Advent Wreath

The Advent wreath is an excellent symbol for the annual cycle of Advent into Christmas. We place this evergreen circle topped with five candles in the sanctuary. Each of the four Sundays of Advent we light another one of the candles along the outer edge. The already lit candles each week remind us of how far we come through this season of waiting, while the remaining candles remind us that there is still waiting to be done.

In addition, each new candle lit brings more brightness and more warmth, representing the slow build towards that time when the greatest light came down to earth: Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve, we light the final center candle to symbolize that great arrival. The darkness pushed away and the world bathed in light.

But we are not there yet. Advent is a time of waiting.

Take a minute today to live in that anticipation. Think about an ongoing project you are waiting to be completed. It might be a task at your house, a project at work or school, or construction along your commute. Reflect on what’s been accomplished so far and what remains to be done. Acknowledge that large works can sometimes take a long amount of time. Live into the anticipation.

In a few short weeks, the Advent wreath will be extinguished. It will be disassembled, packed up, and placed into storage for another year. Then we wait until the cycle of anticipation begins again.