The Advent Wreath

As we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent the church leads us into a new liturgical year. Advent is the season in the liturgical calendar, which is composed of 4 Sundays as preparation for Christmas. The liturgical colour is violet since the Advent Season has a penitential character, but has also the element of hope and joy in the expectation of the Lord's joyful coming on Christmas.

"Advent" comes from the Latin word "adventus" (arrival), taken from "advenire". It means "coming". The first coming took place on the first Christmas night in Bethlehem. This is Jesus' coming in history. His second coming is called the Parousia. He will come as the Eternal judge, who will judge the living and the dead, and establish His kingdom in this world. The Second Coming of Jesus is called the coming in majesty. The third coming is between His first and the second coming. He is always coming to us at every moment of our lives. He comes to us in the sacraments of the Church. Most especially, and in a real way, He comes to us in the Eucharist. This coming can be called the coming in mystery.

In Catholic tradition, we celebrate Advent by putting up an Advent Wreath and lighting candles each week. The use of the wreath and candles during Advent is a longstanding Catholic tradition that was originally adopted by Christians in the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. The wreath and candles are full of symbolism tied to the Christmas season. The wreath itself, which is made of various evergreens, signifies continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life we find in Christ. The wreath as a whole is meant to remind us of both the immortality of our souls and God's promise of everlasting life to us through Christ.

The candles also have their special significance. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday. Three of the candles are violet because violet is a liturgical colour that signifies a time of prayer, penance, and sacrifice. The first purple candle symbolizes hope. It is sometimes called the "Prophecy Candle" in remembrance of the prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. It represents the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming Messiah. The second candle, also purple, represents faith. It is called the "Bethlehem Candle" as a reminder of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. The third candle is pink and symbolizes joy. It is called the "Shepard's Candle," and it's pink because rose is a liturgical color of joy. The third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday and is meant to remind us of the joy that the world experienced at the birth of Jesus, as well as the joy that the faithful have reached the midpoint of Advent. On the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle to mark the final week of prayer and penance as we wait for the birth of our Savior. This final candle, the "Angel's Candle," symbolizes peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men."

Celebrating Advent is an excellent way to prepare your mind and heart for Christmas and his second coming. The time for preparation and vigilance is now. The Lord may come today, tonight, tomorrow, or by the next century. But for us, it does not matter when he will come again if we are prepared all the time. Our whole life should be a life spent for Jesus and his kingdom. This, then, will enable us to welcome the coming of Jesus with joyful expectation, hope, and eagerness. Such is the spirit and overall theme of Advent: "Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus, come!"