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Daily Reflections by our University Community
Introduction
Advent comes from the Latin word adventus - an "arrival" or a "coming."
Advent means that the Lord is coming.
"Throughout our lives, he has come to us in different ways. First, Jesus came
to us at a specific point in history at Bethlehem about 2000 years ago. But in
the Church's great feast of Christmas He mystically comes again. Second, the
Lord, Alpha and Omega, will come to judge the living and the dead in the Second
Coming. Third, the Redeemer comes to us in grace. He speaks to us in our
consciences, he comes to us in the Eucharist and in the Word of God proclaimed.
He arrives in the person of the beggar, the needy, the suffering, the oppressed.
We must be ready to receive and welcome Him when He comes, however He comes.
Advent is a time of joy tinged with penance. Joy, because we can imagine
nothing sweeter than the Christ Child and His Mother Mary's bliss at His coming
to light. Penance because we must strive to be properly disposed to receive so
great a gift of His presence. In the millennial tradition of the Church, we
faithful have done penance before great feasts. Christmas and Easter each have
their penitential seasons in anticipation, Advent and Lent.
The liturgical color used in the Roman Church for the liturgy during both
Advent and Lent is purple, a sign of penance. The Roman Church also emphasizes
the penitential dimension of the season by directing the use of sparse ornaments
in church and by avoiding instrumental music, except to sustain congregational
singing. This is a kind of liturgical fast, which makes the joy and celebration
of Christmas all that much more powerful by the contrast of the lean and muted
season of Advent. Advent is a time of great joy, because we look forward to the
beautiful feast of the Nativity."
So, let us anticipate Christmas and Christ's coming with somber and focused
spiritual preparation. May these reflections, offered by members of the
Villanova University community, help lead us to the joy of the season.
Chris Janosik
Mission Effectiveness
 First Week of Advent
 Second Week of Advent
 Third Week of Advent
 Fourth Week of Advent
Paper copies of these reflections are available from the Office for Mission
Effectiveness.
This project is managed for the Office for Mission Effectiveness by Dr.
Christopher M. Janosik, Director of Research and Assessment. For more
information, contact him directly at:
christopher.janosik@villanova.edu
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