A Message from Bishop Kym:
Greetings beloved in Christ. I hope that you are well on this day. As someone who loves the season of Advent, I am finding this year’s transition from Thanksgiving to first Advent, in three short days, a little jarring, and perhaps you are too. But I’m trying to live into the invitation of Advent, the invitation that is always before us, that something is coming and that we may not be able to see it, we may not be able to recognize it, but we do know that God is in it. The invitation of Advent is to step away from how the world would portray the Christmas season and to spend some time deepening our own spirit. There are lots of resources out there for enriching your Advent experience. Forward Movement Publication publishes The Advent Word, and you can have a word every day sent to your phone or your computer for you to contemplate.
The meaning of the Colors of the Advent Candles
The colors of the candles on an Advent wreath can have different meanings, but here are some common interpretations:
- Purple: Represents a time of prayer, penance, sacrifice, and spiritual reflection. Purple is the traditional color for Advent.
- Pink: Gaudete Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent in the liturgical calendar of Western Christianity. The word “Gaudete” is Latin for “Rejoice.” This celebration is a reminder that God who loves us is still in charge and that we await his coming not with fear, but with tremendous joy.
- White: Represents purity, regeneration, godliness, light, and victory. The central white candle is known as the Christ candle, which is lit on Christmas Eve to celebrate the arrival of Jesus.