Advent is a four-week period in the Church’s calendar focused on anticipating the arrival, or "advent," of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-anticipated Messiah and King.

Christians from diverse traditions mark this season by reflecting on hope, peace, love, and joy. Although their customs may differ, the central theme remains the hopeful expectation of Jesus' arrival. The word "Advent" means "arrival" and symbolises the beginning of an important event or the coming of a significant figure.

In Christian communities worldwide, Advent is a time to remember and celebrate Jesus' arrival on Earth, reflecting on the humble and unexpected nature of his birth while anticipating his future return to unite Heaven and Earth.

 

How can we utilise advent for greater holiness?

1. Go for confessions – Whether you went before the beginning of advent or in between, accessing the sacrament of reconciliations brings us graces that are pertinent for advent. During Advent, the Church invites us to embrace repentance, emphasising the importance of confession. Consider making confession a top priority for yourself and your family this Advent season. Irrespective of how subtle it comes, sin is sin and sometimes fall short.

 

1. Implore God to help you be closer to Him. Many issues plague us as the year unwinds, which could prevent us from focusing on God during Advent: Unmet expectations from January to December, family issues, and financial worries. This is a time when we need to ask for God’s help the most to help us go beyond ourselves and be closer to him. So go ahead and ask for His help in this regard.

 

1. Practice silence – Our world is noisy, and sadly, our Churches are too. We're all familiar with the constant hum of music, technology, ringing phones, buzzing notifications, and loud conversations that surround us daily. These sounds accompany us wherever we go. It's easy to assign blame, but often, the responsibility circles back to us. Living in this world doesn't just mean being surrounded by noise; it often means contributing to it. While we may instinctively understand the importance of silence, understanding and practising it are very different. Silence is an essential component of a holy Advent. So, advent is a time to be intentional about silence.

 

1. Spend more time in prayer – Be (more) intentional about prayers during this advent. As we know, advent is regarded as a mini-lent because of its penitential character like lent, so it is an ideal time to invest more in prayers. Practice praying all through the day. You could download an hourly clock to pray every hour or pause to say ‘Jesus, I trust in you’ or ‘Thank you, Jesus’ now and then.