The Christmas season has finally begun! For many people, this means setting up the tree, buying presents and baking cookies. However, at Rosary and all Catholic Churches, the anticipation for Christmas leads to the wonderful season of Advent. The season of Advent consists of four weeks leading up to Christmas and Jesus’ long-awaited birth. This year, the Advent calendar began on November 30, marking the first week of the month-long wait.
When asked about how Advent impacts our Catholic faith, Mrs. Vasquez ’17 shared, “Advent impacts our faith by giving us an example of how God provides. At the end of the Advent season comes Christmas, when the covenant is fulfilled and God’s relationship with humanity is mended.” It is our job as Catholics to trust in God’s plan and promises to us. He gave us the greatest gift of His son, Jesus!
Like other liturgical seasons, Advent has special symbols and traditions observed by people in the church. The most common tradition is the lighting of candles on a wreath. The wreath consists of three purple candles and one pink candle. Each candle symbolizes a different virtue: hope, peace, joy and love. The candles are lit weekly, highlighting a different virtue to focus on each week. This small tradition helps us to prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming on Christmas Day.
Another tradition that helps us prepare our homes for Jesus’ coming is setting up the nativity scene. Many people set up nativity scenes in their homes on mantels or in dining rooms. Some holiday lovers even go as far as putting up inflatable nativities on their front lawn. A common thing to do after setting up your scene is to hide the baby Jesus until Christmas Day, when he appears in his manger. This serves as a reminder of the coming and anticipation of Jesus’ birth.
A tradition at Rosary is a special Advent service hosted by Campus Ministry. The service includes a saying of the rosary by the school. The lights in the Karcher Center are turned off and girls from campus ministry sit in a circle in the middle of the room, holding small candles. As the prayers are said, the candles are lit. This beautiful service also includes worship songs between each decade of the Rosary. Many girls at Rosary enjoy this experience because it gives them the chance to sit with God and spend time in prayer by praying and singing.
Sophomore Emilia Cantos shared her experience with Rosary’s Advent tradition, “The prayer service was very reflective and peaceful. It helps me to strengthen my faith during Advent alongside my rosary sisters of hope for Christmas.” Prayer is a wonderful way to begin this Advent season, especially when you’re in good company.
It is important to understand what Advent means to us as Catholics. So, Religion Teacher Mrs. Vasquez helped explain. She says, “We hope for the Lord who is the ultimate experience and expression of peace, joy, and love. Our hearts are drawn to Him, and praying with the journey of the Holy Family invites us to a deeper humility and love for God, ourselves, and those around us.” Advent reminds us of the waiting and anticipation of Jesus’ coming. It is a reminder for us to open our hearts to God and accept him this Christmas season.
