You don't have to limit your understanding of Advent to a chocolate calendar, and you don't have to be 'put off' by traditions and practices that you didn't grow up learning. Whether you’re a novice or an ‘old hand’ at Celebrating Advent-Advent is for anyone who is interested in cultivating an awareness of the importance of developing a Spirituality of Waiting...Our relationship with God is hallmarked by phases of waiting- we waited for Jesus to come to Bethlehem...We wait for Him to come to us personally each day...And We wait for Him to return again to the Earth in Glory!
What is Advent?
It is the tradition of observing the four weeks preceding Christmas which was started by Christians in the Middle Ages.
The word “advent’ means…“Coming”…“Arrival”…
The Focus of the advent season is the Coming of the Christ-child…The Fulfillment of God’s promise….
The Spirit of Advent is that of …Expectation…Anticipation…Preparation…Longing…And Hope…
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas which is nearest to November 30th
Advent ends on December 24th.
An Advent Wreath is usually a circular wreath that is made with evergreens and has five candles~ four around the wreath and one in the center. The circle of the wreath reminds of us God himself…His eternality…His unending mercy…He is the Alpha and the Omega…the beginning and the end…In Him is life everlasting…
The green of the wreath speaks of the hope we have in everlasting life… of renewal…of newness…His mercies are new every morning!
The candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son.The four outer candles and the four weeks of advent represent the period of waiting between the prophets Malachi and the birth of Jesus.There are five candles…each lit on successive Sundays.There are three purple or blue candles which symbolize hope, royalty and penance.One pink or rose colored candle represents Joy…
The large white candle which is in the center is the Jesus candle- it represents Hope fulfilled…The light of the candles reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into our darkness.We are reminded that we have been called out of darkness into His Marvelous Light…
Prayer Before Advent: Father, today as we begin our time of preparation for the celebration of the birthday of Your Son, we ask that you prepare our hearts to receive Him. May the darkness…fear…shame…hopelessness…and sin that block us from truly knowing and worshipping You recede and the shadows fade away as His light shines in our lives…Amen.
The focus of the advent season is the Coming of the Christ-child…The fulfillment of God’s promise….
But…there is a double focus…
Past & Future…Christ has come…Though He is present in the world today through his Holy Spirit…Yet we wait for him to Come Again…
Even so, Lord Jesus~ Come!
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