After the tribulation ends, then the sun will grow dim and the moon will not shine, and the stars will fall; the heavens will convulse.“Then all mankind will see me, the Messiah, coming in the clouds with great power and glory. However, no one, not even the angels in heaven, nor I myself, knows the day or hour when these things will happen; only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when it will happen, stay alert. Be on the watch for my return.“ Mark 13:24-26, 32-33 TLB

Advent is a time to be alert and prepare our hearts for Christ’s second coming. The Christmas season reminds us that Christ first came unexpectedly. Of this we can be certain, His second coming will be no less expected. Alas, many will not be prepared. Are you?

Note: Advent is a season of commemoration of Christ’s first coming and the anticipation of His second coming. Taken from the Latin adventus (coming, arrival, invasion), Advent proclaims the coming of Christ in two ways: it celebrates His long-awaited arrival as Messiah over 2,000 years ago, and it anticipates His imminent return as King of kings and Lord of lords. Christians often speak of Christ’s “first advent” and “second advent”; that is, His first and second comings to earth. His first advent was his birth in Bethlehem (the Incarnation) that we celebrate as Christmas. Our focus this Advent season is Christ’s second coming. In 2024, Advent begins on December 1st and runs through Christmas Eve December 24th.