Nov 28, 2020

Round the Advent Wreath (1st Sunday Advent B)


When Christian families and communities gather round the Advent wreath to light the purple and rose-colored candles, a beautiful story of hope unfolds. It is the story of a people who have had enough of the horror and darkness of sin and are now anticipating the dawning of light—the light of salvation in Christ.

As we begin the new liturgical year with the season of Advent, it is fitting to reflect on the symbolism of the Advent wreath in the light of today’s scriptural readings and hope to open our minds and hearts to this season’s invitation to intensify our longing for the coming of our Lord, our Saviour, our King.

The Advent Wreath. The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The Advent wreath is a circular garland of evergreen branches that represents the eternity of God.  On the branches of the wreath, four candles are set to represent the four weeks of Advent.  Three purple candles and one pink candle are normally used. Purple is the color of royalty and penance. Hence, reminding us of the coming of the King and of the penitential aspect of the preparation. The pink candle symbolizes and anticipates the joy of Christmas as this is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, the Gaudete Sunday (Sunday of Rejoicing).  Optionally, a white candle, called the “Christ candle,” is set in the center of the wreath representing Christ, the sinless and spotless Saviour of the world.  This candle is lit on the eve of Christmas.

Taken as a whole, the Advent wreath is a symbol that calls to mind the long period of time when people lived in spiritual darkness, waiting for the promised Messiah, for the dawning of the Light of the world. Each year in Advent, people wait once again in darkness for the coming of the Lord—His historical coming in the mystery of Bethlehem, His final coming at the end of time, and His special coming in every moment of grace.

Period of Spiritual Darkness.  The joy of the anticipation of the break of dawn is greatest when people have had enough of the fear and insecurity of the darkness of the night. 

The period of spiritual darkness represents the life of the people without God or away from God.  The first reading (Is 63:16-17, 19b; 64:2-7) recounts how the Prophet Isaiah calls on God to “rend the heavens and come down” for God is believed to have hidden his face from his sinful and guilt-ridden people. The people of Israel, after having been restored to their homeland from Babylonian captivity, have again reverted to their sins of infidelity to God.

Isaiah has seen the depth of the spiritual darkness that has overtaken the people of Israel because of their sins. Thus, the prophet prays:  “Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways! Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful; all of us have become like unclean men, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; we have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind” (vv. 4-5)

This state of sinfulness prompted the prophet to invoke God’s intervention in history to change the heart of a senseless people.  God is their only hope. The responsorial psalm expresses this: “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.” God’s intervention is the people’s only salvation from the darkness of their sins.

We too have some moments of darkness in life.  Even the great saints had to endure some “dark night of the soul.”  Perhaps, God allows this period of doubts, of hopelessness, or of spiritual drought so that we may discover on our own, as we hit the rock bottom of our senselessness, that God is our only salvation. In him alone is our hope. His light is our only way out from the dark pit of the night.  Hence, our hearts long for Him who is our light and salvation as the night yearns for the break of dawn.

Longing for the Light of Christ.  Gathering round the advent wreath to light a candle each day dramatizes our longing for the light of Christ.  We are a people who have had enough of the dark.  But left alone, we are doomed.  We have been enslaved by the power of sin.  We need Jesus Christ to free us from its deadly clutches.  Advent is the season when we knock on heaven’s door with a singular and urgent petition: “Come, Lord Jesus. And do not delay!” “Maranatha!”

Again, each year during the season of Advent we focus our awareness to the coming of our Lord.  We make as our own the expectation and hope of the people that have characterized Jesus’ historical coming in the mystery of Bethlehem, we heighten our anticipation for His final coming at the end of time, and we sensitize our hearts for His special coming in every moment of grace.

Hence, today’s gospel reading (Mk. 13:33-37) is but a practical reminder, as we begin the season of Advent, to be watchful so that we may not be caught sleeping when the Lord comes. 

We light each candle for each of the four weeks of Advent as our gesture of staying awake and watchful, ever mindful of the coming of our Lord-- be it his indwelling in our hearts each day or his final coming as our Judge and Saviour. And of course, for each candle we light, our hearts grow in anticipation of a beautiful celebration of Christmas, the commemoration of the coming our Lord in history.

As families and communities, let us then welcome the Light of our salvation, our only hope, the only power who can dispel the darkness that has shrouded our lives. Let this beautiful story of salvation be the story of our own families and communities.  Let this story of hope unfold once again as we gather round the Advent wreath.

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