Advent means waiting or coming and the liturgical colour for Advent is violet, a royal purple that symbolises the Kingdom of God. Advent then is a period of waiting, of spiritual anticipation, preparation and longing for the coming of Christ and the Kingdom of God.  In this sense, Advent is a season of hope, faith, joy and peace, reflected in the lighting of the three purple and one pink candle in the Advent Wreath.

In the busyness of today’s world we have become used to instant gratification: you can get an answer to a Google search in under one second, you can ask Google Home to add grocery items to your shopping list as you run out, you can express most things, express post, express checkout and express recharge your prepaid phone, and now you can ‘tap and go’ payments for everything you purchase!  It is no wonder then that the concept of waiting, preparing and anticipating has become foreign to many of us.  And yet, this is what belief in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God is all about.  Waiting for the coming of the Saviour and working toward the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God is the preparation we undergo as we seek eternal life with God.

In this Advent season, let us slow down and celebrate the discipline of waiting: enjoy the long sunny but cool afternoons of early summer, just relaxing with friends and family, read that book you’ve been meaning to read or see that movie that you promised yourself you would.

Louise East - Religious Education Coordinator