Grace Thompson
Preparing for Christmas as a Catholic is about more than just buying gifts and putting up decorations. Advent, derived from the Latin word 'adventus' meaning 'coming', is a time for spiritual preparation and reflection for Catholics. During this period, individuals may choose to read the Gospels, listen to Advent music, and perform charitable acts. It is also a time to cultivate silence and focus on the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ and his entrance into the world. To prepare, one can create a family shrine or Advent wreath, light candles, and select gifts thoughtfully. Ultimately, it is a time to ready one's heart and mind for the celebration of God's love and sacrifice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reading | Read through the Gospels, especially Luke. |
| Music | Listen to Advent music. |
| Celebration | Don't celebrate Christmas early. |
| Confession | Go to confession. |
| Candles | Make a traditional Advent wreath. |
| Gifts | Rethink gifts and consider making donations to charitable organizations. |
| Shrine | Create a family shrine with an Advent wreath or statue or pictures connected with Christmas. |
| Cards | Send religious greeting cards. |
| Commercialization | Avoid the commercialization of Christmas. |
| Reflection | Cultivate silence and reflection. |
| Devotional | Read an Advent devotional each day. |
| Calendar | Get a traditional or make your own Advent calendar. |
| Community | Decide on something you can do with family or friends each week of Advent to love your community. |
| Movies | Watch movies with a Christmas message, such as "A Christmas Carol." |
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What You'll Learn
Focus on the spiritual, not the commercial
The true meaning of Christmas can often be overshadowed by the busyness and commercialism of the season. For Catholics, the liturgical season of Advent is a time to focus on spiritual preparation for Christmas and the coming of Jesus.
One way to do this is to cultivate silence and reflection. This can be challenging during a busy season, but it is important to set aside time each day to prepare our hearts for the entrance of Christ into the world. We can do this by reading an Advent devotional, digging into God's Word, and reflecting on Bible verses about the Christmas story or the gospel. We can also spend time in prayer, asking God how we can best prepare our hearts and how we can show Christ's love to others.
Another way to focus on the spiritual during Advent is to create a family shrine or a Jesse tree. A shrine can serve as a focal point for preparing for Christmas and a reminder that our lives belong to God. A Jesse tree is a tree decorated with ornaments based on symbols of Old Testament events preparing for the coming of Christ. For example, it might include an ark or rainbow to represent Noah and the flood, or a ladder to depict Jacob's ladder.
Advent is also a time to reflect on the two-fold meaning of the "coming" of Jesus. On the one hand, we reflect on Jesus' first coming when He humbled Himself and entered our world to free us from sin. On the other hand, we remember that Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, and we must be ready to meet Him.
Finally, we can focus on the spiritual during Advent by rethinking gifts. Instead of getting caught up in materialism, we can thoughtfully select gifts that will bless our loved ones and those in need. This might include making donations to charitable organizations, purchasing fair-trade gifts, or gifting experiences or time spent with loved ones.
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Read the Gospels and Advent devotionals
As a Catholic, Advent is a time to focus on the spiritual preparation for Christmas and the coming of Jesus into the world. A great way to prepare for this is to read the Gospels and Advent devotionals.
The Gospels are a great way to nourish your soul with the word of God. You can start by reading the Gospel of Luke, which is especially fruitful in relation to the Sunday readings. The Gospel of Luke introduces us to St. John the Baptist, also known as Jesus' cousin, and his message is clear: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight". This sets the tone for spiritual preparation and recognizing that Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus, but also about his coming into our world today.
Advent devotionals can help you set aside time each day to prepare your heart for Christmas. You can use resources like YouVersion, which provides free Christmas reading plans to help center each day on Jesus. These devotionals often include Bible verses about the Christmas story or the gospel, allowing you to reflect on the true meaning of the season.
In addition to reading, you can also cultivate silence and reflection during Advent. This can be a challenge due to the busyness of the season, but it is important to make time to pray and ask God how you can prepare your heart to celebrate the entrance of His Son.
Another way to engage with the Gospels during Advent is to create a Jesse tree. This is a tree decorated with ornaments based on symbols of Old Testament events, such as an ark or rainbow to represent Noah's flood, or a ladder to depict Jacob's ladder. Each ornament can be a reminder of the prophecies and events leading up to the coming of Christ, helping you to reflect on the significance of his birth.
By reading the Gospels and Advent devotionals, and taking time for silence and reflection, you can ensure that you are spiritually prepared for Christmas and focused on the true meaning of the season.
