Today we begin the season of Advent. We immediately notice that the colour of the Vestments is purple. This can be confusing. We wear purple in Lent to indicate penance and contrition. In Advent it has a different meaning. Purple was worn only by Kings in ancient times. It was the colour of Royalty. It was extremely rare and expensive. We wear it in Advent to indicate the Coming of the Redeemer. We await the King.
“So, stay awake because you do not know the day when the Master will come…….. Therefore you must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
So we are waiting for Jesus. We remember that He came into our world many Christmases ago and we thank God for that. We remember that He came into our lives through our Baptism and we remind ourselves that He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. We spend Advent remembering and preparing for the Coming of Jesus.
You will notice that we have changed to reading the Gospel of Matthew and we will continue to do so throughout 2014. The key to Matthew’s Gospel is his proclamation that Jesus is son of David, son of Abraham, son of God. Jesus is always proclaimed as royalty. That makes the purple vestments especially appropriate this Advent.
In Advent there are four Sundays. After this week there will be two Sundays on John the Baptist, the first and greatest
evangeliser, and the final Sunday on Mary, the expectant mother of the Lord.
“So, stay awake because you do not know the day when the Master will come…….. Therefore you must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
So we are waiting for Jesus. We remember that He came into our world many Christmases ago and we thank God for that. We remember that He came into our lives through our Baptism and we remind ourselves that He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. We spend Advent remembering and preparing for the Coming of Jesus.
You will notice that we have changed to reading the Gospel of Matthew and we will continue to do so throughout 2014. The key to Matthew’s Gospel is his proclamation that Jesus is son of David, son of Abraham, son of God. Jesus is always proclaimed as royalty. That makes the purple vestments especially appropriate this Advent.
In Advent there are four Sundays. After this week there will be two Sundays on John the Baptist, the first and greatest
evangeliser, and the final Sunday on Mary, the expectant mother of the Lord.
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