Tips for Honoring Advent
Tips for honoring Advent
The season of Advent begins. Now is the time to reflect upon what Advent means to each of us, and to honor Advent as a preparation for the Christmas season (which, by the way, doesn’t start until Christmas Day.) I thought maybe I could offer some help in navigating Advent – a gentle challenge (to myself as well) to take some times away from the chaos of society’s Christmas - to talk about how to simplify our holidays and focus on what season is truly about. It is a journey toward Christmas.
- Maybe we can start with asking ourselves, “What does Advent mean to me?”
- How does this fit with what the Church calls us to during Advent? - to spend some deeply reflective, and quiet Holy time of watchful expectation.
- The Advent Wreath can be a tool to help us wait and reflect, as we light a different candle each week and pray
the special prayer for that week. - What does it mean to you? What does it symbolize?
- the circle shape?
- the Evergreens?
- the candles?
- the colors – purple and pink?
A prayer to get us started on this Advent Journey:
Gracious God, you give to us of your abundance and we are grateful.
Rouse us from a life of mindless “wanting” and help us recognize what is truly important and what is expendable.
Reveal to us unexpected places of peace and simplicity and let our hearts be content in you, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of our lives.
Amen. ~ Tracey E. Herzer
Click here for downloadable Advent Daily Reflection Booklets.