advent begins…hope, preparation, joy, love

Today marks the beginning of the Christian celebration of Advent. Advent is a time of spiritual reflection and celebration leading up to the birth of Christ on December 25th.  Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The word ‘Advent’ is from the Latin word “Adventus,” which means “coming.” It is more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth and the Word of God. It is the spiritual journey of us all, as we affirm that Christ, our Savior, has come, that He is ever-present in our world today, and that He will reign again.

Part of the tradition is reading scriptures from the Bible that tell the story of Jesus’ birth day.  Skip on over at Life, Family, Faith, Culture and… there Michael has a great daily Bible reading list. His selected readings tell the story of events leading up to Jesus’ birth and should take less than 3 minutes a night to read. The girls and I also went to the library yesterday and picked up books to read during Advent. I think these books will make it easier for the girls to comprehend the story. They deliver the message from the Bible in simpler terms, but still staying true to the Gospels.

Along with scripture reading, there is the tradition of lighting the Advent candles.

The candles are traditionally lit in the following order: purple, purple, pink, purple, white. The first is called the “Candle of Hope.” It symbolizes faith in God keeping his promises to humanity. The second is called the “Candle of Preparation,” reminding Christians to “get ready” to receive God. The third candle is the “Candle of Joy.” It recalls the angels joyfully singing about the birth of Christ. The fourth candle, the “Candle of Love,” reminds Christians that God loves them enough to send his only Son to Earth. The “Christ Candle,” the white candle in the center, stands for Jesus Christ himself. {Source: ehow.com}