Advent 2023
The word advent comes from the Latin term adventus meaning "arrival" or "coming," particularly the coming of something having great importance. "The relationship between adventus and military comings is especially noteworthy. In ancient Rome, Adventus was a technical term for the ‘glorious entry’ of an emperor into his capital city. Often this happened after a military victory. In addition to celebrating conquest on the battlefield, the birthday of the royal leader was also commemorated in an Adventus." (catholicexchange.com/the-deeper-meaning-of-advent-in-latin/). Advent season, then, is both a time of anticipation of the arrival of Jesus Christ and a preparatory period of repentance, meditation, and penance.
Father William Saunders, who writes the “Straight Answers” column for the Arlington Catholic Herald in Virginia, says although the Advent wreath is part of a “long-standing Catholic tradition,” its actual origins are unknown. The Advent wreath consists of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. “The laurel signifies victory over persecution and suffering; pine, holly and yew – immortality; and cedar – strength and healing. Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns. Any pine cones, nuts or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ. “The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents 1,000 years – (representing) the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the birth of the Savior. “Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance and preparatory sacrifices and good works undertaken at this time. They represent (in order) 1) hope, 2) peace, and 4) love. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas.
“The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead. The light again signifies Christ, the Light of the world. Some modern-day adaptions include a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve. In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time after the blessing of the food.”
Clarion Herald - NOLA
Because the Gloria is a prayer/song of joy, it is suppressed during Advent and is not heard until the vigil Mass of Christmas Eve. Therefore, since the Gloria is the Mother of all Carols, don't sing the mother-of-all-carols, – the song of the angels, until the appropriate time – the Nativity (and onwards).
A prayer for Advent, said as the Advent wreath candles are lighted. Dear Jesus, as we light the candle(s) on this Advent wreath, may the light of your presence bring joy to our hearts. Bless our family and our friends, and be with all those who are in need this holiday season. Amen.
Some other writings about Advent:
Pope Francis 12/4/2022: www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-12/pope-at-angelus-with-jesus-we-can-always-begin-anew.html
Bishop James Conley (Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Episcopal Advisor to the Catholic medical Association): www.lincolndiocese.org/bishops/bishop-james-conley/bishop-s-column/9841-advent-the-season-of-hope#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAdvent%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Pope%20Francis,on%20the%20Word%20of%20God
Hope vs. Optimism, by Henri Nouwen:
Living with Hope: Optimism and hope are radically different attitudes. Optimism is the expectation that things: the weather, human relationships, the economy, the political situation, and so on—will get better. Hope is the trust that God will fulfill God’s promises to us in a way that leads us to true freedom. The optimist speaks about concrete changes in the future. The person of hope lives in the moment with the knowledge and trust that all of life is in good hands. All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, Rumi, Gandhi and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let’s live with hope.
Love - willing the good of the other, as other: James 2:15-16: If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
Father William Saunders, who writes the “Straight Answers” column for the Arlington Catholic Herald in Virginia, says although the Advent wreath is part of a “long-standing Catholic tradition,” its actual origins are unknown. The Advent wreath consists of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. “The laurel signifies victory over persecution and suffering; pine, holly and yew – immortality; and cedar – strength and healing. Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns. Any pine cones, nuts or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ. “The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents 1,000 years – (representing) the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the birth of the Savior. “Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance and preparatory sacrifices and good works undertaken at this time. They represent (in order) 1) hope, 2) peace, and 4) love. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas.
“The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead. The light again signifies Christ, the Light of the world. Some modern-day adaptions include a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve. In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time after the blessing of the food.”
Clarion Herald - NOLA
Because the Gloria is a prayer/song of joy, it is suppressed during Advent and is not heard until the vigil Mass of Christmas Eve. Therefore, since the Gloria is the Mother of all Carols, don't sing the mother-of-all-carols, – the song of the angels, until the appropriate time – the Nativity (and onwards).
A prayer for Advent, said as the Advent wreath candles are lighted. Dear Jesus, as we light the candle(s) on this Advent wreath, may the light of your presence bring joy to our hearts. Bless our family and our friends, and be with all those who are in need this holiday season. Amen.
Some other writings about Advent:
Pope Francis 12/4/2022: www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-12/pope-at-angelus-with-jesus-we-can-always-begin-anew.html
Bishop James Conley (Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Episcopal Advisor to the Catholic medical Association): www.lincolndiocese.org/bishops/bishop-james-conley/bishop-s-column/9841-advent-the-season-of-hope#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAdvent%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Pope%20Francis,on%20the%20Word%20of%20God
Hope vs. Optimism, by Henri Nouwen:
Living with Hope: Optimism and hope are radically different attitudes. Optimism is the expectation that things: the weather, human relationships, the economy, the political situation, and so on—will get better. Hope is the trust that God will fulfill God’s promises to us in a way that leads us to true freedom. The optimist speaks about concrete changes in the future. The person of hope lives in the moment with the knowledge and trust that all of life is in good hands. All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, Rumi, Gandhi and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let’s live with hope.
Love - willing the good of the other, as other: James 2:15-16: If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?