ADVENT WREATH CELEBRATION

First Week INTRODUCTION Today we celebrate the Churchs New Year and enter its opening season Advent. Advent means coming, and the word refers to the coming of Christ our Redeemer. Every year, Christ comes among us at Christmas. Every day, Christ comes into our hearts by increasing His divine life in us. On the Last Day He will come in His glory to take us to the heavenly Father. To prepare ourselves for that day is our main task as Christians. So the Church reminds us at the very beginning of her year of what is coming at the end the return of our Lord in glory. She invites us to prepare our hearts by prayer and sacrifices, not only for Christmas, but also for the event which Christmas foretells to us every year: the coming of our Lord and Savior. The Advent Wreath is one of the most popular Advent customs. It is in the form of a CIRCLE without beginning and end and it stands for eternity. Its GREEN color stands for life and growth. The FOUR CANDLES present the ages sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, and for the four Sundays or weeks of the Advent Season. On each Sunday, a new candle is lighted. The first light spells PENANCE. It calls us Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight His paths (Mt. 3:3). The second candle stands for HOPE: Let your lamps be burning. Watch and pray waiting for the their masters return (Lk. 12:35-37). The third light spells JOY: Rejoice in the Lord Behold our God will come and save us (Is. 35:4). The fourth light signifies CONSOLATION: Be comforted, my people the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Is. 40:1-5). OPENING HYMN O come, divine Messiah! The world in silence waits the day When hope shall sing its triumph, And sadness flee away. Dear Savior haste; Come, come to earth, Dispel the night and show your face, And bid us hail the dawn of grace. O come, divine Messiah O Come, Divine Messiah

O Christ, whom nations sigh for, Whom priest and prophet long foretold, Come break the captive fetters; Redeem the long-lost fold. Dear Savior haste O come, divine Messiah OPENING Leader: All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

READING OF THE WORD OF GOD Reader: All: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark. Glory to you, Lord. Jesus said to his disciples: "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'" The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

BLESSING OF THE ADVENT WREATH Leader: All: Our help is in the name of the Lord. Who made heaven and earth.

Leader:

O God, by whose Word all things are sanctified, pour forth Your blessing upon this wreath and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from You abundant graces. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

All:

The wreath is sprinkled with holy water. LIGHTING OF THE FIRST CANDLE One representative goes to the wreath and lights the first candle. Leader: May this light remind us of the One Who is the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. In the same way that each Advent Sunday will see another light shining on this wreath, may we also grow in Christs love and prepare ourselves to share in Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

All:

INTERCESSIONS Leader: In his kindness, God the Father has given us the grace of looking forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray to him, saying Show us, Lord, your loving kindness. 1. Lord, sanctify our bodies and hearts and spirits, purify us in readiness for the coming of your Son. 2. Let us walk in holiness throughout this day and live just and good lives in this world. 3. Let us put on Christ our Lord as a cloak and let us be filled with the Holy Spirit. 4. Lord, grant that we may be awake and watchful until your Son appears in glory. OUR FATHER Leader: Let us pray for the coming of the Kingdom as Jesus taught us. Our Father

PRAYER OF THE WEEK Leader: Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All: Leader: All: All:

Second Week INTRODUCTION In the Gospel, the Church teaches us through the mouth of the greatest of the Prophets who announced the coming of Christ, John the Baptist. He exhorted the Jews to make ready the way of the Lord and to make straight his paths. This means: Correct in your lives whatever is crooked; do away with insincerity towards God and neighbor, with uncleanness and idleness. The coming Lord cannot make His way into tortuous hearts that cheat God, their neighbor, and themselves. Let us therefore offer prayers for one another: may God give us all the grace to make straight the paths of the Lord, in preparation for His coming. OPENING HYMN O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. REF: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind. Bid every strife and quarrel cease And fill the world with heaven's peace. (REF.) O Come, Thou Dayspring from on High And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death's dark shadow put to flight. (REF.) OPENING Leader: All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

READING OF THE WORD OF GOD Reader: All: The beginning of the holy Gospel according to Mark. Glory to you, Lord. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

LIGHTING OF THE SECOND CANDLE One representative goes to the wreath and lights the first candle. Leader: May this light remind us of the One Who is the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. In the same way that each Advent Sunday will see another light shining on this wreath, may we also grow in Christs love and prepare ourselves to share in Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

All:

INTERCESSIONS Leader: Beloved brethren, the Lord Jesus Christ is the judge of the living and the dead. Let us pray to him: Come, Lord Jesus.

