During Advent this year, I invite you to join me in creating an Advent wreath Mandala. A mandala is a round, or oval shape, that help us meditate by making us consider the familiar in a new way. In the YouTube video I outline the process. You can create your own mandala at any time, as outlined in the September 15 blog.
For our Advent mandala, we will use the Advent wreath as our mandala shape. Each Sunday we will add and light another candle on the wreath. Traditionally there are 3 purple (or dark blue) candles and one pink one (for the third Sunday). However, feel free to be untraditional if you want. You might use tea lights, or even battery powered candles.
Every week, I will provide suggestions for daily readings to consider where God is found in family, world, nature, self, and community. (see the end of the blog and the downloadable instructions) You can make your wreath mandala quite personal by thinking about the topic and readings each day to come up with your own images or creative additions. If you prefer, simply use the images and suggestions from a truncated Jesse Tree*. This is a great family project for Advent, or it can be a personal enrichment experience.
The first week of Advent focuses on Hope. Hope for the present and Hope for the future, Hope for the Second Coming. As we begin our Advent Wreath Mandala, we will find symbols or images that speak to us of Hope. On Saturday, we’ll ponder what Action we might be called to take to make Hope more visible in your corner of the world.
Are there images that leap to mind as you consider these readings? What will you add to your Advent wreath for the First Sunday? You may simply want to add a candle and consider adding other symbols throughout the week as you pray the Collect each day.
Collect: Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
I will be posting pictures of my evolving wreath on Facebook. I would love it if you would send pics of yours, too. Of course, you may want to use clip art one day and make your own symbol the next. This is your spiritual aid, make it personal and user friendly!
These are the suggested readings for each day this week, or you can simply re-read the Sunday lessons. More info in the downloadable instructions, which come with suggested images to cut out or create.
Monday: Hope in/for/with family
Joseph’s coat (Gen. 37)
Tuesday: Hope in/for/with community
Promised Land/grapes (Gen 17:7-8)
Wednesday: Hope in/for/with world
Noah ark (Gen. 6:5-8)
Thursday: Hope in/for/with nature
Creation/globe (Gen 1:24-31)
Friday: Hope in/for/with self
Adam & Eve/apple (Gen. 3:1-21)
Saturday: Hope in action
*A Jesse Tree is an Advent tradition that incorporates symbols of God’s redemptive action throughout the Biblical record. Because Jesus is the ‘son of David’, who was the son of Jesse, it is called a Jesse Tree.
