First Sunday in Advent

The First Sunday in Advent begins the Church Year. This day sets the tone for the entire year. It focuses our attention on our Lord and specifically that He comes to us and how He comes to us. On the first day in Advent and as we begin the new year we are planted firmly in the realm of grace. Grace begins our journey through the Church Year, for the Church Year will move us through the way God comes to us in His grace. Out the outset of the Church Year we are made aware that we are in need. Our prayer in the Collect of the Day is that we “be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance.” This shows us something important about this season of the Church Year and how it charts our course through the rest of the Church Year. We not only prepare for the celebration of our Lord’s coming at his birth, we celebrate why He was born—to suffer and die for the sin of the world. And we not only prepare for our Lord’s return in glory on the Last Day, in repentance and serving others. We also are mindful that our Lord comes to us in His Gospel and Sacraments to forgive us and strengthen us in faith and equip us to serve Him.