Advent wreath

Pray with the CRS Advent Wreath

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A Complete Guide for All Four Weeks of Advent 2024

We’re excited to journey through this season with you! Visit this page each week of Advent to help prepare your heart for Christmas. As you light the candle of your Advent Wreath, reflect on the many gifts Jesus brings to our lives—including hope, faith, joy and peace—and on our Gospel call to share them with others to build a more just and peaceful world. Together, let’s prepare our hearts for a Christmas filled with love and purpose!

Blessing of the Advent Wreath

God of goodness,
Bless our Advent wreath.
May its circle remind us of your infinite love,
and to live as one human family.
May its evergreen branches awaken our hope
to share with people who need it most.
May its candles illuminate peace our hearts
to touch the world with compassion.
May we receive the joy of your word and bring it to life
in all corners of the earth.
We ask this through Christ our lord.
Amen.

First Week of Advent: Hope

Prayer to Light the Candle

God of Goodness, we ask you to bless our Advent Wreath, so that its green branches may awaken in us the desire to await the coming of Christ and encourage us to bring hope to people who need it most. Amen

“Christ's grace, which brings to its fulfilment the hope of salvation, impels us to cooperate with him in building a more just and fraternal world, in which all people and all creatures can live in peace, in the harmony of God's original creation.”

Pope Francis

Reflection

During Advent, the light of hope guides us through the darkness of life. Jesus, as a source that quenches our thirst, allows us to trust and overcome the fear of the future...

During Advent, the light of hope guides us through the darkness of life. Jesus, as a source that quenches our thirst, allows us to trust and overcome the fear of the future. Despite the difficulties, we know that Jesus is with us, even in the midst of hunger and despair. In this first week of Advent, let us reflect on Mary and Joseph, who with hearts full of hope experienced a special Advent as they prepared for the birth of Jesus. They made room in their hearts and lives for God to find a place to be born. God invites us to do the same: to welcome people who have been left out, in the “margins” that we create as a society. And to be sources of hope.

Questions to Ponder and Share

  1. Consider how you can be more supportive of our sisters and brothers who face hunger and a lack of basic resources.
  2. Are you willing to open our hearts like a manger to them?
  3. How do you make our hope visible day by day?
  4. How can you bring hope to the people who are close to you? And the ones who are far away?
  5. What actions can you take to alleviate hunger and bring hope to people who need it most?

Closing Prayer

Lord, you invite us to live in hope, and to share it with the poorest of the earth. You call us to fight poverty and climate change, especially by addressing their root causes. May the light of hope that we ignite today never be extinguished in our hearts and may it reach all those around us. Amen.

Second Week of Advent: Faith

Prayer to Light the Candle

God of Goodness, we ask you to bless our Advent Wreath so that its candles may be a symbol of the faith that encourages us to be witnesses of your Son. Amen

“Christian faith and witness face such challenges that only by uniting our efforts will we be able to render an effective service to the human family and enable the light of Christ to reach all the dark corners of our hearts and our world.”

Pope Francis

Reflection

This second week of Advent we are invited to reflect on faith. It is in that same faith that moved Joseph and Mary to act in a specific way when faced with the challenge of finding an appropriate place to bring Jesus into the world...

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This second week of Advent we are invited to reflect on faith. It is in that same faith that moved Joseph and Mary to act in a specific way when faced with the challenge of finding an appropriate place to bring Jesus into the world. Such is faith, it is given to us to share it and to put it into action. Today the home we share with all species, our planet, is also facing the challenge of global warming. Our faith also requires us to care for and protect God's creation. Faith calls us to be good stewards of the Earth, to work together to preserve this home we share, and to care for those who suffer disproportionately from the consequences of climate change.

Questions to Ponder

  1. How can the teachings of the faith inspire you to take more compassionate action towards those disproportionately affected by climate change?
  2. How do your daily actions reflect a commitment to preserving the environment as an act of solidarity towards the most vulnerable?
  3. What shared responsibilities should we recognize between the faith community and society at large to address global warming effectively?
  4. How can you balance your personal needs and desires with the moral imperative to care for those in need and protect creation?

Closing Prayer

Jesus, you have united in yourself divinity and humanity in a single mystery of love. You have shown us that love is the measure of faith. Increase our faith so that we can no longer separate the life of godliness from service to our sisters and brothers. Do not let their voices be silenced within us, and give us the courage to stand up for all that is just and good. Amen.

Third Week of Advent: Joy

Prayer to Light the Candle

God of Goodness, we ask you to bless our Advent Wreath, and that the sharing of our gifts at this time may be a source of joy. Amen

“With your witness of joy and service, you make the civilization of love flourish. They show with their lives that it is worth spending themselves for great ideals, valuing the dignity of every human being, and betting on Christ and his Gospel.”

