Advent

Introit for the First Sunday of Advent

The season of Advent opens with the introit “Ad Te Levavi,” taken from Psalm 24. “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul” sets the tone for these weeks. This antiphon teaches a straightforward Christian attitude: trust and hope. We lift our souls to God openly, not drawing back, trusting in his goodness and mercy. The psalm’s request—“let me not be put to shame”—is a clear plea that our faith not be shown to be empty or misplaced. The “enemies” mentioned are all the forces that work against us: fear, doubt, despair, the pressures and anxieties of life, and at times even human opposition. The confidence of the psalm is that anyone who hopes in God and waits for his coming will not be shaken or put to shame.

In the chant setting used here from the Cistercian Graduale, the melody rises steadily, expressing this trust and longing. At the same time, the Church begins Advent by calling us out of spiritual sleep and urging us to stay alert for the Lord who comes unexpectedly. Advent always holds these two movements together: desire for God’s nearness and confidence in his faithfulness.

The First Sunday of Advent also turns our attention toward the Lord’s coming—both in history and at the end of time. Advent is not penitential in the way Lent is; it is a season of hopeful expectation, helping us become more aware of the passage of time and of Christ’s promised return. The prayers of the season encourage us, especially in the Third Week, to “judge wisely the things of earth and to love the things of heaven.”

Below is a short video of some Sisters practising Ad Te Levavi.
May we begin this season by lifting up our souls to the Lord with steady hope.