Advent? Yeah, I've Heard of That

     Let’s call a spade a spade, Advent is kind of that unknown season. You light a candle each week for the four weeks leading up to Christmas, and somehow prepare yourself for Jesus’ coming. But why and how are we supposed to do that?
    Why do we light four candles a week apart? Jesus is known as The Light of the World. This is because he brought (and continues to bring) us out of sin (darkness). Each candle represents a thousand years of waiting for our Savior, The Light of the World, to arrive. Each candle represents what we should focus on that week. 1. Hope, 2. Love, 3. Joy, 4. Peace. The third week is represented by a pink candle to remind us to shift our focus from repentance to an exciting anticipation of our Lord.
    So how do we do this Advent thing? It’s a new year in the Church, so it’s time to start fresh. Get to confession. It gives you hope for a better life because you no longer have that spiritual baggage we tend to collect. Do acts of service. Help with the Giving Tree, shovel a neighbor’s driveway, volunteer at a soup kitchen, etc. Acts of service helps us love more (another word for “love” is “charity”). Get excited!! You have two choices, see the bad or see the good. If you don’t get that one gift you really wanted, be thankful for what you did receive. Don’t forget to add that you get to spend time with your families without homework. Make sure you spend time in prayer to relax. It could be reading the birth of Christ, listening to Christmas music, or spending time in silence. These are just a few strong suggestions to fully experience Christmas…not just a watered down Hallmark version. Have a joyful Advent this year.