This year I have decided to make an effort to really understand Advent. Admittedly I know precious little beyond that it is observed the four weeks leading to Christmas. Since I don't believe in Jesus as my Savior, I never felt a need to delve into its meaning. I am not sure why, but this year I want the season to be different. I want it to have more meaning. Additionally, my youngest has started kindergarten at the Lutheran School. His teacher has been spending time each day lighting the Advent candle and discussing the "meaning of the season". He has come home wondering where our Advent wreath is. Good question.Now, how to fit having an Advent wreath into our Unitarian Universalists beliefs? What does it mean to us? This is what I hope to discover in this season of reflection. How can I make this Advent season relevant, spiritual, and meaningful to my family? To me, Christmas is a celebration of all our births and the divinity we all possess. It is a celebration of our enormous potential for compassion and love. I want this message to ring through the season leading to Christmas.
While she doesn't know this (yet), I am using the 26 Days of Advent blog as a starting point. I find her writing to be very thought-provoking. I would strongly encourage any of you looking for a deeper meaning on the season of Advent to read it. While it is Christian based, the ideas and spirit of its thought transcend religious boundaries.
If you are a fellow UU celebrating Advent, I would love to hear what it means to you and your family.
The picture is our homemade Advent wreath. It is a straw wreath with small mason jar candles. I am allergic to most scented candles, so I made some soy based ones. I then tied a ribbon around them. The red one is for the 'celebration' third week of Advent.
3 comments:
Thank you for your words here. It's really a high compliment, actually, that you think I can come from a Catholic perspective but transcend that beginning point. Thank you.
I really like your post! I'm a UU, and I actually just made a blog post about Advent, though with a much different tone.
You have inspired me...maybe I'll make a UU Advent wreath this year. :)
Modern Girl
it means chocolate everyday until christmas!
just kidding, sort of.
Sadly, this year it hasn't meant much more than that around here.
I do however like to keep advent because it reminds us of the passing of time, leading up until the day of Christmas. We celebrate both Solstice and Christmas here now but haven't always.
Despite my non christian background, i have always felt that if we are to engage in the celebration of Christmas, we should do our best to understand and teach our children about the day really is and just what it is that we celebrate and why. We explore the ideas a little more or less each year.
how is that for a long winded way to say- it means SOMETHING but we are still figuring it out ourselves.
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