The Advent season begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Over those few weeks, Christians reflect on preparation and expectation – both for Jesus’s birth (celebrated on Christmas Day each year) and His future second coming.
Advent Traditions
The traditional color for Advent is purple, as it represents penitence and royalty, and it’s usually incorporated in the pastor’s vestments and the cloth covering the altar table.
During this special time in the Christian church, which actually marks the beginning of a new year in the liturgical calendar, the sanctuary is adorned with a Chrismon tree and an Advent wreath.
A Chrismon tree is a Christmas tree decorated with handmade white-and-gold ornaments that each represent a facet of Jesus and His life/ministry. The term Chrismon means “Christ monogram.”
Fun fact: Chrismons were first used in the Lutheran church in 1957. Both of my parents were born before Chrismon trees existed!
The traditions of Advent began much, much earlier – back in the first century in the Roman Catholic church.
A stand holding a wreath with five candles in the middle sits at the front of the sanctuary during Advent.
Since the traditions are much older, interpretations vary on the true meaning of the wreath and candles.
Often, one of the purple candles is pink to represent St. Mary, which makes sense because Advent began in the Catholic church
Since the wreath is circular, most Christians could agree that the wreath symbolizes God’s eternal love and/or our belief in eternal life.
The evergreen trees used for Chrismon trees, advent wreaths, and other decorations evoke similar themes…evergreen – forever…you get the idea.
[Sidenote: My church has a “hanging of the greens” ceremony in December, which involves placing evergreen branches around the sanctuary.]
The central candle represents the presence of Jesus Christ. Most Christians light one candle on the outer ring each Sunday of Advent for joy, hope, peace, and love.
During the regular Sunday worship service, the candle lighting is often accompanied by scripture readings and music.
Are we prepared?
This holiday season, when I see a Christmas wreath, I will reflect on the idea of God’s eternal love.
Adorning our front doors with this symbol feels like an invitation.
Is He welcome? When He knocks at the door, will I answer or turn away?
Tying in the themes of preparation and expectation, maybe we can expand those questions –
Am I prepared for Him to knock at my door; am I expecting His arrival? Is He welcome? When He knocks at the door, will I answer or turn away?
I don’t mean these questions in a strictly literal way, though they could be taken as such in reference to the second coming.
I really mean them figuratively. “God knocking at the door” could be a call to leadership or ministry. It could be a person or situation where we are meant to intervene and help. It could be giving up some expendable income or downtime to lend a hand, make a donation, or share our skills for the good of the community.
Everything boils down to our willingness to serve. Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) was the greatest example of servant leadership to walk the earth.
Am I prepared for God to call me to lead, follow, help, give, love, forgive? When He knocks at the door, will I answer or turn away?
Retrospective Lily 
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