Iyini i-Advent? Livelaphi igama? Iqanjwa kanjani?

NgeSonto elizayo, zingama-28 kuLwezi, kuphawula ukuqala konyaka omusha wezinkonzo lapho iBandla lamaKhatholika ligubha khona ngeSonto lokuqala le-Advent.

Igama elithi 'Advent' livela egameni lesiLatini elithi 'adventus'okukhombisa ukufika, ukufika kanye nokuba khona komuntu obaluleke kakhulu.

Kithina maKrestu, isikhathi seAdvent yisikhathi sokulindela, isikhathi sethemba, isikhathi sokulungiselela ukufika koMsindisi Wethu.

“Lapho iBandla ligubha izinkonzo ze-Advent minyaka yonke, lenza kube khona lokhu okulindelekile kuMesiya kwasendulo, njengoba ngokuba nengxenye ekulungiseleleni isikhathi eside ukufika kokuqala koMsindisi, abathembekile bavuselela isifiso sabo esishisekayo sokubuya kwakhe kwesibili” (Catechism of the Catholic). Isonto , inombolo 524).

Isikhathi se-Advent siqukethe amasonto ama-4 okulungiselela kwangaphakathi:

• isikhumbuzo sokuza koku-1 yoMsindisi wethu neNkosi uJesu Kristu eminyakeni eyizi-2000 edlule ngokuzalwa Kwakhe a I-Betlemme ukuthi sigubha ngoSuku lukaKhisimusi;
• Ukuza kwakhe kwesi-2 okuyokwenzeka ekupheleni kwezwe lapho uJesu eza ngenkazimulo ezokwahlulela abaphilayo nabafileyo futhi uMbuso waKhe ngeke uphele.

Nokho, akumelwe sikhohlwe ukuthi njengoba silungiselela isikhumbuzo sokuza kokuqala koMsindisi wethu nokubuya kwakhe kwesibili, uNkulunkulu ukhona phakathi kwethu lapha futhi manje futhi kumelwe sisisebenzise ngokunenzuzo lesi sikhathi esimangalisayo ukuvuselela isifiso sethu, i-nstra nostalgia, yethu. isifiso seqiniso ngoKristu.

Ngendlela, njengoba eshilo UPapa Benedict XVI emndenini omnandi ngoNovemba 28, 2009: “Incazelo ebalulekile yegama elithi adventus yayiwukuthi: UNkulunkulu ulapha, akakasuki emhlabeni, akasilahlanga. Noma singakwazi ukumbona futhi simthinte ngendlela esingakwazi ngayo ngamaqiniso abambekayo, ulapha futhi uzosivakashela ngezindlela eziningi ”.