ADVENT: A TIME OF REFLECTION AND PRAYER
As we enter the liturgical season of Advent on December 3, we prepare to commemorate a miracle, a major turning point in the history of the world. We joyfully prepare our hearts to celebrate the day the Son of God, Creator of our star-filled universe, came to earth as a baby born of the Virgin Mary, fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament.
The time of Advent – which means “coming” in Latin – has been a Christian tradition since around the fourth century. This special period invites us to reflect upon the full meaning of the birth of Christ who came to us as the Light of the world and God’s greatest gift to us. He is Emmanuel, God with us. He came to show us God’s love for each of us, the way to eternal life, and the fact that love is the whole purpose and meaning of our lives.
Advent is also a good time for us to remember that Christ came to save us from ourselves, and that he is the hope of humanity and our strength during troubling times as the world faces wars like those in Ukraine and in the Middle East, environmental crises and rampant injustice.
Jesus was given many royal titles, including “Lord,” “Prince of Peace,” and “King of Kings.” And since royalty is symbolized by the colour purple, it’s the liturgical color of Advent, a color that also symbolizes our penance and preparation for Christmas.
Another symbol of Advent is the wreath, a circle of evergreen branches inserted with four candles that are lit successively, one on each Sunday of Advent. Three of these candles are purple; the other, a rose one, is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday, meaning “rejoice” in Latin.
Advent starts annually on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Each week has a different theme: hope, peace, joy, and love:
- The first week reminds us that the birth of Jesus has brought hope to our world.
- The second week focuses on the peace he brings to the world.
- The third week is about the joy that Jesus brings to our hearts, hence the rose candle.
- The fourth week reminds us of the love that God showed by sending his Son to us.
As part of Advent, we Catholics also honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, on December 8th when we celebrate her Immaculate Conception, and that she remained sinless throughout her life.
During Advent this year, let’s pray for world peace and thank Jesus with our hearts filled with hope, peace, joy, and love for coming to us in humility as a little baby in a stable, and for staying with us as a close friend, one who walks with us and guides us. Let’s ask him to help us prepare for Christmas by living according to his will and by sharing his light with others. Amen.
Eugene Aucoin is a retired human resources director and university professor. He spoke around the world about nurturing human potential, but his passion is sharing his love for the teachings of Jesus. His first book Has Science Killed God? won Asia’s best Catholic book of the year in theology in 2020. His next book, with Novalis, will focus on the Beatitudes for inner peace and happiness. Eugene also gives seminars about faith.