Pope Francis

Reflection

During Advent, our faith invites us into a time of waiting and preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and the coming of a more just and loving world promised by him. A world in which each of us must participate in its construction. The joy of Advent is not a superficial happiness; it is a deep joy that arises from hope and anticipation of positive change...

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During Advent, our faith invites us into a time of waiting and preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and the coming of a more just and loving world promised by him. A world in which each of us must participate in its construction. The joy of Advent is not a superficial happiness; it is a deep joy that arises from hope and anticipation of positive change.

In the midst of this season of joy, we are called to reflect on the difficult realities of the world, such as hunger and climate change. World hunger is a sad contradiction in an age that should be filled with generosity and compassion. Climate change, meanwhile, threatens to exacerbate food insecurity and increase the number of people in need.

The connection between Advent and these global challenges lies in the call to action. The joy of Advent invites us to share with people who have less, to be light in the darkness for those who suffer. It reminds us that every act of kindness and every step toward sustainability reflects the divine love we celebrate. Thus, as we rejoice in the joy of Advent, we also commit ourselves to being agents of change, working to alleviate hunger and protect our common home, the Earth. In this season of Advent, may our joy be translated into concrete actions that bring hope and relief to those who need it most, and may our care for the planet be our gift to the child born among us, promising a better future for all.

Questions to Ponder and Share

  1. How can you combine the joy of Advent with practical actions to alleviate hunger?
  2. What personal changes could you make to reduce our carbon footprint this holiday season?
  3. How can you express your joy at receiving the Redeemer beyond Christmas gifts?
  4. How do you share your joy with those around you?

Closing Prayer

Lord, your angel announced to the shepherds that the Messiah had been born and gave them as a “sign” to find him: “an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” Filled with joy, they went to seek you. Today, you give us as a sign of your presence our sisters and brothers who are hungry, thirsty and seeking refuge. Help us to reach them with the joy of shepherds. Amen

Fourth Week of Advent: Peace

Prayer to Light the Candle

God of Goodness, we ask you to bless our Advent Wreath and that as we celebrate this Advent, we receive with open hearts the peace that comes from you to bring it to all corners of the earth. Amen

“It is necessary to be artisans of peace. This season of Advent, of preparation for the coming of the Lord who is the Prince of Peace, asks us to do so. To make peace is to imitate God, who when he wanted to make peace with us and forgave us, sent his Son to make peace, to be the Prince of Peace.”

Pope Francis

Reflection

The birth of Jesus is a moment of deep meaning and hope. When God became flesh and dwelt among us, He brought with Him a message of love, reconciliation, and peace. Through his life and teachings, Jesus showed us the way to lasting peace...

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The birth of Jesus is a moment of deep meaning and hope. When God became flesh and dwelt among us, He brought with Him a message of love, reconciliation, and peace. Through his life and teachings, Jesus showed us the way to lasting peace.

In that humble manger, God revealed Himself as a Savior accessible to all. He did not choose a royal palace or a cradle of gold, but a simple place. This teaches us that peace is not found in material greatness, but in humility and closeness to God.

Jesus' promise to save us from our sins is an immense gift. His sacrifice on the cross offers us reconciliation with God and inner peace. Through him, we find forgiveness and the hope of a transformed life. The light that Jesus brought into the world dispels our darkness. His message guides us toward peace with ourselves and with others. During difficulties, his presence calms us and reminds us that we are not alone.

The peace that Jesus offers is neither superficial nor temporary. It is a peace that is embodied in our daily lives, transcends circumstances, and is rooted in faith. God invites us to trust him and collaborate in his creation; even when everything seems uncertain, we know that his love and care sustain us. This Advent, let us remember that true peace comes from Jesus. May his light illuminate our hearts and inspire us to be agents of peace in a world in need.

Questions to Ponder and Share

  1. What can you do to help bring peace to the world?
  2. How can you contribute to peace in your home, neighborhood, school, or work?

Closing Prayer

Lord, transform death into life, hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, and war into peace. You are our peace; through you, we implore peace for the whole world. Amen

 
 

Give the Gift of Hope this Advent

Our Advent journey is coming to an end, leading us into the blessed Christmas season. Meditate on the birth of Jesus into poverty and how this reflects the reality of many other families around the world today. The Wise Men traveled from afar to adore Jesus and bring him gifts. What gifts can you bring to the manger? How can you share hope, faith, joy and peace with our sisters and brothers in need? What talents can you offer to support our family in Christ?