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Dear Family in Christ, Make ready the way of the Lord; make His paths straight! Matthew 3:3 The word, ‘Advent,’ comes to us from the Latin ‘adventus’ and it means ‘coming.’ In the church calendar, advent falls during the four weeks that precede Christmas. For early Christians, Advent meant the actual physical coming of Christ among humanity. But Advent is not only a past historical event it’s also a current event in which Christ is being born among us again and again. Advent is a season of joyous preparation for Jesus Nativity (birth) and a celebration of the coming of God as a saving event – God’s coming into the hearts and souls of the faithful and thoughts of Jesus’ glorious return at the end of time. As well as being a season of joy, Advent is also a season of penance in expectation of the judgment on the Last Day. The Advent of Christ is Jesus’ past coming in Bethlehem; it’s his future coming at the end of time; and his present coming, through grace, into the hearts of all people, and his eternal presence in the midst of his church. Part of our celebration of Advent includes the use of the Advent Wreath. The Advent Wreath comes to us from German and Scandinavian traditions. It developed out of the simple use of an evergreen spray of fir, spruce, balsam, or pine placed near the hearth. Traditionally the wreath is plain, without any ribbons or bows. The evergreen of the wreath represents the life that is found in Jesus. The greens have come from the out-of-doors where nature has begun its winter sleep. In the midst of the drabness of nature, the evergreen branches symbolize the continuation of life. In the home it’s often placed on a central table. In the church it’s usually suspended above the altar or placed on a high pedestal. The Advent Candles are arranged with the spray of evergreen. Candles have been used for centuries as the symbol of light. It’s not at all strange that the Christian tradition has given the candle a prominent place in the observance of Advent. It’s the living light, the living flame that gives the candle its meaning. This is what makes it more symbolic than artificial lights. The Advent candles are symbolic of the coming of Jesus, the living light of the world. The traditional act of lighting one more candle each week tells of the increasingly brighter light of Jesus’ coming, and leads gradually to the blaze of light at the dawning of Christmas. Traditionally four candles are used and a specific meaning has been attached to each candle. The first has been called the Prophecy Candle, announcing the period of waiting. The second is the Bethlehem Candle, symbolic of the preparations being made to receive and to cradle the Christ Child. The third is the Shepherds' Candle, which is symbolic of the act of sharing Christ. And the fourth is the Angels’ Candle of love and final coming. Sometimes a ‘Christ Candle’ is placed in the center of these four to be lighted on Christmas Eve. In some traditions the first three candles are blue or purple and the fourth candle rose. In other traditions, all four candles are blue or purple. Did you know about the Advent Log? It’s a variant of the Advent Wreath. It serves as a practical receptacle for the Advent candles and expresses in yet another way the close bond between faith and the life of nature. The log, rustic and rough-hewn, traditionally comes directly from the woods. It tells of life in its natural state. It stands as a tie between the God who comes and the created world to which God comes. In the home the Advent log holds a central place throughout the season on the mantle, the dining table, the piano, or any other place that’s been set aside as the center of worship. The log is large enough to hold the four Advent candles. According to one tradition the four candles for the four Sundays would be blue or purple, the Advent color, except that for the third Sunday a pink candle is used to symbolize the joy of Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. According to still another tradition, red candles are used for the four Sundays. Advent calendars are often used (especially when there are children in the family) to mark the days and foster the anticipation of Christmas. These calendars are usually a one-sheet reproduction of selected pieces of sacred art that illustrates Bible scenes connected with the Advent story. Numbered ‘doors’ or ‘windows’ of varying sizes are arranged for opening on consecutive days throughout the Advent season. Behind each of them is revealed a suitable scene, Scripture verse, or thought for the day. Each new day and each new opening thus adds to one’s pre-Christmas pleasure and sense of expectancy. Early Christians celebrated the birth and baptism of Jesus on Epiphany, January 6. Christmas, as we have it today on December 25 developed from a pagan festival celebrating the birth of the sun god. The first day of winter is the shortest day of the year because the sun has its shortest appearance. At this point, according to pagan belief, the sun has a ‘rebirth’ because its appearances increase each day after that. The early Christians related this to the ‘Son of Righteousness.’ In the fourth century the Christians at Rome celebrated the birth of Christ on December 25 (the first day of winter at that time). Lutherans celebrate Christmas by rejoicing in the birth of Christ. We sing carols and we pray and thank God for the gift of Jesus. Lutherans often have candlelight services on Christmas Eve. The church is decorated with greenery and lots of candles. All of the candles on the Advent wreath are lit and the story of the birth of Jesus is read from Scripture. Many familiar songs and hymns are sung during the service. Usually the last song is Silent Night and during its singing the flame from the Christ Candle is passed to each person present – using small hand-held candles. This is to remind us that the light of Christ is with each of us and we can pass it on to others. Many Lutheran churches put up a Chrismon tree. This is a Christmas tree that’s decorated with white lights and Christian symbol ornaments made in white and gold. The name Chrismon is a combination of the words Christ and monogram. Generally a live evergreen tree, the symbol for eternal life granted through the death of Christ is used. Tiny white lights signifying Christ as the light of the world decorate the tree. Some Chrismons are simple copies of symbols of Christianity from its earliest days while others are new explanations of God’s never-changing presence in an ever-changing world. The Chrismons are only gold or white or a combination of the two colors. Gold represents the glory and majesty of God and white, the liturgical color for Christmas, stands for the purity and perfection of the Savior Jesus Christ. A clear Chrismon may be used to represent the Holy Spirit and a spot of red may be used on some such as the Lamb of God to signify the blood of Christ. Chrismons are interdenominational and reflect the heritage of all Christianity. As we prepare our hearts, our homes, and Christ’s church for Jesus’ coming, my prayers will be with you as I pray for each of you by name during this advent season. May the joy and wonder of Jesus’ love fill your hearts and minds now and always.
Yours in Christ, |
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