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Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi. The Eastern churches' equivalent of Advent is called the Nativity Fast, but it differs both in length and observances and does not begin the church year, which starts instead on September 1.
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The progression of the season may be marked with an Advent calendar, a practice introduced by German Lutherans. At least in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Moravian, Presbyterian and Methodist calendars, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, the Sunday from November 27 to December 3 inclusive.
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Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent serves as a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return.
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The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. With the view of directing the thoughts of Christians to the first coming of Jesus Christ as savior and to his second coming as judge, special readings are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent.
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The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. With the view of directing the thoughts of Christians to the first coming of Jesus Christ as savior and to his second coming as judge, special readings are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent.
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From Wikipedia
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Our Advent Series really begins December 1,
(like an Advent calendar),
unlike the liturgical calendar, where it begins today.
However, we'll post this First Sunday of Advent material
as a nod to western tradition, and wait until Thursday
for our Advent Series - which we're updating from
last year's twenty-five days of photos, prayers,
music, and thoughts for the season.
Please come join us.
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Introit for the First Sunday of Advent
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To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul: in thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed. Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded. Show, O Lord, thy ways to me,
and teach me thy paths.
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What the World Was Like 2,000 Years Ago
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From THE URANTIA BOOK
Part IV, 121, 1
THE OCCIDENT OF THE FIRST CENTURY AFTER CHRIST
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Jesus did not come to this world during an age of spiritual decadence; at the time of his birth Urantia was experiencing such a revival of spiritual thinking and religious living as it had not known in all its previous post-Adamic history nor has experienced in any era since. When Michael incarnated on Urantia, the world presented the most favorable condition for the Creator Son’s bestowal that had ever previously prevailed or has since obtained. In the centuries just prior to these times Greek culture and the Greek language had spread over Occident and near Orient, and the Jews, being a Levantine race, in nature part Occidental and part Oriental, were eminently fitted to utilize such cultural and linguistic settings for the effective spread of a new religion to both East and West. These most favorable circumstances were further enhanced by the tolerant political rule of the Mediterranean world by the Romans.
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This entire combination of world influences is well illustrated by the activities of Paul, who, being in religious culture a Hebrew of the Hebrews, proclaimed the gospel of a Jewish Messiah in the Greek tongue, while he himself was a Roman citizen.
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. Nothing like the civilization of the times of Jesus has been seen in the Occident before or since those days. European civilization was unified and co-ordinated under an extraordinary threefold influence:
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The Roman political and social systems. The Grecian language and culture — and philosophy to a certain extent. The rapidly spreading influence of Jewish religious and moral teachings.
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When Jesus was born, the entire Mediterranean world was a unified empire. Good roads, for the first time in the world’s history, interconnected many major centers. The seas were cleared of pirates, and a great era of trade and travel was rapidly advancing. Europe did not again enjoy another such period of travel and trade until the nineteenth century after Christ.
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Notwithstanding the internal peace and superficial prosperity of the Greco-Roman world, a majority of the inhabitants of the empire languished in squalor and poverty. The small upper class was rich; a miserable and impoverished lower class embraced the rank and file of humanity. There was no happy and prosperous middle class in those days; it had just begun to make its appearance in Roman society.
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The first struggles between the expanding Roman and Parthian states had been concluded in the then recent past, leaving Syria in the hands of the Romans. In the times of Jesus, Palestine and Syria were enjoying a period of prosperity, relative peace, and extensive commercial intercourse with the lands to both the East and the West.
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"VENI REDEMPTOR GENTIUM"
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"Veni Redemptor Gentium"
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Come, thou Redeemer of the earth,
Come, testify thy Virgin-birth:
All lands admire, all times applaud!
Such is the birth that fits a God.
Begotten of no human will,
But of the Spirit, mystick still,
The Word of God in flesh array’d—
The promis’d fruit to man display’d.
The Virgin womb that burden gain’d
With Virgin honour all unstain’d:
The banners there of virtue glow;
God in his temple dwells below.
Proceeding from his chamber
free, The royal hall of chastity,
Giant of two-fold substance,
straight His destin’d way he runs elate.
