Advent is a season of great tension.
It is primarily concerned with eschatology and not, as our contemporary American commercial world would have it, with preparing for Christmas cheer. Rather, Advent expresses hope and expectation for both the first and second comings of Christ. There is a paradox here. The First Sunday of Advent is called the beginning of the Christian Year. Advent challenges us to rethink and confront in Word and sacramental sing-acts the revelation of Christ's time in the midst of our times.