Advent is not a soft lead-in to Christmas. The Church has always treated it as a season of watchfulness, repentance, and preparation. The readings talk about judgment, the end of the world, and the coming of Christ. Advent asks a blunt question: if Christ came today, would you be ready?
The early Church Fathers spoke of Advent as a time of decision, not decoration. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem taught that Christ has two comings: first in humility, born of the Virgin, and second in glory, to judge the living and the dead. Between those two comings is our time. This limited span is where our choices line up with Christ or turn away from Him.
Saint Augustine said that Christ came first in mercy so we would not dread His coming in justice. The first coming is not a sweet story to go with lights and music. It is God entering our world to give a clear chance to change. Advent is when the Church puts that chance in front of us again. If we ignore it, it is not because God is unclear; it is because we choose comfort over conversion.
The Fathers tied Advent directly to repentance. Saint John Chrysostom, preaching on John the Baptist’s call to “prepare the way of the Lord,” said that the real roads to be straightened are inside the heart. Pride, lust, resentment, greed, laziness, and distraction are the crooked paths that block Christ’s way. Repentance is more than feeling bad. It is turning away from sin and building new habits that match the Gospel.
For men, Advent is a good time for an honest, simple inventory. How do I speak to my family and co-workers? How do I use my phone when no one is watching? What do I do with money, food, and drink? Is there any real prayer outside of Sunday Mass? Do I ever go to Confession, or have I quietly pushed it aside? Advent gives a man the duty to stop pretending and face what is actually there.
That is why John the Baptist stands at the center of this season. He lives simply, speaks plainly, and does not flatter anyone. His message is short: “Repent.” Not “rebrand yourself.” Change your life. John cuts through our half-measures and excuses. Advent asks us to stand in front of his message and let it hit.
Advent also calls for clear, simple discipline. Cut back one comfort: sweets, social media, late-night scrolling, constant noise. Add one steady practice of prayer: ten minutes of silence a day, a decade of the Rosary, or reading the Gospel before bed. Go to Confession as part of the season, not as an afterthought. These are practical ways of saying to Christ, “I am making room for You.”
Saint Joseph stands as a quiet model for men. He listens when God speaks, protects Mary and Jesus, and works without seeking attention. Joseph shows that real strength is obedience, responsibility, and steady protection of those entrusted to you.
Advent’s goal is simple and serious: let Christ enter more deeply into your life now, so you will be ready when He comes in glory. Christ has come. Christ will come again. Advent is the time in between, when a man decides how he will stand before Him.