Advent

The last Sunday in November is the first Sunday in the season of Advent. Advent begins the Church Year with the anticipation of the Incarnation, the act by which God redeemed mankind, and of Christ’s return to take His own to Himself.

The liturgical color for Advent is purple, except on Gaudete Sunday (which this year falls on December 11). Surprisingly enough, Advent is technically a penitential season. It is certainly a time of joy, but it emphasizes repentance of sins as well so that we may prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s first coming and to be ready for His second coming. St. John tells us that "every man that hath this hope within him purifieth himself, even as he [Jesus Christ] is pure," and that is what Advent is all about.

The collects and readings for the season help us in our preparation. Advent also has its own hymns, which are technically not Christmas carols. Some of them (such as “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”) are now thought of as Christmas carols, since Advent has faded from view even among most American Christians. These hymns emphasize our longing for and expectation of Christ’s coming. Some contrast His first and second comings.

The season of Christmas does not officially begin until sundown on Christmas Eve, when we begin the celebration of Christ’s birth itself.

Collect for the first Sunday in Advent

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

Collect for the second Sunday in Advent ("Bible Sunday")

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Collect for the third Sunday in Advent (Gaudete)

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Collect for the fourth Sunday in Advent

O Lord, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set  before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.