Casting Away Darkness & Putting on the Armor of Light

The prayer in Mass for the First Sunday of Advent sets the stage for how we should orient ourselves toward Christ in this blessed Season. The prayer asks for the grace of God to be given that we might cast off works of darkness and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time that Christ has come to us in great humility; for He will come again in majesty to judge the quick and the dead. In Advent, we orient ourselves toward Christ, yoked to Him; that by His grace we may repent (cast off darkness and put on light and life); for we are in the age of Christ's salvation. At the same time, we keep before us His second coming when every soul will go before Christ our God on the last day. His second coming drives us into His healing arms now, that we may be transformed from glory to glory.