From the first, Easter has been the centre piece of the Church's annual celebrations. Advent and Christmas, however, emerged as liturgical seasons early in the Church's life. In Europe, long before Christian times, the passing of the winter solstice and the slow return of the sun were associated with religious festivals. The Church baptised these traditions, as it were, by celebrating the birth of the Saviour, the dawning of the world's true Light. The weeks of Advent, leading up to Christmas, developed over time a beautiful liturgy that provided an important complement to the Easter celebration. Old Israel's faith was filled with expectations. Christian faith must appreciate these prophetic expectations if is it is to understand what the dawning of the world's salvation means. During Advent's time of waiting, the Church enters into the spirit of these prophetic expectations, remembering John the Baptiser as their final herald. And because the hopes of Israel look forward to the final consummation of God's plan for creation, the Church's joyous time of waiting also brings awareness of the Saviour's final Coming at the end of time.

Of course, we can rejoice as we look forward to the birth of Christ – doing so we are led into a deeper faith in the Incarnation of the eternal Son. But our Christmas joy can easily tend towards superficial sentimentality if we do not make our own the true spirit of Advent.