Advent – Coming, Arrival, Visit - LPNI
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Advent – Coming, Arrival, Visit
LPNI
Health Topic – December 2023
The
season of Advent starts on the Sunday closest to St Andrew’s Day -- the fourth
Sunday before Christmas. In 2023 that
day is 3 December, and Advent continues for the following weeks leading up to Christmas
Eve. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and
the Prince of Peace and the Light of the World; all unique qualities of the Son
of God whose sole purpose on earth is to save sinners.
Four
themes that are often identified for the Sundays in Advent are Hope, Peace, Joy
and Love. If there is an Advent Wreath
with candles, there are often three purple or blue candles, a pink candle, and
at times a white candle in the middle. The colors of three of the Advent wreath
candles are either purple or blue, signifying penance, preparation and
sacrifice. On the third Sunday the
candle is often pink since that is the liturgical color of joy. The third candle is often referred to as the
Shepherd’s candle. If there is a fifth
candle, it is white and is set in the middle of the wreath. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve, and represents the pure and holy Son of God: Christ
Jesus. Advent is a time to prepare
hearts and homes for Christ’s birth and to recognize the eventual second coming
of Christ.
What
is health-oriented about Advent? This is
a time of preparation in secular and religious aspects. It is a futuristically-oriented period of time
during which we look forward. This is a
time to get hearts and homes ready to celebrate Christ’s coming. Preparation is a deliberate action and a
consistent theme in Advent. A number of
churches hold Advent services, often midweek on Wednesday evenings. These provide a chance for additional worship
and praise midweek, a time of preparation for hearts and minds for Christmas
Day.
Advent
calendars come in a variety of configurations. These can be a calendar of December. There are “windows” on the calendar with
various items behind the “doors”. These
may include candy (usually chocolates) or a particular Bible verse for that
day. The calendar can be orienting, as
in there are two more weeks before Christmas.
Orientation
to time and place, and to an event is healthy. It helps us to truly get ready for something,
this “something” being celebrating the birth of Jesus, his arrival on earth,
born to a human mother into a human and sinful world. His sole purpose on earth was to be born, and
30 some years later to die for the sins of all in the world. There are a number of hymns that reflect this concept:
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Oh Come Oh Come Immanuel, It Came Upon a Midnight
Clear, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and many more.
This
Advent take the opportunity to prepare for Christ’s coming. Take the opportunity to contemplate God’s gift
of his Son to save sinful humans from eternal damnation. Take the opportunity to share this soul-saving
news with family, friends and neighbors
far and wide. Advent Blessings to all as
we prepare for the arrival of God’s soul-saving gift of his son this Advent.
Jamie Spikes, RN, PhD,
Parish Nurse, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Manhattan,
KS, USA
Select
information for the above has come from the Advent devotional Peace Comes to
Earth by Rev. Dr. Daniel Paavola and available from Concordia Publishing
House in St. Louis, MO, USA