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November 28, 2021 First Sunday of Advent
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Prayer for Lighting the Advent Wreath
Lord our God,
we praise you for sending your Son to free us from the darkness of this world.
Let your blessing come upon us as we light this wreath, may it be for us a sign of the bright promise of Christ whose coming we await.
May he come quickly and not delay.
We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
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Family Advent Activities
- SUN 28 Prepare an Advent wreath: three purple candles, one pink candle, and some evergreens. Place all on a tray or large plate. The candles can symbolize hope, faith, joy, and love or peace. Light the first purple candle and pray to God about the things you hope for.
- MON 29 Make a nativity scene with household materials. Paint paper tubes to make the Holy Family. Use bits of fabric to make clothes. Use a shoebox to make the barn and a small box for the manger. Wait for Christmas Day to put Jesus in the manger.
- TUE 30 People hoped and waited for so long for Jesus to come and bring light to the world! Share stories about the ways parents prepared and how they felt as they waited for their children to be born. Older siblings can share stories of waiting for younger siblings. Look through the first photographs taken of your children. Pray about your hopes for your family.
- WED 1 The Christmas story begins with one small family set to change the world. On yellow strips of paper, write ways that your family can help bring light and hope to your community during Advent. Keep the papers in a jar. As you complete these actions, place them in the nativity scene you made to act as hay.
- THUR 2 Mary and Joseph were immigrants traveling far from their home when Jesus was born. Try sleeping in a different place in your house tonight. Swap beds with a sibling or sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor. Thank God for the comforts of your home
- FRI 3 Make Christmas cookies and share them together. Thank God for the gifts of food and family.
- SAT 4 On Christmas Day, children may receive new gifts and new toys. Go through the toys you have and donate ones that you have outgrown to a local charity.
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Advent
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History and Traditions
Since the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great, Advent has been a four-week period of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and preparation for Christmas. This is why there are four candles on the Advent wreath. One candle is lit on the wreath the first week, two the second, and so on, until all four are ablaze. Hope and light increase, as we get closer to the birth of Jesus.
Traditionally, three purple candles and one pink candle are used (although any four candles may be used). The purple candles represent the penitential nature of the season. Advent is a time to pray, do good works, and turn away from sin, in order to make room in our hearts for the birth of Jesus. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for "rejoice". Some Christians put up their Christmas decorations on Gaudete Sunday.
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