Introduction to Advent
Advent is a season of devout and joyful expectation, during which we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas, reflect on his presence in our daily lives, and anticipate his coming in glory at the end of time.
The preparatory aspect of Advent also carries a penitential dimension, which is reflected in the readings and the violet vestments worn by the clergy, signifying repentance and renewal. The Gloria is omitted, not to convey somberness as in Lent, but, as the revised liturgical calendar notes, “so that on Christmas night the song of the angels may ring out anew in all its freshness.” Unlike Lent, however, the Alleluia is retained before the Gospel, underscoring the season’s joyful hope.
Advent begins on the Sunday falling on or closest to November 30th and ends at Christmas, encompassing four Sundays.
1st Reading – Isaiah 2:1-5
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
The Old Testament readings during Advent are prophecies that foretell the coming of the Messiah and the dawn of the Messianic age, when justice, peace, and divine presence will be fully realized.
No prophet captures this longing and hope more powerfully than Isaiah. His writings contain some of the most vivid prophecies of the Messiah’s birth, mission, and reign — images that find their fulfillment in Christ. Because of this, Isaiah is often called the “prophet of Advent.”
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
The prophecy opens by identifying the prophet and the subject of his vision.
While Isaiah mentions Judah (the southern kingdom), his focus quickly narrows to Jerusalem, the spiritual heart of the nation and the place of God’s dwelling.
In days to come,
This phrase is common in prophetic pronouncements and simply means “in the future.”
It signals that Isaiah is foretelling God’s definitive action in history: the coming of the Messianic age.
the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills.
In the ancient world, mountains were seen as divine dwelling places, the higher ones symbolizing greater power or holiness.
Isaiah proclaims that Mount Zion, though modest in height, will surpass all others, not through any earthly might but because the Lord himself dwells there. It will become the true spiritual center of the world.
All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: “Come, let us climb the LORD’S mountain,
People will be drawn to the mountain in great numbers, as if for a religious pilgrimage or procession. They come willingly, not by force or decree.
to the house of the God of Jacob,
Recall that Jacob’s name was changed by God to “Israel” in Genesis 32:28.
That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.”
The nations come to be taught by God and to live according to his will.
The language of “ways” (derek) and “paths” (’ōrah) reflects Israel’s Wisdom tradition, emphasizing moral formation and right living.
For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
More Wisdom language: The Torah (tôrâ) and the divine Word (dābār) radiate from Jerusalem, symbolizing the spread of God’s truth to all peoples.
Zion and Jerusalem are two ways of referring to the same place, Zion being the hill upon which the city of Jerusalem was built.
He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.
Under God’s reign, justice and peace prevail. Humanity’s instruments of destruction are transformed into tools that nurture life.
This vision, echoed in Micah 4:1-3, proclaims that true peace is the fruit of God’s rule and human conversion.
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
The prophecy concludes with an exhortation to live now, already, in the light of that promised future.
This light prefigures the coming of Christ, the Light of the World, whose birth inaugurates the kingdom of peace Isaiah foretold.
By placing this reading at the start of Advent, the Church invites the faithful to enter into Isaiah’s vision of hope — to prepare for Christ’s coming in history at Bethlehem and to look forward to his return in glory, when his reign of justice and peace will be fully realized.
2nd Reading – Romans 13:11-14
Brothers and sisters:
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
For the first three weeks of Advent, the second readings help us interpret the mystery of Christ and provide guidelines for how we are to behave while we await his second coming.
Today’s second reading is an urgent exhortation to the Christians in Rome that they are already living in the end times, and the time for action is now.
Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now
In Greek, chronos refers to ordinary, sequential time, while kairos (the term used here) signifies a divinely appointed moment, a threshold in history when God decisively acts.
Jewish expectation was steeped in hope for such a kairos, anticipating that God would intervene to fulfill his covenant promises and usher in a new age of justice and peace.
The fundamental Christian claim, called out here by Paul, is that the anticipated intervention by God was the coming of Jesus, and “the age to come” has therefore arrived.
for you to awake from sleep.
Sleep is a common biblical image for spiritual unawareness; it signifies life in the old age of darkness.
Paul is issuing a wake-up call: to live alertly in the age of Christ.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Paul reminds the Christians in Rome that salvation is not static; it unfolds through time and moves toward fulfillment in Christ’s return.
The “day” represents the final revelation of God’s glory.
“The time is short. … The day of resurrection and of the terrible judgment is fast approaching … If you have done everything that was asked of you and are prepared for it, then you have nothing to fear, but if you have not, then look out! Paul is not trying to frighten his hearers but to encourage them, so as to detach them from their love of the things of this world. It was not unlikely that at the beginning of their endeavors they would be more dedicated and slacken off as time went on. But Paul wants them to do the opposite – not to slacken as time goes on but to become even more dedicated. For the nearer the King is, the more they ought to be ready to receive Him.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. 391 AD), Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans 23]
Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
Note the ongoing theme of darkness and light. Paul is calling Christians to cast off sinful patterns and live as children of the day.
The “armor of light” suggests readiness for spiritual warfare. We know from Paul’s other letters that this armor is comprised of the virtues of faith, hope, love, righteousness, and integrity (cf. Ephesians 6:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:8).
During Advent, the Church calls us to do the same thing. We must turn away from any behavior that is harmful to our relationship with Jesus Christ in order to prepare the way for the Lord to come into our lives.
not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.
Paul lists the “works of darkness,” which represent disorder and self-indulgence.
