As we conclude the school year, this Sunday marks the beginning of a new liturgical year with the season of Advent. Advent is the four weeks preceding Christmas. It is a time of anticipation and preparation for Christ's birth. It's a time of hope, reflection, and spiritual readiness. Through prayer, fasting, and acts of kindness, Catholics await the coming of Jesus, embracing his message of love, joy, and renewal in their lives.
Many Catholics have an Advent wreath and four candles to help them prepare for the celebration of the Nativity on 25 December. You can find a great explanation of Advent and what a Catholic Advent wreath draws our attention to on the Hallow website by clicking HERE.
Here is an Advent prayer written by the United States Conference Catholic Bishops:
Let us pray
Lord our God,
we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ:
He is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples,
He is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,
He is the Saviour of every nation.
Lord God,
let your blessing come upon us
as we light the candles of this wreath.
May the wreath and its light
be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation.
May He come quickly and not delay.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
