It’s Sunday afternoon, the final Sunday before Christmas. I’m watching some football right now, like I do most Sundays during the Fall months. Well – okay… Actually we just went into Winter, and so the candle lit this morning on the Advent Wreath at church was the fourth and the last one. We have changed seasons. So, yes, it’s almost Christmas.
The candles of the wreath each have a meaning to them individually… but as each candle gets lit each week, there is more light and more warmth put out by them together. To me it symbolizes the growing anticipation. We all love to see candlelight. Right? In winter we know that even a bit of fire provides us some warmth. We have longer periods of dark and crave some light. We see the change. We feel that something will be different.
When I was growing up we had an Advent Wreath on our dining table at home. We lit the candles all month. We also had an Advent Calendar and had a new little door to open each day that passed. We counted the time towards Christmas.
It was a pretty big deal.
From what I can tell, Advent is a lost season in many churches and homes these days. Maybe some even never celebrated the time at all. It was not a tradition done for them. For me, it’s one I have always liked. It’s about lighting candles – just as those who recognize Hannakah – they light them during the 8 days celebration. The light and the warmth grows!
For Christians the TRUE light is Jesus. The light of the world. On the first Christmas Day the bright star in the sky showed the way to Him.
Most churches around the world hold a candlelight service each Christmas Eve for this reason. There is nothing more wonderful than to see the darkened sanctuary slowly light up as the candlelight is passed person to person… row by row. Soon all those there have a little bot of the light – of Jesus. All sing “Silent Night” and then “Joy to the World.”
May you feel the warmth and see the light of Christmas!
Marla’s Musings 