What Christian season observes the coming of Jesus and prepares for Christmas?

• A. Advent
• B. Lent
• C. Ordinary Time
• D. Epiphany

Answer: (A)

Advent is the season of preparation before Christmas, inviting Christians to await Jesus’ coming by reflecting on his birth and his promised return. It usually lasts about four weeks, starting four Sundays before Christmas, and many churches use an Advent wreath with candles as a focus for each week. The mood is one of hopeful waiting, prayer, and anticipation, setting the stage for the celebration of Christmas. Lent is the separate period of preparation before Easter, centered on repentance and Jesus’ suffering. Ordinary Time is the ongoing, non-seasonal time of growth in faith. Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Christ to the world, highlighting his manifestations to the Gentiles and his baptism, not the preparation for his birth.