In the Catholic Church, Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays, before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, "to come to," and refers to the coming of Christ. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His second coming at the end of time. Our preparations, therefore, should have all three comings in mind. We need to prepare our souls to receive Christ worthily.

First We Fast, Then We Feast: That's why Advent has traditionally been known as a "little Lent." As in Lent, Advent should be marked by increased prayer, fasting, and good works. While the Western Church no longer has a set requirement for fasting during Advent, the Eastern Church (both Catholic and Orthodox) continues to observe what is known as Philip's Fast, from November 15 until Christmas.

The Symbols of Advent: In its symbolism, the Church continues to stress the penitential and preparatory nature of Advent. As during Lent, priests wear purple vestments, and the Gloria ("Glory to God") is omitted during Mass. The only exception is on the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday when priests can wear rose-colored vestments. As it is on Laetare Sunday during Lent, this exception is designed to encourage us to continue our prayer and fasting, because we can see that Advent is more than halfway over.

The Advent Wreath: Perhaps the best-known of all Advent symbols is the Advent wreath, a custom which originated among German Lutherans but was soon adopted by Catholics. Consisting of four candles (three purple and one pink) arranged in a circle with evergreen boughs (and often a fifth, white candle in the center), the Advent wreath corresponds to the four Sundays of Advent. The purple candles represent the penitential nature of the season, while the pink candle calls to mind the respite of Gaudete Sunday. (The white candle, when used, represents Christmas.)

Third Sunday of Advent: Today we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Advent. The message of the angels to the shepherds was one of "good tidings of great joy." The Third Sunday of Advent was devoted to the theme of joy, reminding Christians that the Christmas message was one of rejoicing. In fact, the traditional name of this day was "Gaudete Sunday," from the Latin word for Rejoice!

To contrast this Sunday from the others, some Advent wreaths use a pink- or rose-colored candle rather than a royal purple one as in other weeks. However, I also like to see in the color of this candle a solemn reminder of Jesus Christ's coming Passion, the pink of the candle reminding us of the blood that he would shed, much as the red berries of the holly represent Christ's blood and death even as its green leaves celebrate his everlasting life.

Once the first two purple candles and now the pink candles are lit, we start with scriptures that center on the joy of the gospel message.BACK TO LIST