Advent Notes

• The reason for the Advent season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent or Coming, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent or Coming. We look forward to both, and remember that Christ could return at any time, and we must be ready.
• In some churches and especially Eastern Orthodox ones, Advent has become a time to fast. In a similar way to Lent, it has become a time to clear their lives and minds and make space to allow God to move. Fasting allows people to concentrate on God, and makes the feasting of the celebration of Christmas all the more enjoyable.Jesus
• “Gaudete Sunday” is the old name for the third Sunday in Advent, when people moved from fasting and praying , and started to look forward to Christmas. “Gaudete” means ‘rejoice” in Latin, and reminds us that the coming of Jesus really is something to rejoice about!