmas. Eventually, the wreath was created out of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The circle reminds us of God’s unending love and the eternal life he makes possible.