Happy New Church Year that is. This first season of the church year is Advent (“coming”), beginning four Sundays before Christmas. This is a time for preparation for the coming of Christ, both in the incarnation at Christmas and His second coming at the end of the world. In earlier years, this preparation was markedly penitential, due to the fact that Jesus became incarnate to die for us to atone for our sins. Therefore, the historical liturgical color used was purple, which is the color of royalty, but also of sorrow and repentance. But since the liturgical revisions of the 1960s, the focus has become more anticipatory and hopeful in character. Because of that, the alternate color for Advent is blue, which is the color of spiritual love, fidelity, anticipation, hope, and royalty.
The first candle is the prophecy candle or the candle of hope. In this candle we look forward with hope to Jesus' birth being the fulfillment of God's prophecy.
The second candle is the Bethlehem candle or the Candle of Preparation. Here we prepare for the advent of our Lord.
The third (and pink) candle is the Shepherd candle or the candle of joy. The angels that appeared to the shepherds gave a message of joy.
The fourth candle is the angel candle or the candle of love. The angels brought a message that Jesus was born for us because he loves us.
For the birth itself, the white Christ candle is lit, to remind us that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.
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