1. Christ, Lord, you came to save sinners: defend us and keep us untroubled by temptation. 2. We believe that you will come in judgement in the sight of all: let all see in us the power of your salvation. 3. Give us the strength to keep to your precepts: so that we may stand firm in love, awaiting your coming. 4. You are blessed in all worlds and all ages. In your mercy let us live our time in this world in righteousness and virtue as we wait in blessed hope for the coming of your greatness. OUR FATHER Leader: With longing for the coming of the Kingdom let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us. Our Father PRAYER OF THE WEEK Leader: Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All: Leader: All: All:

Third Week INTRODUCTION This week the Church invites us to be joyful. In the Entrance Antiphon she cries out: Rejoice in the Lord, again I say, rejoice. The reason for this joy is that the Lord is near, as Isaiah, the Prophet of glad tidings, tells us. The Church in Advent is like a mother expecting her child: she possesses Him already and yet the Child is still coming He is on His way. We, Christians, have had Christ with us since our Baptism. We have Him in the Sacraments, especially in the Holy Eucharist. We have Him in the divine life of grace. And yet Christ is coming; He has not fully revealed Himself to us; we have not fully opened our hearts that He may enter. Christmas gives us a new opportunity to let Christ enter more and more into our hearts, our minds, and our lives, in order to make ready His last coming in glory. The Lord is near. Let us be glad and rejoice until He comes. OPENING HYMN O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. REF: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind. Bid every strife and quarrel cease And fill the world with heaven's peace. (REF.) O Come, Thou Dayspring from on High And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death's dark shadow put to flight. (REF.) OPENING Leader: All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

READING OF THE WORD OF GOD Reader: A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.

All:

Glory to you, Lord. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, "Who are you?" He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Christ." So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?" He said: "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'make straight the way of the Lord,'" as Isaiah the prophet said." Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The Gospel of the Lord.

All:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

LIGHTING OF THE THIRD CANDLE One representative goes to the wreath and lights the first candle. Leader: May this light remind us of the One Who is the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. In the same way that each Advent Sunday will see another light shining on this wreath, may we also grow in Christs love and prepare ourselves to share in Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

All:

INTERCESSIONS Leader: In his kindness, God the Father has given us the grace of looking forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray to him, saying Show us, Lord, your loving kindness. 1. Lord, sanctify our bodies and hearts and spirits, purify us in readiness for the coming of your Son. 2. Let us walk in holiness throughout this day and live just and good lives in this world. 3. Let us put on Christ our Lord as a cloak and let us be filled with the Holy Spirit. 4. Lord, grant that we may be awake and watchful until your Son appears in glory. OUR FATHER Leader: Let us pray for the coming of the Kingdom as Jesus taught us. Our Father PRAYER OF THE WEEK Leader: O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lords Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

All: Leader: All: All:

Amen. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Fourth Week INTRODUCTION Christmas is almost here. Emmanuel a Hebrew name that means God with us will soon be among us. Let us make the last preparations together with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through her, Emmanuel came into the world; through her He will come again into our hearts at Christmas. OPENING HYMN O come, divine Messiah! The world in silence waits the day When hope shall sing its triumph, And sadness flee away. Dear Savior haste; Come, come to earth, Dispel the night and show your face, And bid us hail the dawn of grace. O come, divine Messiah O Christ, whom nations sigh for, Whom priest and prophet long foretold, Come break the captive fetters; Redeem the long-lost fold. OPENING Leader: All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

READING OF THE WORD OF GOD Reader: All: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, Lord. The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David,

and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

LIGHTING OF THE FOURTH CANDLE One representative goes to the wreath and lights the first candle. Leader: May this light remind us of the One Who is the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. In the same way that each Advent Sunday will see another light shining on this wreath, may we also grow in Christs love and prepare ourselves to share in Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord.

All:

Amen.

INTERCESSIONS Leader: Beloved brethren, the Lord Jesus Christ is the judge of the living and the dead. Let us pray to him:

1. Christ, Lord, you came to save sinners: defend us and keep us untroubled by temptation. 2. We believe that you will come in judgement in the sight of all: let all see in us the power of your salvation. 3. Give us the strength to keep to your precepts: so that we may stand firm in love, awaiting your coming. 4. You are blessed in all worlds and all ages. In your mercy let us live our time in this world in righteousness and virtue as we wait in blessed hope for the coming of your greatness. OUR FATHER Leader: With longing for the coming of the Kingdom let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us. Our Father PRAYER OF THE WEEK Leader: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All: Leader: All: All:

SAINT MICHAEL COLLEGE Cantilan, Surigao del Sur

Advent Wreath Celebration

MARANATHA!

Come, Lord Jesus!