Sat. 4 Dec. 2021
Advent Wreaths
The Rev. Anne Williamson
Last night I joined the community at Temple Israel for the Interfaith Hannukah Candle-lighting. Each year that I attend this event, at the Hands of Hope sculpture in the Temple Israel courtyard, I am reminded of light as a symbol of hope in many religious traditions. During the Festival of Lights (Hannukah) candles are lit to remember an important moment in the history of the Jewish people - the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE. Here at St. John's, we light candles on the Advent Wreath and the candles represent the people we encounter in the Scripture readings during this season: the prophets, John The Baptist, the Virgin Mary for example. Each candle can represent a theme as well and this year we are offering meditations on Hope, Peace, Joy (the Carol Service on Dec 12 - it will be joyful!) and Love on Sunday evenings during Advent. We are using a resource of the Episcopal Church called Preparing to Become the Beloved Community which offers a history of the Advent Wreath:
The Advent wreath is believed to have originated with a Lutheran pastor working among the poor in Germany in the late 1800s. Tradition states that the children would ask every day if Christmas had arrived, so he arranged candles (four large candles for the weeks and then smaller ones for the days) to help the children mark time and journey with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem without leaving Germany. The wreath came to appear as it does today through the adoption of the practice by German Catholics, who decreased the wreath to just the candles we use today. Different traditions attribute different meanings to the candles, and even use different colors, but the purpose remains the same: to provide Christians with a way of marking time through the season of anticipation until we reach the birth of Jesus. For some, the wreath is a visual pilgrimage through Advent, similar to the idea behind the recreation of the creche in churches and homes started by St. Francis of Assisi as a way of helping the poor experience holy sites from home.
I hope and pray that the prayers and meditations offered this Advent will guide us on the journey through this time of waiting and anticipation for when Christ is born again in our hearts and in our world.
Advent blessings