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.