THE ADVENT WREATH, A CIRCLE OF LOVE

By Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY

A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, O.F.M. Capuchin

THE ADVENT WREATH, 
A CIRCLE OF LOVE


The Advent wreath is a continuous CIRCLE of branches from an evergreen tree that signifies God’s unending love for us.

The FIRST purple candle, the PROPHECY candle, represents HOPE and harkens back to Isaiah’s foretelling of the birth of Christ and all the promises of the Old Testament that would be fulfilled by the birth of Jesus.

The SECOND purple candle, the BETHLEHEM candle, symbolizes PEACE and reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem before she gave birth to Jesus.

The THIRD candle is pink and is called the SHEPHERD’S candle. It represents the JOY of Gaudete/Rejoice Sunday. It reminds us of the joyful anticipation of the shepherds who returned to Bethlehem to see Jesus, even before the arrival of the Magi. Advent is almost over, and we rejoice that Christmas is near.

The FOURTH candle is purple and is the ANGEL’S candle. It represents LOVE, the ultimate love of God, who so loved us and the world that He sent his only Son to dwell among us.

The LIGHT of the candles symbolizes the light of Christ, which grows brighter as Christmas approaches.

On this SPIRITUAL WORKOUT WEDNESDAY, consider the words of the late Pope Francis, “May we be in this world a ray of that light which shone forth from Bethlehem, bringing hope, peace, joy and love to the hearts of all men and women.”

 

Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin was born in Kibakwe, Mpwapwa, Dodama Tanzania, Africa, on January 23, 1978. He was ordained to the Ministerial Priesthood on July 12, 2012, by Archbishop Gervas John M. Nyaisonga. Following his service as Pastor in his home country of Tanzania, Father was commissioned to the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Augustine in Pittsburgh, PA, where he was assigned studies and pastoral duty at Immaculate Conception Church in Dudley, PA. After he completed his Master's Degree at Villanova University, Father was reassigned to serve as chaplain and pastoral care at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. He completed his ministry there and returned to Tanzania on May 7, 2024.

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