Fr. Mark reminds us that Advent is not Christmas—it is a penitential season meant to awaken our souls, sharpen our spiritual vision, and prepare us to stand before the Lord. Across the 24 Churches that make up the Catholic Church, Advent (or its equivalent) is lived with deep seriousness: 40-day fasts, vegan disciplines, weeks of total abstinence, and long seasons of preparation. Their witness challenges us in the Roman Rite to rediscover what this season truly is: a call to repentance, renewal, and readiness.