The M – Z of Advent
(Bar.5:1-9; Phil.1:4-6; Lk.3:1-6)
Today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent, and Advent, of course, occupies the first four weeks of every new liturgical year. It’s during these four weeks that we are invited to prepare ourselves well for the coming of Jesus Christ into our lives.
Today we continue exploring what Advent is all about, by focusing on the alphabet. Last week we covered the letters A to L. Today, it’s the letters M to Z.
M is for St. Martin of Tours, who is well known for sharing his cloak with a beggar who turned out to be Jesus. St Martin is a good example of the kindness and generosity we’re all called to show others during Advent.
N is for the Nativity, the birth of Jesus which is central to the Advent season. It was St. Francis of Assisi who set up the very first nativity scene in the 13th century. He did this to make the story of Christ’s birth accessible to everyone and to inspire us to reflect on God’s extraordinary humility in becoming a man.
O is for the O Antiphons, which are prayers recited during the last seven days of Advent. Each prayer begins with ‘O’ and addresses Jesus with various titles such as ‘O Wisdom’ and ‘O Emmanuel.’ These antiphons are full of biblical references, and have been used by many saints to prepare themselves for the coming of Christ. They are paraphrased in the popular Christmas carol, O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
P is for Prayer, because Advent is the ideal time for prayer and spiritual reflection. In her writings, St. Teresa of Avila tells us that contemplative prayer is a wonderful way to deepen our relationship with God.
And Mother Teresa offers us this prayer for Advent:
Mary, Mother of Jesus, be a mother to each of us, so that we, like you, may be pure in heart; that we, like you, love Jesus; that we, like you, serve the poorest, for we are all poor. Amen.
Q is for Quiet, which is what we all need for fruitful prayer and reflection. In his writings, the mystical poet St. John of the Cross teaches us that silence and solitude are essential for deepening our relationship with God.
R is for Repentance, which means changing the way we do things. This is what we all need to do in Advent to truly connect with God. The great missionary, St Francis Xavier, stressed the need for everyone to experience personal conversion and a return to God’s grace.
S is for St. John the Baptist, who dedicated his life to preparing others for the coming of Christ. He called everyone to repent, to change the way they live, and to immerse themselves in the cleansing waters of Baptism.
T is for Tradition, because Advent is rich with wonderful traditions, like buying Christmas presents, erecting Christmas trees and nativity scenes, putting up lights and decorations and planning celebrations. Advent calendars also help families count down the days until Christmas.
U is for Unity, which is what Advent seeks to foster among all Christians. St. Catherine of Siena worked tirelessly for the unity of the Church, and she encouraged believers to come together in faith and love during this holy season.
V is for Vigil, because we are all called to keep vigil, to stay watchful for Jesus’ arrival. Our vigil Masses give us a special opportunity to do this, in a spirit of communal worship and reflection. St. Benedict used to stress the importance of these gatherings in preparing us for the coming of Christ.
W is for Waiting, which is what we all do in Advent. We’re waiting for Jesus to come into our lives. St. Anne, the mother of Mary, is a good example of someone who waited in hope and faith. Her story encourages us to be patient, and to trust in God’s timing.
X is for Xmas, which is shorthand for Christmas. Many people think this is just a secular abbreviation, but the ‘X’ comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós. So, the X literally means Jesus, and in Advent this is who we are preparing ourselves to meet.
Y is for Yearning, which is something we all do. We all yearn for peace, joy and love; we all long for a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. In her writings, St. Teresa of Avila expresses this longing and tells us to seek a closer relationship with God, for he is the source of all peace, joy and love.
And finally,
Z is for Zeal, which is the enthusiasm we all need to prepare ourselves well for Christmas. One saint who had plenty of zeal was St. Paul. He worked hard spreading the Gospel and encouraging people to prepare themselves for the coming of Jesus Christ.
May we all do the same.