ADVENT: COME, LORD JESUS, COME AND BE BORN IN OUR HEARTS! Color the Wreath green, Berries (circles) red First Sunday of Advent (Hope Candle) – color candle purple, its flame yellow Second Sunday of Advent (Peace Candle)- color candle purple, its flame yellow Third Sunday of Advent (Joy Candle) – color candle pink, its flame yellow Fourth Sunday of Advent (Love Candle) – color candle purple, its flame yellow Christmas Day (Jesus Candle) – color the word Jesus your fav color, its flame yellow THE ADVENT WREATH THE WORD “ADVENT” MEANS “COMING”! THERE ARE 4 CANDLES REPRESENTING THE FOUR WEEKS OF ADVENT THAT WE PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR THE BIRTH OF JESUS. In our Catholic tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum up the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Savior. THE FIRST WEEK WE LIGHT A PURPLE CANDLE THE SECOND WEEK WE LIGHT A PURPLE CANDLE THE THIRD WEEK WE LIGHT THE PINK CANDLE THE FOURTH WEEK WE LIGHT THE PURPLE CANDLE THE WHITE CANDLE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WREATH REPRESENTS CHRIST AND IS LIT ON CHRISTMAS EVE. THE CANDLES REMIND US OF THE ONE FOR WHOM WE ARE WAITING, JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHY DO WE USE EVERGREENS? These branches remain always fresh and green, even during the darkest days of winter. They remind us of the light of Jesus’ love that brings a peace and joy which lives in us every day and will never end. WHY DO WE USE THE COLORS PURPLE AND PINK? PURPLE is a serious color. It reminds us that preparing to welcome Jesus and preparing our hearts through prayer. PINK is the color of Joy. We light this candle on the third Sunday of Advent to remind us that if we are preparing well to welcome Jesus at Christmas, great joy will soon be ours. ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL TRADITIONS OF ADVENT IS THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH. The purpose of the Advent wreath is to deepen the understanding of Christmas as time passes from Advent into Christmas the wreath grows in beauty until it is finally replaced by the Christmas crib and Christmas tree. THE WREATH: (A CIRCLE) IS THE SYMBOL OF THE ETERNITY AND EVERLASTING LOVE OF GOD; NO BEGINNING AND NO END. EVERGREEN: A SYMBOL OF THE EVERLASTING LOVE OF GOD. A REMINDER OF THE THOUSANDS OF YEARS THAT THE WORLD WAITED FOR A SAVIOR. .