The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word “adventus”, meaning “arrival.” Scholars believe that during the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul is where Advent as we know it actually began. Advent during its early beginnings was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians (RCIA) at the January feast of the Epiphany. During this season of preparation, the Christian community would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for this celebration; originally, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas. Advent began as a penitential season. So much so, at the mid point during the penitential season of Advent, the church set aside one Sunday where one could take a “break” from fasts and rigorous penance practices. It was given the name “Gaudete Sunday (Joyful Sunday)” from the words for the introit of that Sunday’s Mass “Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.” Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice! We still celebrate this little break in Advent and it still retains its name, ‘Gaudate Sunday. Gaudate Sunday doesn’t have same meaning for us today because Advent is no longer considered a penitential season as is Lent. By the 6th century, Advent moved from a penitential season to a waiting period for the second coming of Christ. Roman Christians had tied Advent to the final coming of Christ not as in a wait for baby Jesus in Bethlehem, but the coming of the end of the world (parousia). Today, Advent is looked upon both as a preparation for Christ coming at Bethlehem and the reality of his second coming at the end of time. The church balances out these two focuses by utilizing Scripture readings that look to the end of the world for the first and second weeks of Advent. The third and fourth weeks of Advent, the readings look back to the Bethlehem event and the Incarnation of Christ our Savior. So this weekend you see the rose advent candle lit and priests wearing rose/pink vestments to recall that mid point where for one day, the church would allow fasts to be broken and rigorous penances to be stopped from long ago. Fr. Roach
