Liturgical Calendar | Season of Advent

Season of Advent

Advent has a twofold character: for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered; and likewise when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period for devout and expectant delight

Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 39

Documentation

1. Advent

a) Sundays

93. Each gospel reading has a distinctive theme: the Lord’s coming at the end of time (First Sunday of Advent), John the Baptist (Second and Third Sunday), and the events that prepared immediately for the Lord’s birth (Fourth Sunday).

The Old Testament readings are prophecies about the Messiah and the Messianic age, especially from the Isaiah.

The readings from an apostle serve as exhortations and as proclamations, in keeping with the different themes of Advent.

b) Weekdays

94. There are two series of readings: one to be used from the beginning of Advent until 16 December; the other from 17 to 24 December.

In the first part of Advent there are readings from Isaiah, distributed in accord with the sequence of the book itself and including salient texts that are also read on the Sundays. For the choice of the weekday gospel the first reading has been taken into consideration.

On Thursday of the second week the readings from the gospel concerning John the Baptist begin. The first reading is either a continuation of Isaiah or a text chosen in view of the Gospel.

In the last week before Christmas the events that immediately prepared for the Lord’s birth are presented from Matthew (chapter 1) and Luke (chapter 1). The texts in the first reading, chosen in view of the Gospel reading, are from different Old Testament books and include important Messianic prophecies.

Introduction to the Lectionary

Calendar

Sundays of Advent

  • First Sunday
  • Second Sunday
  • Third Sunday
  • Fourth Sunday

Weekdays of Advent

  • First Week
  • Second Week
  • Third Week
  • 17–24 December

Solemnities

Feasts

  • St Andrew (30 November) can fall outside Advent

National Calendar for England

  • St Andrew (30 November) can fall outside Advent

National Calendar for Wales

Occasions when Mass texts of the day maybe replaced
V1V2V3D1D2D3
2.Sundays in the season of Adventcrosscrosscrosscrosscrosscross
4.Solemnities not of precept (Immaculate Conception)crosscrosscrosstickcrosscross
9.Weekdays in the season of Advent
from 17 to 24 December
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12.Obligatory memorialsticktickcrossticktickcross
13.Weekdays in the season of Advent to 16 December
V1V2V3D1D2D3

V1 = Ritual Masses (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [hereafter, GIRM], no. 372).
Masses for various needs and occasions and votive Masses, in cases of serious need or pastoral advantage, at the direction of the local Ordinary or with his permission (GIRM, no. 374).

V2 = Masses for various needs and occasions and votive Masses, in cases of serious need or pastoral advantage, at the discretion of the rector of the church or the priest celebrant (GIRM, no. 376).

V3 = Masses for various needs and occasions and votive Masses chosen by the priest celebrant in favour of the devotion of the people (GIRM, no. 373, 375).

D1 = Funeral Mass (GIRM, no. 380).

D2 = Mass on the occasion of news of a death, final burial, or the first anniversary (GIRM, no. 381).

D3 = Daily Mass for the dead (GIRM, no. 381). When D1 and D2 are not permitted, neither is D3.

Resources

Cycle of Prayer

Advent – Christmas

Openness to the Word of God
especially on Bible Sunday (2nd Sunday of Advent)
Migrants and Refugees
especially on Migrant’s Day (3 December)
Expectant Mothers
especially on 4th Sunday of Advent

Rite of Penance

Worship of the Eucharist

Spirit of the Season