Although the holiday trappings — décor, lights and other festive trimmings — have been in place in homes, buildings and commercial establishments as early as October, the Christmas Season officially begins only today, Dec. 2, as the entire Christendom observes the First Sunday of Advent.
To the Christian faithful, Advent is the season that celebrates the coming of God’s kingdom in Christ and they look forward to the return of Christ in glory in the final resurrection, when God "will be in all."
"This season is not a penitential one but a period of joyful expectation for the coming of the Lord. The suppression of the singing of the Gloria during this time does not indicate penance but allows the angelic hymn to be sung anew on Christmas night," the Catholic Church says.
Apart from the Scripture readings, today’s Mass will be highlighted by the lighting of the first candle and the blessing of the Advent wreath.
To the entire Christendom, the Advent wreath symbolizes hope, peace, love and the never-ending glory of God – the message of the Christmas Season.
The Church’s contemplation of Christ’s Second Coming will be emphasized in today’s Scripture readings, as in Isaiah 2:1-5. The Scripture goes: "This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord."
The faithful will also be told that their salvation is near in the Readings from Romans 13:11-14 that states "And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
On the other hand, the Reading from Matthew 24:37-44 calls on the faithful to stay awake so that they may be ready for the day and the hour is unknown.
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be the coming of the Son of man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him," so the Apostle Matthew said.