“Paul does not forbid alcohol; he is opposed only to its excessive use. Nor does he prohibit sexual intercourse; rather he is against fornication. What he wants to do is to get rid of the deadly passions of lust and anger. Therefore he does not merely attack them but goes to their source as well. For nothing kindles lust or wrath so much as excessive drinking.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. 391 AD), Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans 24]
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
To “put on” Christ means to be wholly conformed to him — to allow his life, virtues, and Spirit to shape our own.
Christ himself becomes the armor that protects and renews us.
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
Paul urges believers to resist whatever leads them away from God’s will. “Flesh” (sárx) denotes human weakness inclined to sin, not the body itself.
We must remember that living the way that Paul describes does not bring about our salvation; rather, the salvation that comes from God determines the Christian manner of living. Everything is a gift from God.
This exhortation perfectly suits the spirit of Advent. We live in the “in-between” time: Christ has come, yet we await his return. This is not a passive waiting, but a season of grace in which we prepare our hearts by repentance, virtue, and love.
Awake and clothed in the light of Christ, we ready ourselves to welcome the Lord who comes in glory.
Gospel – Matthew 24:37-44
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Each year on the first Sunday of Advent, the gospel that the Church proclaims is not about Jesus’ coming as a babe in Bethlehem, but about Jesus’ Second Coming at the end of time. We are being urged not to simply remember the birth of Jesus many years ago, but to prepare now for Christ’s return.
Today’s gospel is part of a private instruction that Jesus gives to his disciples several days before his passion about the end times. He is preparing them for what is about to occur and what will happen afterward.
Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus teaches about the nature of the parousía — his second coming — by comparing it to the days of Noah.
The Greek word parousía literally means “presence” or “coming,” and in Christian theology it signifies Christ’s return in glory at the end of time, when God’s plan of salvation will reach its fulfillment.
In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Like the great flood, the Son of Man’s second coming will happen unexpectedly, taking people by surprise, whether they are doing good or evil.
Jesus is not condemning ordinary human activities like eating, drinking, or marrying, but the complacency of those who live without reference to God. The problem is not what they did, but what they failed to do: they failed to take God into consideration of their lives. They were oblivious of the danger that faced them, and so they did not ready themselves.
Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.
It is in the context of the ordinary affairs of life — farmwork, housework, etc. — that God calls us, and we respond: that is where our eternal happiness is decided. (Note the gender balance: the responsibility of preparedness is all-inclusive.)
The verb paralambánetai (“taken”) has been variously interpreted. In context, as in the story of Noah, those “taken” may represent those swept away in judgment rather than those saved. Catholic interpretation does not equate this with the modern notion of what some evangelical Christians refer to as “the rapture,” which is foreign to biblical and Church teaching.
Since the consequences of the approaching day are negative in both the story of Noah and the experience of the householder that follows, paralambánetai likely has negative connotations here as well.
The larger point is that people in the same situation will be dealt with in opposite ways. The discrimination between them is based on their readiness for the coming of the Son of Man.
Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
The first of two exhortations in this passage: Stay awake!
Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.
The theme of vigilance and readiness is continued with the bold comparison of the Son of Man to a thief who comes to break into a house.
The unprepared householder suffers loss because he failed to keep watch.
So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
The second exhortation: Be prepared!
The readiness called for in these depictions is not fear-driven but faith-filled. The emphasis is not on predicting when the Lord will come but on living so that his coming — whenever it occurs — finds us faithful and at peace.
This gospel reading opens the Advent season with a call to wakefulness and hope. It reminds us that the Lord’s return is certain, though its timing is unknown. With this assurance in mind, we are called to remain alert and vigilant, giving in neither to despair nor to frenzied activism, keeping hope burning brightly through prayer and purposeful action.
Through this lens, we see the threefold nature of Advent: it prepares us to celebrate the historical birth of Christ (in the past), it exhorts us to prepare for his Second Coming (in the future), but just as importantly, it calls us to invite him into our lives today.
Connections and Themes
Universal pilgrimage. Advent begins with a summons to movement — a pilgrimage of all peoples toward God, whose salvation is already revealed in Christ, but not yet fully realized.
This pilgrimage is described in our first reading with Isaiah’s vision of “all nations streaming to the mountain of the Lord,” a breathtaking reversal of the natural order: rivers do not flow uphill, yet grace draws the human heart upward toward God. Humanity’s divisions are healed as people of every nation, language, and background set out together toward a single destination.
And the call is universal: Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
The destination. Every pilgrimage has a goal, and for the Christian journey, that goal is communion — to dwell in the presence of God on his holy mountain. Isaiah foretells a time when instruction shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, signaling that the mountain is not only a place of arrival but a place of transformation. To reach it is to be changed: weapons of violence are remade into instruments of cultivation, and human hearts learn peace.
In our second reading, Saint Paul tells us that this ascent is already underway: Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The mountain is not merely a far horizon beyond death; it is also the present reality of grace drawing us upward. Each act of love, each renunciation of darkness, is a step higher toward God.
The pilgrimage life. All three readings give clear direction on how we are to live while on this pilgrimage to God. Isaiah calls us to conversion by putting away our instruments of violence and hatred and permanently refashioning them into tools that bring forth life. Paul exhorts us to cast off the works of darkness and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus instructs us to stay awake, prepared, and vigilant, for “at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Each of these imperatives defines what it means to live as a pilgrim people in the “already but not yet” of salvation history. The journey to the mountain of the Lord is not passive waiting but active transformation.
Advent summons us to keep our eyes fixed on the coming dawn, walking each day in the light of Christ until the Lord who has already come in mercy returns in glory.
Sunday Readings 