Advent. What does it mean?

I have been asked about Advent. What does it mean? This word means a “coming event.” The name Advent comes from the Latin word ‘adventus’ meaning arrival. For many Christians this is the season of four weeks of celebration leading up to Christmas eve, or Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Some denominations enter into this celebration with a different message each week tying the event together describing those involved in the birth of Christ. Some do not.

In some cases wreaths of evergreen with five candles forming a perfect circle in the wreath to symbolize the eternity of God are placed in the Church. One candle is lit each week, with the last candle being the largest and only white one symbolizing the full authority and purity of our Lord in the body of the Church – His body. It is lit on the day we celebrate His birth.

Each candle in the wreath symbolizes one of the virtues Jesus brings to us. Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Some consider the lighting of the first candle on the first Sunday to symbolize expectation, the second hope, the third joy and the fourth purity. The Christmas candle is lit on Christmas day reminding Christians that Jesus is the light of the world.

Not all denominations follow the same celebration order, and some do not have it in their Order of Service at all, but for those who do it is a beautiful time of focus on the real meaning of Christmas. Some ‘fast’ something over the season to put more of their focus on the season, some do not. The way we celebrate is not the point, the point of Advent Celebration is to keep the real reason for the season in our hearts and in our minds. Jesus came as a baby boy of flesh and blood to grow up into the Messiah who would give His body and blood as a sacrifice for us to save us from sin and death.
Without Him, without His love, without the Love of our Abba Father, without the Love of The Holy Spirit, where would we be?
Let us celebrate this Advent Season with Praise and Thanksgiving and Love for Him, and for all those in our lives; however we choose to do so.?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!?

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