The First Week of Advent

Penance and Evangelization

Beware that Your Hearts Do Not Become Drowsy

You may notice that Advent has a tone of austerity and reflectiveness. The priest wears purple, the same liturgical color as the penitential season of Lent. Church decorations and music are more subdued than usual, and the joyous Gloria is not usually sung at Masses. We are encouraged to give alms and to pray fervently so we can welcome Christ into our hearts.

All this points to the fact that Advent is a season of preparation, and in the Christian life, preparation typically includes penance, i.e. fasting and other forms of self-denial. This warning from Jesus in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent helps us understand the connection between penance and preparation:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” — Luke 21:34-36
Fasting and other forms of penance help us detach from the things of this world, which are good but not of ultimate importance. Unless we periodically separate ourselves from earthly goods, we will not seek heavenly goods, and we will be caught unawares by Christ's coming. We will also be unprepared when the going gets tough in this life. We won't be ready to rely on Christ in times of trial, when the things of this world fail us.

We give up good things during Advent and other times so our hearts will be humble, contrite, and ready for the Lord's coming. We deny ourselves so we won't get caught in the trap of worldliness and sin. Penance helps us focus on evangelization by reminding us that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. It's otherworldly focus also reminds us that all people need to receive the good news of Christ's coming kingdom.

Fasting is a great way to pray for others, including the person (or people) you have in mind for Walk With One. After all, we want others to hear the good news rather than being surprised on the day of the Lord! Offer up your sacrifices, in union with Christ, for someone who needs Christ in their life, asking the Lord to draw them to himself.

How to Fast During Advent

Penance doesn't need to be complicated. Here are some self-denial options to consider:
  • Abstain from eating meat on Fridays. (This is the typical penance for Fridays throughout the year.)
  • Fast on Fridays or another day of the week.
  • Wait for Christmas Eve before you eat desserts and other holiday foods.
  • Give up a luxury (food, drink, technology, entertainment, etc.) and use that extra time for prayer.
  • Commit to times of silence.
Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.

This collect prayer begins the Mass for Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Jesus is calling us to "take up battle against spiritual evils." We'll explore fasting itself in a few weeks; during the week of Ash Wednesday, we're going to dig into an important set of weapons the Lord gives us to fight evil: sacramentals.

What's a sacramental? Well, if you attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, you're probably going to receive one on your forehead.

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