Let’s face it - the four weeks leading up to Christmas are the worst possible time to try and prepare spiritually for anything. It is a time more attuned to shopping and parties than to greater prayer or reflection. But in many ways that’s exactly the point. Advent is not easy and it’s not convenient.
A Jesse Tree is a powerful symbol to help tell the story of God and of God’s people, and to connect the Advent season with the faithfulness of God and the hopefulness of God’s people across history.
The Irish Catholic diocese of Kerry provides this excellent background to the tradition, along with readings and practical suggestions.
A Jesse Tree is a powerful symbol to help tell the story of God and of God’s people, and to connect the Advent season with the faithfulness of God and the hopefulness of God’s people across history.
The Irish Catholic diocese of Kerry provides this excellent background to the tradition, along with readings and practical suggestions.
A comprehensive history of the tradition of lighting the Advent wreath, its meaning and symbolism - and suggested readings and prayers for families lighting the candles. This valuable resource is provided by the Baptist Church in America.
Click here to access.
Click here to access.
"How desperately we need Advent! Its themes of love, joy, peace and hope awaken in us the promises we know to be true. So then, let us yawn, stretch our limbs and loosen those stiff joints! As we rub pandemic sleep from our eyes, may we see that everything, from our seasonal preparations to the prophetic words echoing down the centuries, contains the power to awaken us to the true work of this holy season: the transformation of the world, beginning with the renewal of our faith and the awakening of our hearts to the needs of others."
The Sisterhood of St John the Divine, a monastic community within the Anglican Church of Canada, provides beautiful daily reflections for Advent. You can sign up to receive these by email here.
The Sisterhood of St John the Divine, a monastic community within the Anglican Church of Canada, provides beautiful daily reflections for Advent. You can sign up to receive these by email here.
'Many of us are in an ideal place to begin Advent, but we don’t know it. It can be tempting to think that, because we are struggling these days, we can’t enter into Advent without a big change in our mood or without distancing ourselves from our real experience. Nothing could be further from the truth. Advent is about letting God come to us. We do the letting and God does the coming.' Creighton Jesuit University's online ministries provides a huge range of resources for praying Advent.