Majesty
Lections: The First Sunday of Advent , AD 2025 A Homily: Lord, we pray for the preacher, for you know his sins are great. Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Welcome, my brothers and sisters, to Advent, perhaps my favorite season of our Church’s year; from the Latin adventus , literally “a coming to”; a translation in turn of the Greek παρουσία, meaning “a presence” or “an arrival.” People used παρουσία to indicate the appearance of an important or weighty individual: a king visiting a city, a general marching onto the field of battle, or even the epiphany of a god. We can see, then, why Christians would relate this term to Christ, as He is all three. We welcome Advent as a season of patience, penance, and preparation; a season of hope and of joy; even a bit of a spooky season, as shadows lengthen, nights deepen, and winter shows the whiteness of her teeth. All is silence and stillness outside of our homes. For indeed, thi...
