{"id":1413,"date":"2008-11-28T09:39:00","date_gmt":"2008-11-28T09:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/deaconsbench\/2008\/11\/keeping-the-candles-burning.html"},"modified":"2008-11-28T09:39:00","modified_gmt":"2008-11-28T09:39:00","slug":"keeping-the-candles-burning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2008\/11\/keeping-the-candles-burning.html","title":{"rendered":"Keeping the candles burning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can you believe Advent is almost here? <\/p>\n

Neither can I. <\/p>\n

To better brace ourselves for the weeks ahead, the Catholic Spirit newspaper (from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis) has this terrific and practical primer<\/a> on how to give Advent meaning and keep its flame burning: <\/p>\n

<\/a> There\u2019s no way Christmas can sneak up on us this year \u2014?it smacked us in the face with its early department store arrival just after Halloween. Commercial Christmas, I mean \u2014 the Christmas of the over-priced wrapping paper, over-extended Christmas lists and over-swiped credit cards.<\/p>\n

In the midst of sending greetings, planning meals and buying gifts, the church is also preparing \u2014 but in a different way.<\/p>\n

Advent starts Sunday, Nov. 30, and extends to Christmas Eve. It\u2019s a time of waiting, pregnant with excited anticipation of Jesus\u2019 birth. Rather being about stress, the season is really about silence and prayerful preparation for the Christmas feast.<\/p>\n

Here are six ideas to help keep Advent in your heart as you ready your house for Christmas.<\/p>\n

1. Light the Advent candles<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Place your Advent candles in a prominent spot such as on your dinner table, coffee table or fireplace mantle \u2014 a place where you will see them regularly and be reminded of the season.<\/p>\n

After Mass each week, light the candles with family or friends. Say the Lord\u2019s Prayer, reread the Sunday Gospel or find an Advent prayer ritual online. (Take time to prepare for the miracle of Christmas)<\/p>\n

Leave the candle burning throughout the day \u2014?and at other times during the week \u2014?to remind you of your prayer.<\/p>\n

2. Keep an Advent calendar<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just for kids! The Advent calendar originated with German Lutherans, but has been adopted by Catholics as a traditional way to mark the days until Christmas. Although they vary in shapes and sizes, the calendars usually have small doors or drawers that open to reveal a holy image, Scripture verse or piece of candy.<\/p>\n

Starting Dec. 1, the calendars count down the days until Christmas and remind both young and old that Advent is a time of waiting.<\/p>\n

Although you likely will have to visit a religious goods store to find a religiously themed Advent calendar, they are also widely available at retailers like Target and even Starbucks.<\/p>\n

Making a Jesse Tree is another Catholic tradition that heightens Advent\u2019s anticipation. The tree \u2014 large or small \u2014 is decorated each week with ornaments representing Old Testament stories from creation to Jesus\u2019 birth. The idea celebrates the lineage of Jesus, as found in the Gospel according to Matthew (King David was Jesse\u2019s son). <\/p>\n

3. Try chant instead of carols<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s tempting to turn on the Christmas tunes to \u201cget in the spirit,\u201d?but listening to something else reminds you that you\u2019re waiting for Christmas. Recordings of chant \u2014 or sung liturgical prayer \u2014 offer a meditative background as you prepare for the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cChant:?Music for the Soul,\u201d recorded by Austrian Cistercian monks, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Chart and was the No. 1 classical recording on iTunes Music Store when it was released in June. Six months later, it\u2019s still in the top 20.<\/p>\n

Chant instead of carols also ensures you\u2019re not tired of \u201cO Holy Night\u201d by the time the holy night actually arrives.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Check out the link<\/a> for more helpful suggestions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can you believe Advent is almost here? Neither can I. To better brace ourselves for the weeks ahead, the Catholic Spirit newspaper (from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis) has this terrific and practical primer on how to give Advent meaning and keep its flame burning: There\u2019s no way Christmas can sneak up on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":365,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-links-r-us","category-liturgy"],"yoast_head":"\nKeeping the candles burning - The Deacon's Bench<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2008\/11\/keeping-the-candles-burning.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Keeping the candles burning - The Deacon's Bench\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Can you believe Advent is almost here? 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