| On the four Sundays of Advent, the Catholic lectionary
presents a series of Gospel readings that prepare for the celebration of
the birth of Christ. The Sunday Advent readings all rotate on a three-year
cycle, but they always follow the same pattern.
The Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent always tells of the reign
of Christ at the end of time. It echoes the theme of the previous Sunday,
the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. Advent starts with the
message that we await the second coming of Christ. This entire season is
not just a reminder of a past birth but an anticipation of future glory.
The Second and Third Sundays of Advent always have Gospel readings about
John the Baptist. John is an adult in these passages, proclaiming the nearness
of the kingdom of God and serving as the prophet who bridges the Old and
New Testaments. John foreshadows Jesus in his birth, his preaching, and
his death. John’s message on these two middle Sundays of this season inspires
us to follow Christ.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent always tells part of the story that just
precedes the birth of Christ. These familiar episodes set the stage for
one of the Bible’s best-known passages, the story of Christmas.
The Gospel readings of the four Sundays of Advent come to us in reverse
chronology. We start with the end of time. We continue to the period when
Jesus was an adult. We end in the days before his birth. Like a funnel,
Advent opens with a giant theme, the grandness of Christ the King, and
it ends with a specific one, the child lying in a Bethlehem manger. ML
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This bulletin insert originally appeared in Ministry
& Liturgy, a pastoral planning resource used by the worship leaders
in your parish as an aid for better liturgy. Copyright © 2007, Resource
Publications, Inc. 160 E. Virginia St. #290, San Jose, CA 95112, (408)
286-8505. This article may not be reproduced in any form without permission
from the publisher. For permission e-mail
info@rpinet.com.
Paul
Turner, pastor of St. Munchin Parish in Cameron, MO, holds a doctorate
in sacramental theology from Sant' Anselmo University in Rome.
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