First Week of Advent, 2025 http://www.tribtimes.com
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William Zambrano MD
Nov 30, 2025, 3:46:40 PM (4 days ago) Nov 30
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(Rom 13:11-12) And that, knowing the season, that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is passed And the day is at hand. Let us, therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
YOUTUBE: Understanding the True Meaning of Advent
THE CATHOLIC THING: Time & Eternity
VATICAN NEWS: St. Charbel Makhlouf, a symbol of coexistence and support for Lebanon
ALETEIA: Pope in Turkey suggests Advent resolutions
EXCERPT CATHOLIC OUTLOOK: First Sunday of Advent, Year A
“But why are we listening to such a scary Gospel on the first day of Advent?” some may reasonably ask. “We thought we’d be preparing for Christmas!”
In its earliest form, Advent was simply a preparation for Christmas. But it quickly acquired an eschatological character (from the Greek eskhatos meaning “last”.) From the beginning of the seventh century, Advent was understood not only as a time of preparation for the Christmas solemnity, but also, and especially, as a time of expectancy for the return of Christ in glory. This was especially so in the Gallic liturgy, and may have come about through the influence of Irish missionary monks who, in their preaching, laid stress on the coming of Christ in judgment, and thus on the need to do penance.
The word “Advent” originally designated not the period of preparation, but the feast of Christmas itself. The coming of Christ in the flesh and its liturgical commemoration was the adventus Domini: the advent of the Lord. From thi,s you can see that right from the start, the Church saw the liturgy as a happening, not just as a memory. But then the term memory took on a deeper meaning. What we remember in the liturgy actually becomes present.
In the New Testament, Adventus translates the Greek parousia, which refers to Christ’s coming. For this reason, the season of Advent came to signify both his birth in history and his return at the end of time.
Gradually, the word Adventus assumed a distinctly liturgical meaning—it came to be applied to the weeks of preparation for Christmas and of expectation of the glorious return of Christ.
Many of us today might find it difficult to understand the idea of two comings intermingled with the Advent liturgy. But the early Fathers of the Church did not see this as a problem—they had a unified vision of the mysteries of Christ. Pope St Leo the Great, in his sermons for Christmas and Epiphan,y leads his hearers and readers beyond the mystery of the Incarnation to the contemplation of Christ now enthroned in glory and to his return at the end of time. The Church evokes the coming of Christ in all its aspects—past, present and future— and so the season of Advent recalls the coming on earth of the incarnate Word, deepens our awareness of Christ’s Presence in the Church every day, and heightens our hope and longing for his return.
So, we are really speaking now of three comings. St Charles Borromeo, archbishop of Milan (+1584), explains: “The Church desires us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence, he will come at any hour and moment to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.” And St Bernard (+1153): “In the first (coming), Christ was our redemption; in the last, he will appear as our life; in this middle coming, he is our rest and consolation.” The Incarnation is the beginning of a process which is not yet finished. Christ will return in glory to crown his work of salvation. It is a promise.
The Christ Pantocrator mosaic in the Cathedral of Cefalù in Sicily is often described as one of the most majestic images of Christ in Western Christian art. The cathedral was commissioned by King Roger II of Sicily in 1131, reportedly in fulfilment of a vow he made after surviving a storm at sea. At that time, Sicily was a multi-ethnic kingdom under Norman rule where Latin, Byzantine and Arab cultures coexisted. An enlightened monarch, Roger encouraged this cultural blend. He invited artisans from Constantinople to create mosaics in the churches and palaces of his kingdom.
The title Pantocrator means “Ruler of all” or “Almighty” in Greek. It presents Jesus as the eternal Judge, Teacher, and Saviour—a cosmic ruler rather than merely a human figure. His raised hand in blessing invites us into a relationship with him, while the open Gospel proclaims the truth of his Word: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness” (Jn 8:12).
Christ’s face is serene but powerful, intended to convey omniscience and compassion. The mosaic is enormous—six metres and spans the entire semi-dome of the cathedral’s apse. Historically, it is an important reminder of the great portraits of Christ in the churches of Constantinople now lost to us.
This judge of all is not to be feared. His eyes and thoughts are full of mercy for humankind.
ADVENT RESOURCES
CATHOLIC ANSWERS TRACT: Catholic Answers Guide to Preparing for Christmas
ICBC: Advent Calendar 2025
DYNAMIC CATHOLIC: Best Advent Ever!
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY'S ONLINE MINISTRIES: Praying Advent and Celebrating Christmas
USCCB: Advent 2025
MY CATHOLIC LIFE: Advent & Christmas Prayers & Reflections
"Have ANY Catholic Question? Just ask Ron Smith at: hfmin...@roadrunner.com
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: https://bibleinayearonline.com/december-oyb/?version=63&startmmdd=0101
FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT, 2025(Rom 13:11-12) And that, knowing the season, that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is passed And the day is at hand. Let us, therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
YOUTUBE: Understanding the True Meaning of Advent
THE CATHOLIC THING: Time & Eternity
VATICAN NEWS: St. Charbel Makhlouf, a symbol of coexistence and support for Lebanon
ALETEIA: Pope in Turkey suggests Advent resolutions
EXCERPT CATHOLIC OUTLOOK: First Sunday of Advent, Year A
“But why are we listening to such a scary Gospel on the first day of Advent?” some may reasonably ask. “We thought we’d be preparing for Christmas!”
