The time of Advent has many parallels with the season of Lent. Indeed the Incarnation is intrinsically tied to the Passion of our Lord. The reason God came to earth in the first place was to ultimately die on the cross for us and save us from eternal separation from Himself.
The time of Advent is one of joyful preparation. Lent is a time of dying to self in order to more fully associate ourselves with the Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Advent is preparing for our Savior's coming. The joyous occasion of the Creator of the universe humbling himself and becoming one of us. Fully human; fully divine. Truly mysterious.
The colors of Advent even mimic the colors of the season of Lent. Again, the Church in her wisdom has done this on purpose so as to help us to see the corollary between the two liturgical seasons. Again it helps us to see that the Incarnation naturally and logically progresses toward the Crucifixion.
Christianity is unique in the fact that instead of man trying to ascend to God through various levels of transcendence and trying to reach up, we believe that God descends to man and reaches down to pull us out of this muck we are in. As far as I know, we are the only religion that has ever claimed this. It's something that is truly amazing. I for one am in awe of this fact and I think that Advent should be a time of awe. Everyday, every season, we should make ready for the coming of Christ. May our God be Blessed!
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