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Create a family shrine
Preparing for Christmas as a Catholic is about focusing on the spiritual meaning of the occasion and avoiding commercialisation. One way to do this is by creating a family shrine that serves as a focal point for your celebrations. Here's how:
Location
Firstly, decide where you want to set up your shrine. Traditionally, Catholic families designate a place in their homes to share their faith and pray. This could be in your bedroom, living room, or a separate room dedicated to prayer.
Items to Include
- Advent wreath—a circular wreath made of fresh plant material, with candles that represent penance, preparation, sacrifice, and the coming of Christ.
- Bible—placed at the centre of the altar, with votive or prayer candles on either side to represent God's presence.
- Prayer books—such as missals, breviaries, and books of saints' prayers.
- Rosary—an essential part of Catholic family prayer life.
- Icons, statues, and images—these could include a crucifix, a statue of the Virgin Mary, and pictures connected with Christmas.
- Candlesticks and candle accessories—choose these intentionally to complement your shrine. You may also want a candle snuffer and decorative matches or a lighter.
- Holy water font—a place to store holy water.
- Flowers—small blooming orchids add natural beauty without overpowering the main elements.
Additional Considerations
- Involve your children—if they like to draw, frame their artwork of the Blessed Mother or Jesus.
- Make it personal—ensure each family member has a unique item that represents them, such as their favourite saint, prayer, or colour.
- Collect holy cards—gather printed images and holy cards of saints that are significant to your family members, and add them to the shrine on feast days.
- Change it up—rotate items to keep the altar from becoming too familiar.
- Incorporate linen—dress the table in white linen, or colours to match the liturgical seasons, such as pink, green, purple, or red.
By creating a family shrine, you can help your family focus on the true meaning of Christmas and prepare for the coming of Christ.
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Do something with candles
Candles are an integral part of Catholic customs and rituals. They can be used to request intercession or give thanks for answered prayers. The dancing flame and wisp of smoke can be a reminder to trust in God, the light of the world.
Advent is all about darkness and light, and candles are a great way to help prepare in heart and mind for Christmas. You could make an Advent wreath, a circle of fresh plant material with no beginning or end to symbolise God's infinite love and everlasting life. The wreath is often decorated with violet ribbons, which are replaced with white and gold ones at Christmas. It can be placed on the dinner table or on the door as a symbol of welcoming Christ. The wreath usually has three purple candles, one pink candle, and a fifth white candle in the centre, known as the Christ candle. The purple candles symbolise penance, preparation, and sacrifice, while the pink candle symbolises Gaudete Sunday, when we rejoice as our preparation is halfway finished. The Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and the other four candles are lit on each subsequent Sunday of Advent.
Another candle-related tradition is lighting a "Mary candle". This custom teaches us to patiently prepare for the birth of Jesus, just as Mary did.
In some countries, it is customary to set up a large candle in the home on Christmas Eve, surrounded by a laurel wreath, symbolic of victory over Satan. The candle is kept burning throughout the holy night and the festival season. In Ireland, the candle is decorated with holly, while in Ukraine, it is placed in a loaf of bread. In South America, the candle might be placed in a paper lantern with Nativity scenes, and in France, three individual candles are moulded into one to honour the Holy Trinity.
The Irish also have a tradition of placing a candle in the window, which dates back to the English persecutions when priests had to go into hiding. The candle indicated that a refugee priest would be welcome in the home for the celebration of Mass on Christmas Eve.
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Celebrate the sacraments
For Catholics, Advent is a time of spiritual preparation for Christmas and the coming of Jesus Christ. It is a time to focus on penance, turning away from sin, and preparing for the coming of the Saviour.
During Advent, Catholics can make a good sacramental confession to clean their heart, mind, soul and total being. This is an important step in preparing for the Lord, as it sweeps out the dirt and makes one clean. Going to confession is especially important if one is receiving Holy Communion regularly.
The celebration of the sacraments is a way for Catholics to become part of the living Body of Christ (the Church) in the world today. This includes the Eucharist, Baptism, Confirmation, and more. Every celebration of the Eucharist and the other sacraments is like a little Christmas for Catholics.
Advent is also a time to reflect on the two-fold meaning of the "coming" of Jesus Christ. On the one hand, it is a time to reflect on Christ's first coming when He humbled Himself and became incarnate to free us from sin. On the other hand, it is a reminder that Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead, and that we must be ready to meet Him.
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