Advent: “Come, Lord”

Advent: Mary and the Waiting for the Lord in Advent

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!Advent and Mary, “Come, Lord”: the Marian waiting in AdventIn the church of the first centuries, the celebration of Easter was marked by the waiting for the definitive manifestation of the Lord. The paschal vigil extended until late at night, when the Eucharistic liturgy began. Thus, the Risen One appears among his disciples in a sacramental way, symbolizing a day without end with the presence of the morning sun. This expectation of Christ’s second coming was a distinctive feature of ancient Christian religiosity, reflected in the invocation “Maranatha! Come, Lord” (Rev 22,17.20).In the ancient pagan conception, divinity was revealed on a specific day of the year when it inhabited the temple. The Latin word *adventus*, meaning “coming,” came to be associated with the visit of the emperor, his birthday or festival, celebrated as if it were his return.The Christian season of Advent is linked to Christmas and Epiphany, feasts that should be understood together as complementary. The Greek word *epiphany* describes the aspect of manifestation in this coming. Although they do not have the same antiquity and importance as Easter, these feasts gained prominence in the fourth century after Constantian freedom, spreading rapidly throughout the West and East with distinct characteristics and sensibilities. In the fight against Arianism, which denied the divinity of Jesus, Christmas became the feast of the dogma of Christ’s divinity, defined at the Council of Nicaea (325), and its celebration symbolized the triumph of orthodoxy.

Understanding Advent

The term *Advent*, although Christian in origin, has pagan roots, initially referring to the anniversary of the birth of Christ and His manifestation or return. At first, the word designated the feast itself, not the preparation. Used in the early days of the Church, in homilies by the Fathers, sacramentaries, and Christian calendars, *adventus Domini* (coming of the Lord) referred to Christmas.The liturgical celebration of Advent has three dimensions: memory of the past, mystery celebrated in the present, and anticipation of the future. It is important to highlight this triple dimension to avoid a superficial understanding, reducing it to sentimentality regarding the birth of the Child Jesus.

The History of Advent

The history of Advent is complex and even obscure, as there is no single place of origin; it emerged in different spaces with varied characteristics. It is impossible to trace its evolution in the Western Church, but its eschatological character—that is, the waiting for the final manifestation of Christ—remains constant.To recover the eschatological dimension of Advent, the liturgical reform emphasized the first two weeks, highlighting the eschatological aspect. In the following weeks, attention turns to the Christmas dimension, celebrating the birth and incarnation of Jesus, culminating with the Epiphany.

Mary in Advent

Mary, as a model of prayerful waiting, embodies the essence of Advent. The apostolic exhortation *Marialis Cultus* by Paul VI offers a profound reflection on Mary’s role in the liturgy of Advent and in Christian faith in general.The waiting for the Lord’s coming is a living experience of faith, strengthened in Mary’s prayerful expectation, trusting in God’s full realization and manifestation in time.