I hope you will excuse the title of this article, but I have
found that sometimes it actually helps to admit that you don’t know something.
That way, people tend to be more patient and explain things clearly. I admit
that I have used some of the “Dummies” books on occasion, and found them very
helpful. I hope you will find the same is true as you read this article about
Advent.
Lots of times, in the church, we tend to assume that when we
participate in certain traditions or rituals, that everyone knows what they
mean and why we do them. Take Advent, for example. Even though we light candles
and recite familiar verses, do most of us really understand what it’s all
about?
Most of us are familiar with the concept of a Christmas season, (thanks to the song) which lasts
for twelve days. It begins with Christmas Eve, and lasts until Epiphany on
January 6. Advent is a season in the Christian year that lasts for about four
weeks. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve, so
its length is not the same from year to year. Most of the time it begins on the
Sunday following Thanksgiving, which often falls in the end of November.
During Advent, Christians prepare for the celebration of the
coming of Jesus. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or
“visit.” We remember and relive the Jewish desire for a Messiah, and we read
many Old Testament Messianic passages, like those of Isaiah. But the Second
Coming of Christ is also a prominent theme during Advent.
Another unique feature of Advent is its color scheme. Most
of us are used to the familiar reds and greens of the Christmas season, but we
find the purple and pink of Advent a bit odd. Why do we use those colors? The reason
has to do with the theological themes of Advent. As a season of preparation, it
has much in common with Lent, which prepares us for Easter. Thus, the colors of
Advent are also similar. Purple is a color that reminds us of both repentance
and royalty. Remember the robe the soldiers put on Jesus as they tortured and
beat him (Mark 15:20)?
Advent wreaths also feature two other colors, pink and
white. The pink candle reminds us that the coming of Christ is not just about
repentance (You’d better watch out!) but about joy. After two Sundays of somber
purple, we get a fun Sunday of pink, which is to remind us of joy. We are to be
joyful about the coming of Christ, not just sober and introspective. So rejoice!
The center candle is white. It is the Christ candle and
represents the purity and the holiness of Jesus. We light this candle on
Christmas Eve, and if we have services on Christmas Day, which happens when
Christmas falls on a Sunday.
Churches that have a Christmas Eve candlelight service will
often use this candle to light all the other candles held by the people in the
congregation as symbolic of the light of Christ spreading to all the world.
Here, we like to do that as we sing Silent Night.
If you haven’t made plans
to be here for our Christmas Eve service, please do so. It is a little more
relaxed service, with more singing, and less preaching. Bring your family, if
they are in town, and start an Advent tradition of your own!
