Have you noticed how all the malls around the world went straight from Thanksgiving to Christmas?
Instead of the green, red and gold that you see everywhere else, your parish welcomes you with the color violet. Why? For many, violet is the color of the sky just after the darkest hour of night, offering a hint that dawn is nearing the horizon. At church you will also see a wreath with four candles but only one lit the first week. This means we are clearly keeping vigil and we have several weeks to go.
You see, instead of launching straight into Christmas after Thanksgiving, we recognize there is another season in between, a forgotten season — the season of Advent.
The season of Advent explores two themes. The first unites our hearts with the ancient Hebrews, who kept vigil for centuries awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The second theme of Advent calls us all to keep vigil for the return of Jesus at the end of time, when he will judge the living and the dead. Both themes say: We are mortal and our time is limited. We are sinners and we need a savior. We need Jesus.
My friends, as hopeful as we all are for a blessed Christmas this year, I think it is spiritually healthy to stay in Advent until Christmas arrives. From Advent wreaths, spiritual reading and simple acts of kindness and charity to those in need, there are so many ways we can stay in this season.
Most of all, Advent calls us to pray. With all the worries that weigh heavy on the heart, we are invited into our parish churches to pray in sanctuaries wrapped in violet. By doing so, we will not lose sight of the light that is beginning to appear just beyond the horizon, who is Christ and Lord.
Find more Advent reflections throughout the season on the Archdiocese of Seattle website: archseattle.org/advent.