The Advent Wreath

We welcome the Advent Season on Sunday, November 29, 2020.

The Advent Season is the beginning of a new liturgical year for the Church. It is our preparation for the big event that is Christmas. In Churches and chapels, including most homes and offices, we see a beautiful symbolism of Advent in the Advent Wreath.

The Advent Wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition, which is very much a part of our spiritual preparation for Christmas. It is made up of various evergreens in circle, signifying continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, depicts the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found only in Christ, the eternal Word of the Father.

The four candles in the Advent Wreath refer to the four weeks (or four Sundays) of Advent. According to tradition, each week represents one hundred years, to sum up to the four thousand years from the time of Adam and Eve until the birth of the Savior. Each candles is lit on each Sunday of Advent.

Three of the candles are color purple and one is color rose. In particular, the purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifice, and the good works the faithful undertake at this time in preparation for Christ's birth.

The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, which is also called "Gaudete Sunday", or the Sunday of rejoicing. It is so because the faithful are now at the midpoint of Advent by this time, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas Day.

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.

Prayers for the Advent Wreath: (usually at the start of Sunday Mass)

1st Sunday of Advent:

Father, as we begin our Advent pilgrimage, we light a candle of Hope.

Grant us the courage to hope: hope for your presence, hope for your peace, hope for  your promise. Amen.

2nd Sunday of Advent:

Father, as we journey down the Advent road, we re-light the candle of Hope, and we light a candle of Peace.

Grant us the courage to make peace: peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, and peace in our communities. Amen.

3rd Sunday of Advent:

Father, at the height of our Advent walk, we re-light the candles of Hope and Peace, and we light a candle of Joy.

Grant us the courage to experience joy in the hope of the Savior's coming: joy in the face of apathy, joy in the face of sorrow, joy in the face of uncertainty. Amen.

4th Sunday of Advent:

Father, as our Advent pilgrimage draws to a close, we re-light the candles of Hope, Peace, and Joy. And we light a candle of Love.

Grant us the courage to share your love: love for life and all creation, love for sinners and saints, love for the poor and the little ones. We thank you for the hope your Son gives us, for the peace he bestows, for the joy your Spirit pours into our hearts, and for your love that redeems us and shows us the way. Amen.

During this year of the pandemic, let us pray that the Advent Wreath becomes our symbol of hope that in God's time we will overcome our struggle through the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

 Reflection after the typhoon:

Humans are no match to nature's fury. Although harmony of Creation was God's original plan, our abuse of our stewardship of creation has brought about disasters and tragedy to the world, and even to our own kind.

"The environment is made to suffer our wrongdoing, and now we reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference. Global warming is upon us. Typhoons, heavy rains, floods, drought, volcanic eruption, earthquakes, and other natural calamities occur in increasing number and intensity."

The aftermath of Typhoon Rolly in Bicol is a recent incident. The scenes of severe destruction seen in the news and other mass media are pitiful and melt our hearts with compassion for the misery of typhoon victims already suffering the deprivation of poverty even under normal times. Why are these happening, we ask?

For now, typhoon victims need help, and soon. For those who have resources, let them do so and help out, channeled through many NGOs now helping out in the Bicol area. For those also wanting in life, let us pray for the victims.... that God be merciful and grant them the strength to re-build their lives and properties again.

So let us pray this supplication from the internet, which I edited accordingly.

Prayer After Calamities:

God, Creator of the universe.....

In our day of trouble, when our souls are weary

and refuse to be comforted,

we call to mind Your promise of hope.

In our day of trouble, when the clouds pour out water,

the skies thunder, and we tremble with fearful disbelief,

we remind each other of Your power to save.

In our day of trouble, when chaos and destruction surround us, we recall stories of the saints who took refuge in You.

In our day of trouble, when we seek rest and healing,

we meditate on Your mighty deeds in worship and praise.

O Eternal Father,

the cyclones’ fury has been grave.

We've seen the pictures, felt the pain,

of all those caught in flood and rain.

O hear us as we cry to Thee

for those engulfed in tragedy.

O Jesus, our Savior,

whose almighty hand

protects all those in every land,

send help and aid of every kind;

grant that we find a way to help.