In its earliest form, Advent was simply a preparation for Christmas. But it quickly acquired an eschatological character (from the Greek eskhatos meaning “last”.) From the beginning of the seventh century, Advent was understood not only as a time of preparation for the Christmas solemnity, but also, and especially, as a time of expectancy for the return of Christ in glory. This was especially so in the Gallic liturgy, and may have come about through the influence of Irish missionary monks who, in their preaching, laid stress on the coming of Christ in judgment, and thus on the need to do penance.
The word “Advent” originally designated not the period of preparation, but the feast of Christmas itself. The coming of Christ in the flesh and its liturgical commemoration was the adventus Domini: the advent of the Lord. From thi,s you can see that right from the start, the Church saw the liturgy as a happening, not just as a memory. But then the term memory took on a deeper meaning. What we remember in the liturgy actually becomes present.
In the New Testament, Adventus translates the Greek parousia, which refers to Christ’s coming. For this reason, the season of Advent came to signify both his birth in history and his return at the end of time.
Gradually, the word Adventus assumed a distinctly liturgical meaning—it came to be applied to the weeks of preparation for Christmas and of expectation of the glorious return of Christ.
Many of us today might find it difficult to understand the idea of two comings intermingled with the Advent liturgy. But the early Fathers of the Church did not see this as a problem—they had a unified vision of the mysteries of Christ. Pope St Leo the Great, in his sermons for Christmas and Epiphan,y leads his hearers and readers beyond the mystery of the Incarnation to the contemplation of Christ now enthroned in glory and to his return at the end of time. The Church evokes the coming of Christ in all its aspects—past, present and future— and so the season of Advent recalls the coming on earth of the incarnate Word, deepens our awareness of Christ’s Presence in the Church every day, and heightens our hope and longing for his return.
So, we are really speaking now of three comings. St Charles Borromeo, archbishop of Milan (+1584), explains: “The Church desires us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence, he will come at any hour and moment to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.” And St Bernard (+1153): “In the first (coming), Christ was our redemption; in the last, he will appear as our life; in this middle coming, he is our rest and consolation.” The Incarnation is the beginning of a process which is not yet finished. Christ will return in glory to crown his work of salvation. It is a promise.
The Christ Pantocrator mosaic in the Cathedral of Cefalù in Sicily is often described as one of the most majestic images of Christ in Western Christian art. The cathedral was commissioned by King Roger II of Sicily in 1131, reportedly in fulfilment of a vow he made after surviving a storm at sea. At that time, Sicily was a multi-ethnic kingdom under Norman rule where Latin, Byzantine and Arab cultures coexisted. An enlightened monarch, Roger encouraged this cultural blend. He invited artisans from Constantinople to create mosaics in the churches and palaces of his kingdom.
The title Pantocrator means “Ruler of all” or “Almighty” in Greek. It presents Jesus as the eternal Judge, Teacher, and Saviour—a cosmic ruler rather than merely a human figure. His raised hand in blessing invites us into a relationship with him, while the open Gospel proclaims the truth of his Word: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness” (Jn 8:12).
Christ’s face is serene but powerful, intended to convey omniscience and compassion. The mosaic is enormous—six metres and spans the entire semi-dome of the cathedral’s apse. Historically, it is an important reminder of the great portraits of Christ in the churches of Constantinople now lost to us.
This judge of all is not to be feared. His eyes and thoughts are full of mercy for humankind.
ADVENT RESOURCES
CATHOLIC ANSWERS TRACT: Catholic Answers Guide to Preparing for Christmas
ICBC: Advent Calendar 2025
DYNAMIC CATHOLIC: Best Advent Ever!
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY'S ONLINE MINISTRIES: Praying Advent and Celebrating Christmas
USCCB: Advent 2025
MY CATHOLIC LIFE: Advent & Christmas Prayers & Reflections
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On painstaking and true repentance"
29 (cont.). Previous habit often tyrannizes even over him that mourns. And no wonder! The account of the judgments of God and our falls is shrouded in darkness, and it is impossible to know which are the falls that come from carelessness, and which from providential abandonment, and which from God's turning away from us. But someone told me that, in the case of falls which come to us by Divine providence, we acquire a swift revulsion from them, because He who delivers us does not allow us to be held for long. And let us who fall wrestle above all with the demon of grief. For he stands by us at the time of our prayer, and by reminding us of our former boldness before God, he tries to devastate our prayer.Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerR...@aol.com
"Have ANY Catholic Question? Just ask Ron Smith at: hfmin...@roadrunner.com
This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.
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