The Advent Season is an opportunity for each one of us to pace ourselves. The wintry lingering morning and evening darkness bids us to slow down, quiet ourselves and contemplate the hope and promise Advent offers to bring into our lives.  

 Yet, we live in a culture of distractions amplified by the pressure of social media, marketing ploys headed toward Christmas. In Advent we should really ask ourselves if we still have a little room to ponder who we are, where we are going, and why? How might the four weeks of Advent offer us profound moments of a sense of wonder, awe, and mystery for living holy and healthy into the richness of an authentic Christmas Season.

 I find the custom of setting up an Advent Wreath, and lighting the weekly candles a simple way of reminding me to pace myself during the Advent Season.   The wreath itself is in the shape of a circle, a symbol of God’s eternity. The green color speaks of life and health.  

 The aroma of the Advent Wreath filling my space calls to mind St. Hildegard of Bingen’s sacramental way of seeing the world. Central to her understanding of God’s spiritual work in nature is what she called Viriditas, or ‘greening power” of the Divine. It is the force of the Spirit that is actively moving all things, including you and me.   Everything is in process, in motion calling and moving us into deeper communion with God and one another. May we experience Viriditas “greening power” in the Advent Season.