It is hard to keep our spiritual, emotional and physical bearings during the season of Advent. The word “Advent” means “coming” and this season of 4 weeks is meant to help us prepare our spirits for the coming of Jesus, the celebration of his birth. Advent is meant to help us re-focus and re-centre our spirits, so that we are rooted and grounded in God’s love.
Yet is so easy to lose our way. We long to arrive, on Christmas Eve, at that idyllic, peaceful place, which we imagine Bethlehem was, with stars shining in the sky and peace and joy settling into our hearts. That is what Advent is meant to help us do.
We all know how it goes though. There are a thousand things in the lead up to Christmas that pull us off the path to Bethlehem. Gifts to be decided upon and then purchased, extra activities (some of them fun and some not so much) to be added to the calendar, food to prepare, travel plans to be made. For retailers, this is the make or break season – and so the pressure is on for owners, employees and customers.
It is an emotional season. If we have had a loved one die in the past year, the grief becomes all the more poignant during this month. If we have tensions or splits within the family, they too become all the harder in the midst of expectations that families should be together celebrating at Christmas. If there is abuse or addiction or financial troubles or the loss of a job, all those are aggravated by societal expectations and pressures at this time of year.
It is so hard to keep our spiritual bearings, hard to maintain emotional and physical well-being at this time of year. So I invite you to do two things this Advent to help keep you rooted in your faith, and on the road to Bethlehem.
Take time to pray each day, three times a day. Here are 3 prayers I’ve written for morning, noon and night. They won’t take much time. But they will remind you of God’s presence and God’s love. They will help keep you focussed on what is most important. In the United Church tradition, we don’t often use the same prayers over and over. But that’s what I invite you to do with these prayers. Say them every day until Christmas. Say them fast when you need to. Say them slowly when you can. Let the words sink in. Let them be for you a blessing, an anchoring in God’s love.
(Note: we have these in bookmark form at the church – stop by and pick one up)
Daily Prayers for Advent
Morning Prayer
Holy God, whose love enfolds me always,
I greet you this Advent morning.
With the first rays of sunlight,
my heart praises you.
When the sun breaks over the horizon,
my heart opens to you.
Holy God, I greet you this Advent morning,
and invite you into my daily routine,
that, in all I do, all I say and all I think,
I might prepare again to welcome your child Jesus,
to my life and to the world. Amen.
Noontime Prayer
Gracious God,
in the middle of this Advent day, I greet you.
Whether my day be filled
with activities or with leisure,
with chattering or with silence,
with anxiety or with hope,
with sorrow or with joy,
I remember that you are with me,
I am not alone.
For you came in Emmanuel,
the one who is “God-with-us,”
the one whose coming I await. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Loving God, I greet you this Advent evening,
offering my gratitude for this day.
(take time to offer your specific thanks)
As I prepare now for my time of sleep,
I place these things into your hands,
(name worries, to-do items, concerns)
I pray love and well-being for
(name family, friends, situations near & far)
This Advent day now comes to an end.
Some things are done; some things are not.
I leave it all in your care, Loving God,
and go to my rest, knowing that you are with me. Amen.
Take time, each Sunday of Advent to light the Advent Candles, whether by yourself or with family or friends. Let this be a little oasis in your week. Here is a pattern to use and adapt each Sunday. You’ll need 5 candle holders, 4 blue (or purple) candles and 1 white candle
Lighting the Advent Candles
Light one candle the first week, two the second week, three the third week and four the fourth week. These candles are usually blue or purple.
On Christmas Day, light a white candle.
Light the candle(s). Name each of the candles.
Week 1: This is the Candle of Hope.
Week 2: This is the Candle of Hope. This is the Candle of Peace.
Week 3: This is the Candle of Hope. This is the Candle of Peace.
This is the Candle of Joy.
Week 3: This is the Candle of Hope. This is the Candle of Peace.
This is the Candle of Joy. This is the Candle of Love.
Christmas: This is the Candle of Hope. This is the Candle of Peace.
This is the Candle of Joy. This is the Candle of Love.
This is the Candle of Jesus’ birth; the Christ Candle.
Say: We light this candle/these candles to mark our journey to Bethlehem. We light this candle/these candles to help us prepare for the birth of Jesus.
Read: Luke 2:1-7 (or 1-20) Read the Christmas story each week. Enjoy the words.
Discuss:
Week One: Hope
With younger children: Who is your favourite character in this story? Why?
With older children & adults: Hope comes to us when we realize that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. Jesus came to show us that we are part of God’s story. What part of the story of Jesus’ birth gives you hope? Which character shows hope?
Week Two: Peace
With younger children: What is your favourite part of this story? Why? If you could send the angels to sing peace to someone, who would you send them to?
With older children & adults: The angels sing about peace for the whole world. Which character(s) in the story bring you peace? What peace to you see needed in your life, in the community and in the world? If you could send the angels to sing peace to someone, who would you send them to?
Week Three: Joy
With younger children: What is joyful in this story? What gift would you bring to baby Jesus?
With older children & adults: Joy, in the Christian faith, is something that is more than happiness. We can feel joy in the midst of grief and difficult times. What was hard for Mary & Joseph? What was easy? When did they feel joy? What other emotions might they have felt along the way?
Week Four: Love
With younger children: What do you think it was like to welcome a new baby in a stable, a barn? What animals do you think were there? What did the animals think? What did they do for baby Jesus?
With older children & adults: Love, in God’s terms, is meant to be unconditional. Love is given without expecting anything in return. Where do you see love in the story of Jesus’ birth? What is the greatest gift of love that someone has given you?
Christmas - everyone – Take time to say, “Thank you!” to God and to each other for this day.
Pray: the Lord’s Prayer together.
Sing: one verse of a favourite Christmas carol, such as “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger,” “O Come, All ye Faithful.”
On Christmas Day, you might sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.
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