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Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Advent And The Advent Wreath
On the First Sunday of Advent, we light the first purple or blue candle, symbolizing hope. In the above picture, we will use the red candles to represent what is normally purple candles. One the second Sunday of Advent, we light the first and second purple candles. The second candle symbolizes love. On the third Sunday of Advent, we light three purple candles. The third candle symbolizes joy. One the fourth Sunday in Advent, we light four candles. The fourth symbolizes the Prince of Peace.
Advent is the season of preparation for the coming of Christ. God started preparing the world for Jesus’ birth thousands of years ago. When God saw that we were not able to find their way through the darkness of sin and selfishness, God provided prophets, or messengers, to let us know that God had a plan! The prophets foretold Jesus’ coming centuries before his birth. That way, we understood that there was hope. God had not given up on human beings, but would provide a way of salvation. Advent symbolizes that we wait for the rebirth of hope, just as the prophets did. We remember that God has a plan for us too. As we prepare our hearts and minds for Jesus’ rebirth, we review our need for God’s salvation and open our lives to God’s Messiah, the Chosen One who will show us the way through the darkness. Advent is a time to get ready on the inside so that God’s love will shine through our lives and make a difference on the outside.
The color for Advent is usually purple, representing both darkness of the world without Christ and the royal purple fit for a king. Sometimes Christians use the color blue, for hope, during the season. If you have an Advent wreath, you may light either blue or purple candles, one each week signifying that the light of Christ is coming closer. Traditionally, the third candle is pink to suggest joy. On Christmas Sunday, and /or Christmas Eve, we light a white Christ Candle to announce the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World.
Christmas is the twelve-day season from December 25 until January 6. As carols are sung, the Christmas story read, and the birth of Christ celebrated, Christians rejoice that God sent us the promised Messiah in the form of a baby named Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of a promise that God made hundreds of years earlier. The challenge of Christmas is to appreciate the humility of Jesus who was born as a baby in Bethlehem and to worship the divine Jesus who conquered death and sin for us.
The color for Christmas is white, the color used for the church’s holiest festivals.
The first week of Advent, we recall the lives of Old Testament people who received God’s “Promise”. Read Genesis 1:26-31; 17:1-8; 15-19; 48:8-16; Joshua 2; Hebrews 11:31; Ruth 1-4; 1Samuel 16:1-13; Isaiah 11:1;Psalm 51.
The second week we review the “Preparation” for God’s gift through the prophets and family members. Read Isaiah 9:6-7;Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7; Luke 1:5-24; Luke 1:39-45; Luke 3:1-17, 21-22; Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7; Luke 2:7; Luke 2:9-12; Luke 2:13-14; Luke 2:8-20; Matthew 2:1-16; Matthew 2:1-12.
The third week we respond to the birth of Christ with people who heard the “Proclamation.” In the fourth week, we rejoice in the “Presentation” of the babe of Bethlehem. Read Luke 2:21-40; Luke 2:1-21; John 3:16-17.
Then on Christmas Day, we remember our “Participation” in sharing the good news with the world.
Wezeman, Phyllis. Advent, A Calendar of Devotions. Abington Press.2007