Mark 11:1-11(Advent 1B)

Of all the seasons of the Church Year, Advent is perhaps the most misunderstood. For some, Advent is strictly about preparing for Christmas. For others, it’s been all but swallowed up IN Christmas. Years ago the primary color for the season was purple. Since the color for Lent is also purple, we understand that Advent, like Lent, is a penitential, reflective season. But, it’s hard to keep the proper Advent mindset when the world around us, and even much of Christendom for that matter, launched headfirst into the Christmas spirit the day after Halloween.

By its very nature, Advent is a season of anticipation, of waiting and expectation. The word Advent means “coming.” So, in a broad sense, it’s about the coming of Jesus. A little word study though is helpful for a better understanding of the meaning, or, purpose of Advent.

In Latin the word is Adventus, which is rendered in Greek as Parousia, a word that is commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Jesus. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ, not just at Christmas, but from three different perspectives. "Since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century, Christians have spoken of three comings of Christ: He comes into the world in the flesh in Bethlehem, through His Word and Sacraments daily, and in glory at the end of time." The season of Advent then offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.

This little bit of background about the season of Advent might help us better understand why the Gospel reading for this 1st Sunday in Advent is the Triumphal Entry narrative from . The people of Jerusalem had been waiting, they had been anticipating the coming of the Messiah for several thousand years. That anticipation was the heart, the core of their faith. God had promised that Adam that He would send the seed of the woman to crush the head of the serpent.