Advent
Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of our Lord. We look to Christmas when God came in Christ Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and is the start of the Christmas season, which lasts through the Baptism of Our Lord.
During Advent we emphasize the joy and anticipation of the coming of our Lord: excitement, wonder, joy, expectation, even exhilaration.
During the Christmas season we celebrate the wonder of the Incarnation. God shows us how to live fully: by pouring out our lives for others. That is what the days of Christmas are all about.
Making an Advent wreath is a great way to prepare the mind and hearts of your family for Jesus' birthday celebration!
The Advent wreath is a tradition that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent. It is usually a horizontal evergreen wreath with four candles. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading and prayers. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are lit.
