Principal's Message

THE SEASON OF ADVENT

This week sees the beginning of the season of Advent in the Church. Advent, means ‘coming’. It is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

The Colours

Historically, the primary sanctuary colour of Advent is Purple. This is the colour of penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. The purple of Advent is also the colour of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week. This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The nativity, the Incarnation, cannot be separated from the crucifixion.

The Wreath

The Advent wreath is an increasingly popular symbol of the beginning of the Church year. It is a circular evergreen wreath (real or artificial) with five candles, four around the wreath and one in the centre. The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. 

The Candles

Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. The colours of the candles vary with different traditions, but there are usually three purple or blue candles, corresponding to the sanctuary colours of Advent, and one pink or rose candle. The centre candle is white and is called the Christ Candle. It is traditionally lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The central location of the Christ Candle reminds us that the incarnation is the heart of the season, giving light to the world.

As we approach the birth of Jesus Christ, I invite you to think about Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph. Both said ‘yes’ to God, yes to being the parents of God’s son. I often imagine the excitement and their anxiety as they too waited for the most precious gift of a child in the most extraordinary of circumstances.

God Bless