Religious Education

Traditions of Advent

Advent is a season of preparation in the Catholic Church beginning four Sundays before Christmas Day. It prepares us for the coming of Jesus Christ at his birth and the second coming of His glory at the end of time. At Mass, after praying the Our Father, we hear “ as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” This prayer reminds us that we wait in hope and in anticipation. Throughout history the Church has developed many traditions to help us prepare such as lighting a candle each Sunday around a wreath (focusing on hope, faith, joy and peace), putting together the Nativity scene, reading scripture and placing symbols on a 'Jesse Tree', frequenting the sacraments, prayer and serving the poor.  

Click here for more family Advent activties to do together.

Advent also marks the beginning of the Church's liturgical year, starting a new scripture reading cycle. The readings for Mass are arranged on a three-year cycle (A, B & C). Each year is dominated by a Gospel writer that tells the life of Jesus for different audiences—Matthew (Year A), Mark (Year B), or Luke (Year C). Readings from the Gospel of John are weaved throughout all three years.  This Sunday is the first week of advent beginning in Cycle B, the Gospel of Mark. 

Gospel Reflection

Gospel Reading

Mark 13:33-37

Jesus tells his disciples to be always ready for His coming. 

Unpacking the Scriptures

Jesus speaks of the Lord’s return at the end of time. We light the first Advent candle of hope at Mass. This scene is from the end of Mark’s Gospel, the chapter that immediately preceeding it being Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Scholars believe that Mark’s Gospel was written around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70. Mark’s audience were predominantly Christians who were living in times of social and political persecution. During their difficulties, it helped to recall that Jesus had foretold of such conflict. The early Church took courage from Jesus’ warning to stay watchful and they found in his words a way to persevere.

This scripture reminds us that Advent is about more than our preparation for Christ’s birth at Christmas. It is also about preparing ourselves for His return in glory at the end of time. Similar to the disciples and the early Church of Mark’s community, we must also stay watchful and ready by our faithfulness to God through the good and bad times.

Family Connection

In family life, we prepare for many things: the next holiday, your child’s education, your retirement, etc. We are careful not to be caught by surprise so we can handle any challenges that may come. This Sunday's scripture reminds us to attend to our family’s spiritual life as carefully as we attend to other important family matters.

During Advent, we not only prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we also reflect upon all the things that will keep us ready to receive Him when He comes again. Discuss as a family how you can can recommit to this such as daily prayer, reading Scripture, attending Sunday Mass and staying faithful to God’s commandments.

Pray

Read aloud Mark 13:33-37together. Talk about a time when you received a surprise visitor at your house, perhaps a neighbour who stopped by or a relative who arrived unannounced. Were you prepared to receive this unannounced guest? What might you have done differently if you knew ahead of time that this visitor was going to arrive? Pray together the Our Father prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples, with the intention that through this Advent season your family will be more prepared to receive Jesus when He comes again. 

May you have a blessed season of Advent!  

God bless,

India Mitchell-Fletcher

Religious Education Leader