Most people think of Advent as a warm-up to Christmas, but actually, it''s the other way around. Christmas is a preview of Advent!

Christmas is the festival of rejoicing at Christ''s first coming—the beautiful, unlikely start of our salvation! But each year, in the last week of December, the trees come down, the lights are unplugged, our nativity scenes are wrapped in newspaper, and our "Joy to the world" fades into silence until next year. Advent, on the other hand, is a bigger celebration—one that can''t be boxed up and stored in the attic. Advent celebrates the grace of Christ''s first coming, and then it reaches with restless anticipation for the fuller grace of his second appearing and the completion of our salvation!

Through the devotional readings in Prepare the Way, we invite you to celebrate Advent again. For 28 days, join with St. Paul, King David the Psalmist, Zechariah, Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist, along with the crowds who flocked to him as they rejoiced in the good news of Christmas, and then look beyond it for the holiday that never ends!