The season of Advent began on Sunday, 1 December and encompasses the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season is a time of preparation for our hearts and minds for the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.
The use of the wreath and candles during Advent are a longstanding Catholic tradition that was originally adopted by Christians in the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. This is why I would encourage families to have their own advent wreath, with either daily or weekly prayers around it as you and your family prepare for the celebration of the Prince of Peace.
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 candles also have their own special significance. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday. Three of the candles are purple because the colour violet is a liturgical colour that signifies a time of prayer, penance, and sacrifice.
The first candle, which is purple, 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 is pink because rose is a liturgical colour for 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 Saviour. 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.”
While we are halfway through our Lenten journey it isn’t too late to start lighting candles and having some focused and intentional prayers before the Lord. Tell the Lord about the joys of your life, and how grateful you are for them. Sit in that gratitude and allow the small sparks of joy we experience to grow into a flame. Next week make the focus of your prayer peace. Pray for it for our world so desperately needs it, and then choose something small that you can do to advance His kingdom of peace in the world. This prayer for peace and our own commitment to be makers of peace is timely given that we celebrate tomorrow the Day of Reconciliation.
Our advent wreath is not simply decoration but a visual reminder for us to bring our needs and the needs of all the world before the Lord.
