Beginning of Advent
Today is the beginning of advent...
It is the beginning of the Catholic Church calendar...
It is waiting for Christ's coming...
The catholic church marks Advent with the advent wreath which is composed of 4 candles. One candle is lighted every Sunday till all candles are lighted on the 4th Sunday. Today, our church also blessed the wreath and lighted the first candle...
The priest talked about some symbolism. The rounded wreath represents God who has no beginning and no end. The everlasting leaves (okay just plastic is used in our wreath) which is green represents hope and the candles represent (anticipation of) Christ's coming. Three of our church's candles are purple, the color of penitence and one is rose (i think it is lighted on the third Sunday). The priest did not tell why the other is rose colored though.
The advent wreath makes me remember an event in Grade 5. I just transferred to a Catholic School from a public school. It was advent and we would go to the chapel everyday. The candles in the advent wreath were to be lighted and our teacher decided that the oldest girl in the class, the youngest, and two other criteria (which I could not remember now) will be lighting them. For the youngest, all the class knew that another girl would be lighting it. I protested! I said I was the youngest and should light it! Well, I did not understand what Advent was but I knew I was the youngest (been always the youngest in all my class) and I wanted to light. I think the class did not like it much but had no choice. So I lighted my candle!
Even now, sometimes I could be impulsive and not immediately think of the effect of my act on other people (the thinking comes later)... there's a stubborn streak in me. I wish I was calm all the time but I am not. I could be a mixture of different emotions but of course I've grown from the child in Grade 5. I may be impulsive but my concern for others has grown. I guess that goes with age and maybe something to be thankful for! :)
I mentioned in my earlier post on why I don't like the Christmas season much. I should like it and look forward to it. Maybe the advent wreath should always remind me of the JOY of Christ's coming so that it overshadows all materialism that also goes with the season...
Yes, I should focus on that and be excited as each light of the advent candle is lighted...
So one candle lighted and three more to go!
It is the beginning of the Catholic Church calendar...
It is waiting for Christ's coming...
The catholic church marks Advent with the advent wreath which is composed of 4 candles. One candle is lighted every Sunday till all candles are lighted on the 4th Sunday. Today, our church also blessed the wreath and lighted the first candle...
The priest talked about some symbolism. The rounded wreath represents God who has no beginning and no end. The everlasting leaves (okay just plastic is used in our wreath) which is green represents hope and the candles represent (anticipation of) Christ's coming. Three of our church's candles are purple, the color of penitence and one is rose (i think it is lighted on the third Sunday). The priest did not tell why the other is rose colored though.
The advent wreath makes me remember an event in Grade 5. I just transferred to a Catholic School from a public school. It was advent and we would go to the chapel everyday. The candles in the advent wreath were to be lighted and our teacher decided that the oldest girl in the class, the youngest, and two other criteria (which I could not remember now) will be lighting them. For the youngest, all the class knew that another girl would be lighting it. I protested! I said I was the youngest and should light it! Well, I did not understand what Advent was but I knew I was the youngest (been always the youngest in all my class) and I wanted to light. I think the class did not like it much but had no choice. So I lighted my candle!
Even now, sometimes I could be impulsive and not immediately think of the effect of my act on other people (the thinking comes later)... there's a stubborn streak in me. I wish I was calm all the time but I am not. I could be a mixture of different emotions but of course I've grown from the child in Grade 5. I may be impulsive but my concern for others has grown. I guess that goes with age and maybe something to be thankful for! :)
I mentioned in my earlier post on why I don't like the Christmas season much. I should like it and look forward to it. Maybe the advent wreath should always remind me of the JOY of Christ's coming so that it overshadows all materialism that also goes with the season...
Yes, I should focus on that and be excited as each light of the advent candle is lighted...
So one candle lighted and three more to go!
posted by elizabeth | 11:08 PM
2 Comments:
Seriously .. i donch blame you for not liking Christmas .. Beth.. because it's more commercialized than anything.. we've gotten.. all year round.. and yes.. folks should focus on the Joy of giving.. and loving even your enemies during Christmas.. now that's what I call .. the spirit of Christmas.. and not rushing out to spend every penny you've got .. ;)
But that's just me.. muahha!
well the season certainly does strain me... but am still looking for that spirit of Christmas. My family gets together on Christmas eve and we actually sing "Happy birthday Jesus" and you realize that even amidst chaos there is still love and family togetherness and that is actually something to be thankful for and somehow compensates for everything!
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