From God the Father he proceeds;
To God the Father back he speeds: Proceeds,
as far as very hell; Speeds back, to light ineffable.
O Equal to thy Father, thou!
Gird on thy fleshly mantle now:
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.
Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,
And darkness breathe a newer light,
Where endless faith shall shine serene,
And twilight never intervene.
All laud to God the Father be,
All praise, Eternal Son, to thee:
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the Holy Paraclete.
Amen.
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What the World Was Like 2,000 Years Ago
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From THE URANTIA BOOK
Part IV, 121, 1
THE OCCIDENT OF THE FIRST CENTURY AFTER CHRIST
.
Jesus did not come to this world during an age of spiritual decadence; at the time of his birth Urantia was experiencing such a revival of spiritual thinking and religious living as it had not known in all its previous post-Adamic history nor has experienced in any era since. When Michael incarnated on Urantia, the world presented the most favorable condition for the Creator Son’s bestowal that had ever previously prevailed or has since obtained. In the centuries just prior to these times Greek culture and the Greek language had spread over Occident and near Orient, and the Jews, being a Levantine race, in nature part Occidental and part Oriental, were eminently fitted to utilize such cultural and linguistic settings for the effective spread of a new religion to both East and West. These most favorable circumstances were further enhanced by the tolerant political rule of the Mediterranean world by the Romans.
.
This entire combination of world influences is well illustrated by the activities of Paul, who, being in religious culture a Hebrew of the Hebrews, proclaimed the gospel of a Jewish Messiah in the Greek tongue, while he himself was a Roman citizen.
.
.
The Roman political and social systems. The Grecian language and culture — and philosophy to a certain extent. The rapidly spreading influence of Jewish religious and moral teachings.
.
When Jesus was born, the entire Mediterranean world was a unified empire. Good roads, for the first time in the world’s history, interconnected many major centers. The seas were cleared of pirates, and a great era of trade and travel was rapidly advancing. Europe did not again enjoy another such period of travel and trade until the nineteenth century after Christ.
.
Notwithstanding the internal peace and superficial prosperity of the Greco-Roman world, a majority of the inhabitants of the empire languished in squalor and poverty. The small upper class was rich; a miserable and impoverished lower class embraced the rank and file of humanity. There was no happy and prosperous middle class in those days; it had just begun to make its appearance in Roman society.
.
The first struggles between the expanding Roman and Parthian states had been concluded in the then recent past, leaving Syria in the hands of the Romans. In the times of Jesus, Palestine and Syria were enjoying a period of prosperity, relative peace, and extensive commercial intercourse with the lands to both the East and the West.
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"VENI REDEMPTOR GENTIUM"
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It's the time of year for the birds to be returning for the Winter to the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico. The video below is of those birds, set to the music of Paul Schwartz, a genius at combining the old and the new. The music is titled "Veni Redemptor Gentium." The words were penned (in Latin) by Saint Ambrose in the 4th Century; music/arrangement is by Paul Schwartz; and vocals are by the incredible Lisbeth Scott. The title translates variously as Come Thou Redeemer of the Earth, Come Thou Redeemer of Mankind, or Come Thou Redeemer of the Heathen. In the world we live in today, the last version of the title seems to fit the situation best. .
"Veni Redemptor Gentium"
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Come, thou Redeemer of the earth,
Come, testify thy Virgin-birth:
All lands admire, all times applaud!
Such is the birth that fits a God.
Begotten of no human will,
But of the Spirit, mystick still,
The Word of God in flesh array’d—
The promis’d fruit to man display’d.
The Virgin womb that burden gain’d
With Virgin honour all unstain’d:
The banners there of virtue glow;
God in his temple dwells below.
Proceeding from his chamber
free, The royal hall of chastity,
Giant of two-fold substance,
straight His destin’d way he runs elate.
From God the Father he proceeds;
To God the Father back he speeds: Proceeds,
as far as very hell; Speeds back, to light ineffable.
O Equal to thy Father, thou!
Gird on thy fleshly mantle now:
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.
Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,
And darkness breathe a newer light,
Where endless faith shall shine serene,
And twilight never intervene.
All laud to God the Father be,
All praise, Eternal Son, to thee:
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the Holy Paraclete.
Amen.
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