O hear us as we cry to Thee,

may hope rise out of this tragedy.

O Holy Spirit,

stir great compassion, healing, love.

Pour down Your blessings from above.

O hear us as we cry to Thee,

may hope rise out of tragedy.

O Holy Trinity,

bless all Your servants in this hour,

to bring relief, to find a way,

to rebuild, and to heal today.

O hear us as we cry to Thee,

may hope rise out of this tragedy.

Mama Mary, our Mother and Refuge, intercede for us.

Saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod, pray for our people

Lord Jesus, be merciful and hear our prayers.

Amen.

The "BER" months in the Philippines, in Year 2020:

Will the "BER" months come in the Philippines in the midst of this corona pandemic?  Or will the "BER" months be "quarantined", too, by the authorities as they come?

It's funny how things are happening in the country... the longest lock down but the highest cases of covid positive patients.  And the projection is that the number will continue to rise. But for now, let us divert our attention from the pandemic to the joy that is Christmas.

September is the start of the "BER" months in the Philippines.  It is part of the Filipino customs that the beginning of the "BER" months, which include September through December, is also the beginning of the long holiday season that will lead to Christmas and New Year celebrations, hopefully even during this time of pandemic. Let us not stop hoping and praying.

The Philippines, which is predominantly Christian nation in the whole of Asia, has the distinction and the reputation of having the earliest and the longest celebration of Christmas season.

The sound of "BER" months put a smile on the face of every Filipino. It's like there is a "magic" in the word that symbolizes hope and aspirations that even in the midst of life's struggles, even during this corona pandemic, there is time to celebrate the joy of living with sharing and singing.  Because in spite of depressing news of Filipinos dying of the deadly virus and even peaceful activists killed and murdered by unidentified assailants, terrorism in some part of Mindanao, Filipinos in general will find a reason to smile as the cool "BER" months begin, ushering in the joyous countdown to Christmas.

Although, things may not be as usual this time because of the pandemic.  In the past, when things were normal, radio programs started playing holiday tunes, and tv stations greeted the beginning of September with special shows that had Christmas themes already.  This year, sadly one major tv station was shut down for allegedly being "unfriendly" to those in power now.  So we don't know about Christmas tv specials this time. Also, it used to be that as days passed from the first day of September we already saw Christmas decorations all around -- at home, inside shopping malls, other business establishments, and in the streets.  Because when the "BER" months start, the store slowly start to display their Christmas products, like Christmas decor, Christmas lights, lanterns, decorative items, Santa Claus figures, etc.

Surely, it's going to be different during this pandemic; the malls have limited operation and a number of small businesses have closed shop permanently; the number of mall goers is also regulated; and worst a big number of people lost jobs and so no means to do their usual Christmas shopping. Whatever little money they may have is rather spent on food and other life essentials to survive the crisis.

Perhaps, the one not affected by this crisis is the weather, and it is expected that our mornings will get colder in the coming days and months. Lucky is the weather, so to speak, as it knows no pandemic.

For us in this generation, it will be a different Christmas season during this pandemic since the last world war.  There will be no 13th month and bonuses for those who lost jobs.  Even those who may be blessed to be able to receive bonuses still, it is likely they will re-think their priorities on spending money in non-essentials as no one knows how long this pandemic will last. Gift giving and sharing may be set aside for now in order to survive the hard times.

But then, let us not forget that life is a journey, and it should go on even with this corona pandemic.  Because when we stop to journey things don't go right.  We cannot just wait doing nothing and allow the deadly virus to take full control of our lives.  

So it is timely to use this rough storm in our lives to reflect more deeply on life's meaning and priorities.  Our Catholic faith reminds us that the real reason for the Christmas season is God's love. For God gave His only Son to save humanity, even from this pandemic.  Therefore, let us not forget to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus, our Lord and Savior this Christmas with charity for those affected the most. For no one is so rich not to need anything more. And no one is too poor that he is unable to share.  

In the words of Pope Francis, Christmas is joy, an inner joy of light and peace."  This is the true meaning, and reason, of Christmas: God loves us... even with this dreadful pandemic.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!