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December 4, 2021
It’s December and everywhere around you, Christmas is in full swing. But for Christians around the world, before Christmas comes the season of Advent. For many of us, this means advent wreaths, candles, and probably calendars (possibly with chocolates inside!) But Advent goes beyond that.
So what is “Advent”?Advent is the season that marks the new liturgical year in the Church’s calendar. The word Advent essentially means “arrival.” It is a season of waiting for the arrival of Jesus on Christmas.
This year, Advent began on 28th November. It usually consists of four weeks. During these weeks, an Advent wreath is set up in churches everywhere. The wreath has four candles, one for each week. A fifth candle is sometimes placed for the beginning of the Christmas season. The 4 weeks follow a theme to help us prayerfully contemplate the coming of Jesus.
- The 1st Sunday of Advent symbolizes Hope with the "Prophet’s Candle" reminding us that Jesus is coming.
- The 2nd Sunday of Advent symbolizes Faith with the "Bethlehem Candle" reminding us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.
- The 3rd Sunday of Advent symbolizes Joy with the "Shepherd’s Candle" reminding us of the Joy the world experienced at the coming birth of Jesus.
- The 4th Sunday of Advent symbolizes Peace with the "Angel’s Candle" reminding us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”
On the first two Sundays, two purple candles are lit. On the third Sunday, called Gaudete Sunday, a rose (pink) candle is lit. During this week, we celebrate that our waiting for the birth of Jesus is almost over. Rose is a liturgical color that is used to signify joy. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, the final purple candle is lit to mark the final week of prayer and penance before Christmas.
Although Christ has already come 2000 years ago, this season is also a time when we must make efforts to prepare for Christ’s second coming into the world. So that brings us to the question, how can we celebrate Advent and make it a fruitful one this year?
First and foremost, we need to prepare room for Jesus in our hearts. He is very much alive and present now. The Church invites us to renew our desire for the Lord more deeply into our lives.
Make an effort to focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Begin with one and build on it gradually. Here are some other ways:
- Take time for silence and reflection each day with the daily Gospel reading, a devotional prayer, or by following an Advent calendar.
- Dwell with the scene of the Nativity. Take the time to journey with the Holy Family with a novena.
- You can even create and bless your own Advent wreath.
- If you love music, here’s an Advent playlist to listen to.
Advent is meant to help us recognize our need for Jesus in our lives. May this Christmas fill you, and everything that you do, with faith, hope, joy, and peace!