Advent: Happy New Liturgical Year
November 29 – December 20, 2020
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming”.
Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.
Advent is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day (30 November).
The usual liturgical colour in Western Christianity for Advent is either violet or blue.
Readings
| Advent Year B |
First reading | Psalm | Second reading | Gospel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Sunday of Advent November 29, 2020 ART — PRAYER |
Isaiah 64:1-9 | Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 | 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 | Mark 13:24-37 |
| Second Sunday of Advent December 6, 2020 ART — PRAYER |
Isaiah 40:1-11 | Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 | 2 Peter 3:8-15a | Mark 1:1-8 |
| Third Sunday of Advent December 13, 2020 ART — PRAYER |
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 | Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55 |
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 | John 1:6-8, 19-28 |
| Fourth Sunday of Advent December 20, 2020 ART — PRAYER |
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 | Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 |
Romans 16:25-27 | Luke 1:26-38 |
| Italicized readings, complementary to the standard reading, may be used with, or in place of it. | ||||
Sources
- Floating advent wreath on Lake Woerth, Carinthia, Austria. By Johann Jaritz , via Wikimedia Commons
- Lectionary from The Vanderbilt Divinity Library
