For many Christian traditions, today is the First Sunday of Advent, the holy season of anticipation and preparation for the coming anew of the Christ Child at Christmas. It also is the first day of the new liturgical year.The Gospel at Mass today finds Jesus giving a strong warning to his disciples and "to all."
From Mark Chapter 13:
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.
"It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
"Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
"May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
"What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’"
At A Concord Pastor's parish, the deacon used the song "Something's Coming" from "West Side Story" in his homily, connecting it to this Sunday's First Reading from Isaiah.
2 comments:
What do the colors mean over there? I often see purple, pink, and usually a white. Ours are whatever your heart desires at that moment in time.
Noah picked red long ones this year. (I wanted the thick short ones, but lost a losing battle.)
Very good question.
Three of the candles on the Advent wreath are purple or "violet-colored." Some say that the color is used to demonstrate that Advent is a time of sober spiritual preparation. Purple may also represent royalty -- as we are waiting for the coming of a King.
The "Third Sunday" candle on the Advent Wreath is pink to remind us to be joyful. The third Sunday is called "Gaudete Sunday." Gaudete is Latin for "rejoice."
But, it's neat that you have an Advent Wreath in your house. Nice. And, red candles work too, of course. :-)
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